Nashville, Tennessee
March 3, 2008
Rewarding professional efforts to
improve the soybean industry allows the
United Soybean Board
(USB) and soybean checkoff to thank those who are working to
make soybeans more profitable for soybean farmers. Checkoff
farmer-leaders announced the winners of the USB Outstanding
Achievement Award and USB Excellence Award at Commodity Classic
in Nashville, Tenn. The awards allow USB and the soybean
checkoff to recognize the commitment of individuals or companies
who have made an outstanding, positive impact on the soybean
industry.
The checkoff’s highest honor, the USB Outstanding Achievement
Award, was awarded to Dr. Richard Wilson, retired
national program leader for oilseeds and bioscience research at
the United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural
Research Service (USDA, ARS). Dr. Wilson has made incomparable
contributions to the soybean industry during his distinguished
32-year career with USDA. As national program leader, he led
more than 400 scientists in nearly 300 projects in crop
genetics, molecular biology and agricultural product
utilization. Prior to that position, Dr. Wilson served as the
research leader for the USDA-ARS Soybean and Nitrogen Fixation
Research Unit, guiding the focus of soybean research on quality
traits.
“I am deeply honored to receive the USB Outstanding Achievement
Award and am very proud to be selected as an example of how
checkoff investments are helping improve soybean quality and
enhance the competitive position of U.S. soybeans in global
markets,” says Dr. Wilson.
Dr. Wilson’s accomplishments are evidenced in part by more than
225 scientific publications, including 11 books. Even after his
retirement, Dr. Wilson actively coordinates soybean research
initiatives and continues to author scientific articles.
“USB farmer-leaders selected Dr. Wilson because he has made
major contributions to soybean research in his tenure,” says
Rick Stern, USB Production chair and farmer from Cream Ridge,
N.J. “Dr. Wilson was the principal investigator for two large
checkoff-funded projects before he took on his role with the
oilseeds program, and he’s been a supporter of checkoff research
for many years.”
USB’s Excellence Award, focused on production research, was
awarded to Dr. Randy Shoemaker of USDA-ARS. Dr.
Shoemaker’s contributions in genomics research have been
invaluable to soybean farmers. In his role as a research
geneticist with USDA-ARS, Dr. Shoemaker has helped to lead the
way in mapping the soybean genome, which will aid efforts to
bring disease and pest resistance and improved soybean
composition traits to the market.
Dr. Shoemaker’s research, funded in part by the soybean
checkoff, helped establish a genomics database that is widely
used by both public and private researchers. Through his
leadership of the Soybean Genomics Executive Committee, Dr.
Shoemaker has been instrumental in guiding the strategic plans
of the group and in the development of projects that have sped
up the research on soybean genomics and streamlined the work
being conducted across the country.
“Dr. Shoemaker stands out as a leader in the field of soybean
genomics,” says Stern. “He helped establish a genomics strategic
plan and guided the direction of genomics research, research
that will help farmers far into the future.”
USB is made up of 68 farmer-directors who oversee the
investments of the soybean checkoff on behalf of all U.S.
soybean farmers. Checkoff funds are invested in the areas of
animal utilization, human utilization, industrial utilization,
industry relations, market access and supply. As stipulated in
the Soybean Promotion, Research and Consumer Information Act,
USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service has oversight
responsibilities for USB and the soybean checkoff. |
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