Soybean Checkoff Maps New Course for U.S. Soy Industry

In July, United Soybean Board (USB) farmer-directors met in Milwaukee to discuss the long-term direction of the soybean industry.

USB directors approved the checkoff’s new Long-Range Strategic Plan (LRSP), which identifies four areas USB farmer-leaders believe most critical to maintaining and expanding the U.S. soy industry over the next five years. They include:

• Increasing the value of U.S. soybean meal and oil.
• Ensuring that U.S. soybean farmers maintain their freedom to operate.
• Meeting customer needs.

Earlier this year, USB identified and approved two priority issues that merit immediate attention by the soybean checkoff. They include:

• Protecting the animal-agriculture sector.
• Investing in transportation infrastructure.

“The soybean industry has changed dramatically in the past 20 years, and USB needs some changes as well,” said USB Chairman Marc Curtis, a Mississippi soybean farmer. “We took a step forward moving USB toward the organization it needs to be to address the modern world.”