About the Checkoff

Creating profit opportunities requires a plan of action. It’s looking forward and thinking big. It’s being aware and identifying every possibility to put your soybean crops to use and nurturing new and emerging international markets. It’s ideas, research, strategy and drive all put into action to help you prosper. It’s knowing your success is paramount and that the most important thing the checkoff can do is help you thrive.

The soy checkoff is supported entirely by soybean farmers with individual contributions of 0.5% of the market price per bushel sold each season. The efforts of the checkoff are directed by the United Soybean Board, composed of 77 volunteer farmer-leaders often nominated by their state-level checkoff organizations, called Qualified State Soybean Boards. The nominees are appointed to the board by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture.

In 1991, the U.S. Congress passed a provision as part of the 1990 farm bill to form the soy checkoff at the request of soybean farmers.

As soybeans make their way to the elevator, the river or wherever they are scheduled to go after harvest, and the grain checks are cut and signed, you’ll notice a line item for your commodities checkoff. The soy checkoff, as well as other checkoffs such as sorghum, dairy or wheat, is entirely supported by the farmers that grow their commodity. Soybean farmers make individual contributions of 0.5% of the market price per bushel each season. Half of that contribution goes toward the national checkoff — the United Soybean Board — and the other half goes toward Qualified State Soybean Boards (QSSBs).