United Soybean Board farmer-leaders elected Dan Farney of Morton, Illinois, as the 2021 USB Chair. “What an honor to get selected by my fellow farmers to lead the soy checkoff next year,” says Farney. “I’m so proud of our accomplishments but look forward to going a step further to increase the value and preference for U.S. soy.”
USB leadership, with oversight from USDA, guides the activity of the national soy checkoff per the strategy outlined by the 78-member board. “As stewards of the soy checkoff, we are committed to research and market development on behalf of all soybean farmers that strengthens the resilience of U.S. soybean production,” Farney says.
“This ranges from developing new customers abroad to building demand domestically through animal agriculture, human consumption, biodiesel, and industrial uses for over 1,000 products on the market.” The USB farmer-leaders also elected ten other farmer-leaders to serve as members of the USB Executive Committee during their annual meeting December 9-10.
USB continues to focus on three priority areas for investment: meal, oil, and sustainability. During the annual meeting, USB CEO Polly Ruhland said soybean farmers are the definition of resilient. “You can knock them down, but you certainly can’t count them out,” she says. “The checkoff is a reflection of that spirit.”
