Please review and criticize and improve below essay based on essay prompt - How does the story of soybeans in the past compare or contrast with its story today? and essay requirements.  The essay is below. The essay requirement follows essay.  Essay:  History of Soybeans
How does the story of soybeans in the past compare or contrast with its story today? 
The cultivation and consumption of soybeans, a practice with origins stretching back thousands of years in East Asia, has undergone a transformation in recent times. Initially valued for their nutritional content, ease of cultivation, and role in crop rotation, soybeans were an integral part of regional agricultural practices and diets of their native lands. However, modern economic and agricultural dynamics have shifted soybean cultivation and consumption trajectories. Today, soybeans are at the center of global discussion of sustainable farming practices, nutritional controversies, and the political consequences. The transition from a locally cultivated crop to a globally traded commodity has faced challenges and controversies. This essay seeks to follow the evolution of soybeans from their historical roots in China and historical events like WWII as a modest yet essential crop to growing populations. Subsequently, this paper aims to dissect the current prominence in global agriculture. This essay argues that while soybeans, a native East Asian crop, once played a vital role in sustaining agriculture and diets during World War II with minimal environmental impact, their role has dramatically shifted in modern times. Their current status as a globally traded commodity has raised critical questions about the sustainability of modern agricultural practices, the influence on modern dietary trends,  and health implications.
Soybeans originated in Southeast Asia and were domesticated by Chinese farmers in 1100 BC. Due to their nutritional value, they became a staple in many Asian diets. 
The versatility of soy, especially soy oil, was vital in overcoming the agricultural and industrial challenges that the United States faced during the Second World War and rapidly growing populations. The importance of soy’s versatility can’t be overstated; it was a crop that found critical uses in various sectors, particularly during times of scarcity for nutritionally dense food options. By serving as a food and industrial product, soy helped address the dual challenges of feeding the population and supporting the war effort. Nearing World War II, the disruption of trade routes from edible fats and oils occurred, and the US needed to find a way to sustain oil production in the US.  This situation necessitated the search for a domestic alternative that could fulfill the demand for oil, thus placing soybeans in the spotlight as a highly desired and strategically important crop. There was an immediate need for soybean oil and meal, and it quickly became one of the most popular crops worldwide. Thus, soybean acreage increased as soybeans became exponentially more successful in the United States. Additionally, soybeans benefited other crops in rotation.  Soybeans played a crucial role in agricultural sustainability and productivity through benefits such as nitrogen fixation, which enriched the soil for subsequent crops. The similarity in cultivation practices between soybeans and corn meant that farmers could easily incorporate soybeans into their existing agricultural systems without needing significant adjustments or investments, further encouraging its adoption. Because of their versatility, American-grown soybeans were promoted in a variety of ways: Soybean oil served for margarine and shortening, and soy protein could be used as a meat substitute. Many of these uses were popularized by the Great Depression. One characteristic of developing economies is that consumer demand for meat and poultry goes up as the population benefits from economic growth. As economies grow and populations gain more disposable income, dietary patterns shift towards higher meat and poultry consumption, reflecting increased nutritional needs and preferences for protein-rich foods. This phenomenon has significant implications for agricultural demand and production, especially in relation to feedstocks like soybeans. So in the 1980s and 1990s, meat and poultry consumption in countries like China, South Korea, Mexico, Indonesia, Turkey and the Philippines climbed. The increase in meat and poultry consumption in these countries during this period was a marker of their economic development and changing dietary preferences. This surge placed additional pressure on local agriculture to meet the new demand, directly impacting the strategic importance and expansion of crops like soybeans that are essential for animal feed. A thriving soybean processing industry has spread throughout Asia to the Middle East, North Africa, and the Americas.  This industry supports local economies and contributes to global food security by providing essential human consumption and animal feed products, validating soy’s pivotal role in contemporary agricultural practices. The use of soybean products for feed and food has continued to expand worldwide.  The ongoing expansion of soybean products for feed and food globally underscores the crop’s indispensable role in meeting the world’s increasing nutritional needs. This trend will likely continue due to the growing global population and the escalating demand for protein-rich diets. By the end of World War II, American farmers supplied more than two-thirds of the world’s demand for soybeans, making it one of the United States' most important cash crops. Following World War II, soybean production moved from the southern U.S. into the Corn Belt.  
