United Soybean Board Elects Steve Reinhard as New Chair

ST. CHARLES, Mo. (Dec. 7, 2023)— Farmer-leaders of the United Soybean Board (USB) elected Steve Reinhard from Ohio as the 2024 chair and 10 additional farmer-leaders to serve on the Executive Committee during the USB December meeting in St. Charles, Missouri.

“I’m honored and excited to take on the role of USB’s new board chair,” shares Steve Reinhard, the 2024 USB chair and Ohio farmer. “Together with the dedicated team and the support of our farmers, I look forward to continuing our commitment to sustainability and innovation in the soy industry. We’ll focus on driving positive change, leveraging research and investments to meet consumer demands, and furthering the success of American soybean farmers.”

The newly elected USB Executive Committee includes:

• Steve Reinhard, Chair – Ohio
• Ed Lammers, Vice Chair – Nebraska
• Philip Good, Secretary – Mississippi
• Brent Gatton, Treasurer – Kentucky
• April Hemmes – Iowa
• Matt Gast – North Dakota
• Gary Berg – Illinois
• Don Wyss – Indiana
• Susan Watkins – Virginia
• Lawrence Sukalski – Minnesota
• Meagan Kaiser, Past Chair (Ex Officio) – Missouri

Reinhard brings a wealth of knowledge and leadership. He has previously held positions as treasurer and vice chair, overseeing the value alignment committee responsible for charting the strategic direction of annual checkoff investments. Additionally, he served as a former chairman of the Ohio Soybean Council.

As the new Chair, Reinhard will explore opportunities to drive demand and environmental resilience, such as new industrial uses, expansion of soil health practices and growing export markets for food and feed. He believes market development and determining the value of technology are issues facing the soybean industry today, and he is ready to take on these challenges in the coming year.

In addition to his experience serving on the board, Reinhard’s background in agriculture will be valuable. He brings firsthand knowledge and expertise to the table growing soybeans, corn and hay alongside his brother Tim. Steve was previously an agricultural education teacher and FFA advisor. He served as a county commissioner in the Ohio House of Representatives and was a volunteer firefighter for 23 years.

“Steve is a steady leader, and I’m excited to see him lead the United Soybean Board farmer-leaders as we continue our vision to deliver sustainable soy solutions to every life, every day,” said Meagan Kaiser, immediate past chair of the United Soybean Board. “This past year, we’ve collaborated strategically with farmers to enhance the preference for U.S. Soy, and Steve brings strategic foresight to this important effort. It’s without question that he’ll achieve great things in the coming year.”

Along with Reinhard serving as the new chair, the United Soybean Board recently announced the addition of a new CEO, Lucas Lentsch. See more here.

About United Soybean Board: United Soybean Board’s 77 volunteer farmer-leaders work on behalf of all U.S. soybean farmers to achieve maximum value for their soy checkoff investments. These volunteers create value by investing in research, education, and promotion with the vision to deliver sustainable soy solutions to every life, every day across the three priority areas of Infrastructure & Connectivity, Health & Nutrition, and Innovation & Technology. As stipulated in the federal Soybean Promotion, Research and Consumer Information Act, the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service has oversight responsibilities for USB and the soy checkoff. For more information on the United Soybean Board, visit unitedsoybean.org.

 ###

Contact: 

Paul Murphy-Spooner at United Soybean Board, 515.975.6584.

Melina Bland at VML, 816.204.5163.