oybean quality reports identify that foreign material (FM) levels of southern soybeans were 1 to 2 percentage points greater than FM levels of midwestern soybeans. The 1 to 2 percentage point protein advantage of southern soybeans offsets the FM differences for domestic processors. Random blending of midwestern soybeans with southern soybeans normally produces export soybeans having nearly 2% FM without net removal of cleanings and contributes $20 million or more to net soybean handling margins.