In the current landscape, soybeans have shifted into various aspects of world politics, dietary trends, and environmental concerns. The rise of health-conscious eating and vegan lifestyles has significantly boosted the popularity of soy-based products like soy milk and various vegan food options. The trading dynamics of soybeans have been impacted by geopolitical tensions, notably the tariffs imposed between China and the US on the soybean market. These trade disputes, often called the “Soy Wars,” have disrupted historical trade patterns and prompted both nations to reconsider their agricultural strategies and reliance on each other for critical agricultural commodities.  “China was the world’s largest soybean importer; unfortunately, its soybean imports relied heavily on a few countries, and the anti-interference ability of China’s soybean trade tended to decline. Therefore, China’s soybean trade was increasingly vulnerable to being tightly controlled by other countries when some uncertain factors occurred, such as trade frictions and changes in policy decisions from importing and exporting countries.” Soybean production and its agricultural practices have impacted environmental issues. In 2011, soybeans were second only to maize in American agriculture production. This means that soybeans are a large part of the greenhouse gases produced. Large-scale soy farming impacts deforestation, soil degradation, and biodiversity loss. Many organizations aim to mitigate the impact of environmental factors from large soybean production.
How does the story of soybeans in the past compare or contrast with its story today? The historical and contemporary stories of soybeans reveal a change from a modest commodity for primary sustenance to a global agricultural food with widespread impacts. Historically, soybeans were first domesticated in Southeast Asia around 1100 BC for their nutritional value. This period of soy’s history is characterized by localized consumption, which is produced in smaller amounts than the current production state. Soybeans were culturally significant to East Asian regions and provided a crucial source of protein in meals. In the 20th century, during and after the Second World War, soybeans' became popularized in the United States. Soy became increasingly used for its nutritional value and industrial applications, such as in producing soy oil. This was a response to the circumstances of war and the need for versatile agricultural products. Soybeans began to be viewed not only as a food crop but as a strategic resource, leading to increased production. In the current era, soybeans evolved into a commodity with complex impacts, including dietary trends, geopolitics, and sustainability. Health-conscious lifestyles and the vegan movement have increased demand for soy-based products like soy milk and meat substitutes, which returns to the roots of viewing it as a source of nutrition, but now in a more popularized market. However, today’s soybean is also full of challenges and controversies that were not present in the past. Geopolitical tensions, such as the trade disputes between China and the U.S., are a stark contrast to the humble beginnings of the soybean. Moreover, the issue of sustainability has emerged as a major concern that did not occur in the past when soybean production was still in its baby stages. The environmental issues have sparked debates on how to balance agricultural productivity with ecological preservation. The story of soybeans has drastically changed from a localized dietary staple to a globally significant agricultural commodity. Soybeans’ past and present stories display their multifaceted role in human society.
Essay requirements: 
Prompt: How does the story of a food commodity in the past compare or contrast with its story
today?
You will write a 1250-1500 word essay in which you choose a food commodity (corn, potatoes,
cod, etc) and compare and contrast how it was produced/consumed at some specified point in the
past with today (or the more recent past). You can consider the differences (and similarities) in
how this affects ecosystems, business, agricultural worker lives, and consumer consequences.
General thoughts:
• You can be creative about your chosen commodity. It can also be one from class / the
readings. If you choose one covered heavily in the reading, make sure you are adding
more analysis beyond my account or the author’s argument.
• You do not need to be comprehensive. Provide some of the big picture, but no need to
cover every single aspect. You will be emphasizing key themes (see below).
