Why Soy Failed

Austria in Its Transnational Setting, 1870–1950

Abstract

This paper examines why soy was not successfully integrated into the Austrian agro food system until the 1950s despite numerous attempts. The failure is framed as a ‘bottleneck’ issue in that the transfer of knowledge from the soy niche to the broader agro-food regime was impeded. Emerging from late nineteenth-century agronomic research, the soy niche became a space for experimentation fuelled by diverse actor networks of experts, publicists, and the general public. The bottleneck occurred in the early 20th century when soy was reintroduced as a potential substitute for scarce oils and foods during the First World War. However, conflicting views and insufficient coordination between institutions, policies, and actors stifled its widespread adoption. Efforts to promote soy cultivation and its use in food products failed largely because of ideological divisions and the contrast between agrarian autarky policies and marketoriented ventures. Although the Nazi regime temporarily expanded the bottleneck by incorporating soy into the war economy, postwar socioeconomic shifts led to its regression. As the economy recovered, soy was increasingly stigmatized as an inferior substitute, and meat reclaimed its dominant role as the preferred source of protein. This paper highlights how agro-food transitions are shaped by local conditions and complex, non-linear dynamics, underscoring the idiosyncrasies of national and regional development paths.