The Uniform Soybean Tests, Northern Region, in place since 1941, evaluate yield, disease resistance, and quality traits of public breeding lines from northern states of the USA and Canadian provinces. The annual reports which compile the test results (PDF format) are available, and new reports are added annually. The Uniform Soybean Tests are conducted and managed as a component of a CRIS project on Enhancing Resistance to Root Rot Pathogens of Soybeans in the USDA-ARS Crop Production and Pest Control Unit at West Lafayette, Indiana. The purpose of the Uniform Soybean Tests is to critically evaluate the best of the experimental soybean lines developed by federal and state research personnel in the U.S. and Canada, for their potential release as new varieties.

Locations include Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Nebraska, Ohio, Ontario, Quebec, Tennessee.

Germplasm exchange among breeding programs is the foundation of breeding progress. The purpose of the Uniform Soybean Test is to facilitate the free exchange of germplasm in an effort to maximize genetic diversity and provide well-adapted, stable breeding lines and varieties in the pursuit of breeding progress. Participants are encouraged to exchange germplasm within the legal guidelines pertaining to transgenic strains.