ASAS Midwest Section Meeting 2026: Focus on Soybean Meal in Swine Nutrition

The 59th ASAS Midwest Section Meeting will accept place in Omaha, Nebraska, from March 8 to March 11, 2026, at the CHI Health Center Convention Center. This regional gathering brings together animal science professionals to share research and advancements in livestock nutrition and management.

Key Event Details

The meeting is organized by the American Society of Animal Science (ASAS) Midwest Section. Sessions will be held over four days, with specific symposia focusing on current topics in animal nutrition. One highlighted session is the Nonruminant Nutrition Symposium titled “The Science and Commercial Application of Soybean Meal in Today’s Pig Diets,” sponsored by U.S. Soy and scheduled for Tuesday, March 10, 2026, from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM CT in Ballroom A of the convention center.

Symposium on Soybean Meal in Swine Diets

This symposium addresses the role of soybean meal as a critical protein source in swine feed. Presentations will cover historical context, nutritional value, feed formulation, economic modeling, and quality assessment. The session begins with an introduction to nonruminant nutrition, followed by a talk on the history of the corn-soy diet by Dr. Robert A. Easter of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Subsequent presentations include:

• “Four Pillars of Soybean Meal’s Unique Value to Swine Nutrition and Health” by R. Dean Boyd, PhD, of Animal Nutrition Research.
• “New Knowledge on Soybean Meal and Practical Implications to Feed Formulation” by Aaron M. Gaines, PhD, of Ani-Tek, and R. Dean Boyd, PhD.
• “Modeling the Economic Value of Soybean Meal in Swine Diets: Development of a Digital Calculator for Dynamic Market Conditions” by David Rosero of Iowa State University and Bart Borg, PhD, of the United Soybean Board.
• A break for networking and discussion.
• “Main Factors Affecting the Nutritional Value of Soybean Meals: Importance of Quality Control and Country of Origin of the Soybeans” by researchers from Universidad Politécnica de Madrid.
• “Evaluation of U.S. Soybean Meal Quality and Consistency and Determination of Best Analytical Practices” by Katelyn N. Gaffield, PhD, of Kansas State University, and Sierra M. (additional author details not specified in source).

About the Venue

The CHI Health Center Convention Center is located at 455 N 10th St, Omaha, Nebraska 68102. The facility serves as a major hub for conventions, conferences, and events in the Midwest region.

Purpose and Significance

ASAS Midwest Section meetings provide a platform for scientists, educators, and industry professionals to exchange knowledge on animal agriculture. The 2026 meeting continues this tradition by focusing on timely topics such as feed efficiency, ingredient quality, and sustainable swine production practices. The soybean meal symposium reflects ongoing interest in optimizing plant-based protein sources for livestock diets.

Additional Information

Attendees can access the full meeting schedule and session details through the ASAS Midwest Section website. The event is listed in academic and professional conference calendars, including those maintained by EAAP and AcademicJobs.com.

As of the date of this article, the meeting remains scheduled for March 8–11, 2026, in Omaha. No changes to the date, location, or organizing body have been reported in verified sources.