The Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service awarded a $179,835 cooperative agreement to the University of Georgia under the Agricultural Research Basic and Applied Research program (CFDA 10.001). The agreement supports research to discover and deploy novel soybean genes to develop new varieties and germplasm with elevated meal protein and essential amino acids. Specifically, the university will develop U.S.-adapted high-yielding germplasm containing greater than 48% meal protein and 36% seed protein that maintain over 95% of check yield and test environmental stability. Researchers will also map and characterize quantitative trait loci alleles/genes responsible for high protein in domestic and exotic cultivated and wild soybean varieties to determine their impact on seed yield. The Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia is the parent organization of the awardee.