• You are not expected to do primary source research (though you can).
o You should draw meaningfully from at least 3-5 secondary sources.
• Your TA is happy to provide advice at any step, but do not wait until the last minute!
• See the guide below for suggestions.
o You are also expected to review the material on page two of this overview. If you
do not follow the source or thesis recommendations, your grade will suffer.
Suggested step-by-step directions for a successful essay:
1. Choose your food commodity.
2. Research your topic.
a. Look for contemporary articles/material on present-day production.
b. Investigate the historical context.
i. Choose the time period to contrast with the present.
c. Take notes based on your readings to help you with step 3.
3. Reconstruct the story of producing your commodity in the past and the present.
4. List key themes for each period (so two different lists).
a. Brainstorm 3-5 key themes for each.
b. Compare the lists (look at similarities and differences).
5. Develop a thesis: a central point or claim about the similarities or differences.
a. This is your one- or two-sentence answer to the prompt (see page two for details).
i. This will appear at the end of the first paragraph of your essay.
6. Outline your essay based on the thesis.
7. Draft your essay.
8. Revise your essay (see the reverse of this sheet for broad suggestions).
a. Make sure your essay progresses logically and supports your thesis.
i. Check for clear topic sentences.
b. For guidance, I encourage you to visit the Writing Center.
9. Proofread your essay. Check for typographical errors, review citations, etc.
10. Submit your essay and celebrate!!
History of Food // Prof Specht
Basic information for a successful essay
An essay is a combination of research and analysis. For this assignment, you will mobilize
secondary source evidence to address the prompt. This means choosing good sources, developing
a clear thesis and argument, and mobilizing and citing evidence to support it. Your essay should
be double-spaced in size 12 font and use one-inch margins.
Sources:
• For this assignment, you should draw from a minimum of three secondary sources. If
they are short, you might want to draw from more.
• When looking for reliable secondary sources, academic publications are your best bet.
These can be found on JSTOR or Google Scholar and should be published in academic
journals or by university presses. Other reputable publishers are acceptable; to determine
if a press is reputable, you might want to see if their books are in the ND library catalog.
• For present-day topics (commodity production today), media (newspapers, magazines,
etc.) might be relevant. You can draw from this material, but stick with reliable sources:
newspapers from major cities or (reliable) magazines with physical circulation.
• Websites are not appropriate for citation unless they are electronic versions of one of the
types of sources above, or are from a major NGO like the UN, WHO, WTO, etc.
• You must cite your evidence. Otherwise we have no way of knowing whether it is
accurate or where you got it. In history, this means using footnotes to indicate where you
found the material. You also need to cite an analytic claim that is not your own. Taking
another author’s analysis or writing without credit is not permitted.
Argument:
• Have a clear thesis / argument. Scholarship is a collective conversation, so you want to
have a clear take on your topic. You should develop a thesis statement that is your
one- or two-sentence answer to the prompt. This is the central claim you will develop
and defend throughout the essay.
o A thesis directly answers the prompt. A thesis is an interpretation of a question
or subject, not a statement of the subject itself. The subject, or topic, of an
essay might be World War II or Moby Dick; a thesis must then offer a way to
understand the war or the novel.
o A thesis is also not simply a list of relevant factors. You need to add some
analysis: how do the factors relate? which ones are most relevant? do the relevant
factors evolve?
o A thesis makes a claim that others might dispute (and is one worth disputing /
discussing)
▪ Notice that if your thesis is a list or a statement of the subject (the previous
two bullets), then it is not a claim one could dispute.
o A good thesis is specific and not overly broad.
• Strong topic sentences. The first sentence of a paragraph should generally state its
subject. You then develop and defend that point in the remainder of the paragraph.
o You should also use topic sentence (and paragraph concluding sentences) to
“sign-post” your argument. That means indicating how the present discussion
helps develop your overarching claim (the thesis).