St. Louis, Missouri
March 26, 2009
Using priority issues established
by the entire soy industry and feedback from U.S. soybean
farmers, the United
Soybean Board (USB) and the soybean checkoff have evaluated
the checkoff’s current programs and selected the most critical
areas on which to focus in the near future.
Supporting production research on increasing yields will remain
the top target area for the farmer-leaders of USB along with
improving the composition of the soybean for the end users of
U.S. soybeans.
"Production research fits right in with the top priority that
came out of the CONNECTIONS meeting, and that’s increasing yield
and increasing or at least maintaining the quality of soybeans,”
says Chuck Myers, USB chairman and soybean farmer from Lyons,
Neb., referring to the CONNECTIONS meeting in December that
brought together the entire soy industry to outline top-priority
issues for the U.S. soy industry over the next several years.
The checkoff plans to especially focus on improving soybean
composition according to the needs and demands of the food
industry. This includes developing soybean varieties that
produce soy oil with qualities that are required by the food
industry.
The soybean checkoff has been effective in forming productive
relationships with industry partners to further the use of soy
in more industrial products. This leveraging of checkoff funds
represents another key area where USB will maintain focus. Myers
cites several checkoff success stories in forming partnerships
to make checkoff dollars go further – these include the use of
soy in Ford vehicle cushions and Cargill’s soy foam that is now
used in furniture.
“We’re always interested in leveraging soybean farmers’ checkoff
dollars,” explains Myers. “Being able to invest one checkoff
dollar and have an industry partner invest four or five or 10
dollars, we can get so much more done that way.”
In fact in 2008, more than $40 million was added to USB funding
through partnerships in communications ($1.4 million), domestic
marketing, new uses and production research ($24 million), and
international marketing ($15 million).
Continuing to establish markets for U.S. soybeans abroad,
especially where biotech soybeans are concerned, remains another
important order for the checkoff. Soybean checkoff farmer
leaders will also work to ensure the future of soybean
production in the United States by encouraging sound farming
practices.
Supporting the domestic livestock and poultry industries will
also remain important to USB in coming years. This includes
increasing awareness of the economic impact of these industries
on the U.S. economy and U.S. soybean farmers.
“There’s no doubt that over the last couple of years soybean
farmers have been faced with huge challenges,” says Myers. “It’s
just become a much more risky business to be in, and that’s why
it remains critically important for the soybean checkoff to
invest those checkoff funds for soybean farmers and in the
things that help increase their profitability.”
For more information on the checkoff’s involvement in the U.S.
soy industry’s planning process at CONNECTIONS, visit the
library section of the USB Web site
www.unitedsoybean.org.
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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