Urbandale, Iowa
December 10, 2008
The board of directors of the
American Soybean Association (ASA) yesterday voted unanimously
to ask the Secretary of Agriculture to order an Office of
Inspector General investigation and financial audit of the
National Soybean Checkoff Program. The ASA petition, filed today
with Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer and the Inspector General
of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), calls for an
investigation of the United Soybean Board (USB) and the U.S.
Soybean Export Council (USSEC).
“The Iowa Soybean
Association (ISA) has not met, therefore has not taken a
position on the request for investigation of USB activities by
ASA. We are also not in a position to address specific
allegations. The ISA board will discuss the issue at its January
board meeting,” says ISA President John Heisdorffer. “However,
we believe that because the vote to investigate these
allegations was unanimous, it indicates that these concerns were
shared by state affiliates across the country. If true, these
issues need to be addressed.
“We have been concerned about the deteriorating relationship
between ASA and USB for several years. Unfortunately these
difficulties have gone very public,” he adds. “It is our hope
that the seriousness of these allegations can be addressed and
the important work of the national checkoff can continue.”
ISA was instrumental in supporting an effort in 2007 and 2008 by
five state soybean associations to develop recommendations in
order to improve coordination, communication and cooperation
between the two national organizations.
The Soy Opportunities Tasks Force (SOTF) recognized the stress
in the relationship between ASA and USB, and proposed structural
changes that would improve coordination, cooperation and
communication. At last year’s Commodity Classic, SOTF was unable
to get a majority of ASA delegates to support full exploration
of structural issues.
“In hindsight, that was clearly a missed opportunity,” says
Heisdorffer.
To learn more about ISA visit our website at
www.iasoybeans.com.
The Iowa Soybean Association develops policies and programs
that help farmers expand profit opportunities while promoting
environmentally sensitive production using the soybean checkoff
and other resources. The Association is governed by an elected
volunteer board of 21 farmers. |
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