Beyond the Bean – Growing Edition

To America’s soybean farmers—

Welcome back to Beyond the Bean. As you work through the heart of the growing season, I hope the weather cooperates with timely rains for a strong crop. We know it’s a challenging farm economy with low commodity prices, high input costs and tight margins. In this Growing Edition, your Soy Checkoff℠ farmer-leaders share how we’re working to deliver value back to your operation, both right now and for the long term.

First, farmer-leader Don Wyss introduces the new Soy Farmer Support Hub at unitedsoybean.org, one place where farmers can find near-term, research-backed resources curated by their farmer peers. The hub includes tools for pre- and in-season decisions, revenue and profitability opportunities such as high oleic premiums and the Farmers for Soil Health cost-share program, and mental health and well-being resources, because taking care of your farm starts with taking care of you. The hub also features a suggestion box so you can share input directly with the farmer-leaders making funding decisions.

Next, farmer-leader Kyle Durham explains how the checkoff is putting U.S. Soy front and center with major business media and the B2B trade publications that reach customers across the food, feed, fuel and industrial sectors. Through one-on-one meetings with reporters and editors, we’re putting farmers in front of the journalists shaping the story of agriculture, sustainability and the soybean supply chain.

Finally, past USB Chair Greg Anderson looks back on 35 years of the Soy Checkoff. From the 2005 formation of the U.S. Soybean Export Council to the growth of biodiesel from 124 million gallons in 2005 to more than 5 billion gallons this year – American farmers and the checkoff are growing together.

Every investment we make starts with one question: “How is this going to return value back to our farmers?” I encourage you to watch this short update to see your checkoff dollars in action, then visit unitedsoybean.org to explore the Soy Farmer Support Hub and tell us what else you need.

Sincerely,

Brent Gatton
Chair, United Soybean Board