The United Soybean Board (USB) has long been involved with managing the Soybean Checkoff and works to find new avenues for the promotion of American soybeans. During these difficult times of COVID-19 and trade uncertainty, the work has become even more important. The USB recently held its summer board meeting to discuss the plans for the next year.
Tom Oswald is a member of the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors. He is also a Cleghorn, Iowa farmer. He talks about how they whittled down over 600 proposals to under 176.
The goal of the USB is to make sure the producers have the tools they need to grow good quality soybeans and make money doing it. Oswald says, ?demand will pick up.?
Oswald says while we want to see the demand and usage of soybean oil in products like biodiesel increase, the United Soybean Board is also looking at how to position the product for growth in other areas such as asphalt, tires, tennis shoes, and cooking.
Oswald says it is easy for producers, himself included, to all into what he calls, ?Backyarditis.? Where we are concerned with what happens in our own area, but also need to consider the work that must be done for the industry as a whole.
Oswald says that producers can rest assured that the projects that are using Soybean Checkoff Dollars have been approved for farmers by farmers. There is no rubber-stamping going on at the United Soybean Board.
To learn more about the soybean checkoff, log on to https://www.unitedsoybean.org/
