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Frequently Asked Questions
Maybe we can answer your question before you ask it. See some of our most commonly asked questions below.
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The soy checkoff is a collective investment by all U.S. soybean farmers. The checkoff is dedicated to maximizing profit opportunities for all soy growers. Funds are dedicated to building preference for U.S. soy by addressing and meeting end users’ needs.
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State checkoff programs started sprouting in the late 1960s, with North Carolina forming the first mandatory checkoff program in 1966. By 1989, 26 state checkoffs had been created. The United Soybean Board was created shortly after by Act & Order in 1991, starting with 63 farmer-leaders from a variety of states.
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Like producers of other commodities, such as beef, dairy and eggs, soybean farmers collectively invest part of their revenue to fund research, education and promotion efforts. Soybean farmers invest .5% of the market price per bushel sold each season in their checkoff.
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Half of your checkoff dollars collected at the first point of sale go to work at the state level, supporting promotion, education and research programs right where farmers’ beans are grown. The other half goes toward improving profit opportunities for all U.S. soybean farmers through national promotion, education and research in the soy checkoff’s major areas of focus: meal, oil and sustainability.
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There are 77 farmer-directors who oversee the investments of the soy checkoff to maximize profit opportunities for all U.S. soybean farmers. These volunteers, appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture to the United Soybean Board, invest and leverage checkoff funds to build preference for U.S. soy.
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The United Soybean Board (USB) and the American Soybean Association (ASA) are two different organizations with one focus: the success of U.S. soybean farmers. Both groups serve this purpose in different ways. Whereas USB administers soybean checkoff activities focusing on research and market development and expansion, ASA focuses on state and national policy issues, which, by law, the checkoff can’t.
