(Radio Iowa) – The Farm Progress Show is back in central Iowa — and one of the innovations featured is a 43-thousand square foot asphalt base made from soybean oil and recycled crushed asphalt. Iowa Soybean Association President Robb Ewoldt says this project demonstrates yet another way soybeans can be used.

“When I was younger there was only oil and protein. Well now we’re looking at different uses that we can use. And who would’ve thought that we could take 100 percent recycled asphalt and basically glue it back together with soybean oil,” Ewoldt says. Iowa State University engineering professor Eric Cochran says this project also recycles old road layers and keeps them out of landfills.

“And giving it not just a new use, but a new high-value use,” he says. “It’s becoming a new pavement that actually serves a purpose and prevents you have from having to buy new hot mix asphalt that is oil-based primarily.”The project on display at the Boone site uses more than 23-hundred pounds of soybean oil from 215 bushels of crushed soybeans. Soybean checkoff dollars funded the soy-based asphalt.

(reporting By Katie Peikes, Iowa Public Radio)