Urbandale, Iowa
September 9, 2008
A reception hosted last week by
the Iowa State University
(ISU) College of Agriculture and Life Sciences highlighted the
productive research partnership that exists between ISU and
soybean growers through the investment of checkoff funds.
The event was held in conjunction with an
Iowa Soybean Association
(ISA) board meeting. It featured displays providing updates on
35 research projects currently funded by the checkoff and gave
ISA directors and staff the opportunity to visit directly with
researchers about their work. In addition, the evening’s keynote
speaker talked about the important role of public funding for
research.
For the past two years, ISA’s investment in soybean research has
exceeded $3 million per year. The return on that investment
includes progress in a broad range of areas.
ISU’s soybean breeding program continues to lead the nation in
the development of soybean germplasm with improved resistance to
soybean cyst nematodes as well as soybean diseases like sudden
death syndrome (SDS). Recently, for example, ISU released a
maturity group two germplasm line with resistance to SDS.
ISU is also the leading institution in research on soilborne
fungal pathogens of soybeans and corn. Displays at the reception
showed recent results exposing which fungal pathogens are most
aggressive to soybean roots.
In addition, ISU soybean breeder Walt Fehr talked to soybean
producers about the ongoing, checkoff-funded research to develop
soybeans that produce heart-healthy oils.
State Senator David Johnson of Ocheyedan, who works on a
northwest Iowa dairy farm, talked about the importance of more
public funding to support research as he addressed the group
gathered for the reception. Johnson is currently the ranking
member, and former chair, of the Senate Agriculture Committee.
“The future of Iowa is agriculture,” Johnson said. “Realizing
that, Iowans need to reconnect with our land grant university.”
He clarified that, by Iowans, he meant universities must be
supported by government, institutions and nonprofits
organizations, in addition to students and their families, who
are challenged by the cost of tuition.
Johnson said that over the past 30 years, “federal funding for
agriculture research has basically been flatlined and has
certainly not kept up with funding in other areas.”
Similarly, he noted, the portion of funding that state
universities receive from state government has dropped.
To maintain the land grant university, he said, legislators face
difficult decisions.
“Elected officials must recognize the role of the land grant
university or there will come a point where survival will be the
issue. It is very important for everyone affected, including
board members and researchers, to develop personal relationships
with policy makers.”
“The challenge is to help Iowans see that their future is
directly tied to agriculture,” Johnson concluded. “We must keep
communicating with all people to tell the story of what we do,
why we do it and the benefits for Iowa.”
To learn more about ISA, visit its Web site 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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