Founding USB chairman Sandy Ludeman receives Tom Oswald Legacy Award

Sandy Ludeman helped draft the legislation, build consensus among industry partners, and guide the national Soy Check through its first farmer referendum. Thirty-five years later, that collective work still shapes how more than 400,000 U.S. soybean farmers invest in their future.

The Tracy, Minn., farmer who served as the United Soybean Board’s (USB) founding chairman has been named the 2026 recipient of the Tom Oswald Legacy of Leadership Award (TOLA).

The award honors individuals who have left a memorable mark on the U.S. soy industry and exemplify the character of the late Tom Oswald, a farmer leader who consistently asked, “How do we make it better-er?” Meaning, to take the extra steps and efforts needed to go beyond expectations and deliver the best possible outcomes.

Ludeman’s leadership in the late 1980s and early 1990s shaped the structure and governance of what would become a farmer-funded investment mechanism serving U.S. soybean farmers nationwide. As founding chair, he helped draft the Soybean Promotion, Research, and Consumer Information Act and guided the program through its first national referendum in 1994, which passed with overwhelming farmer support.

“Sandy Ludeman embodies the spirit of the TOLA: a farmer whose leadership was rooted in integrity, fairness, and a deep belief in the power of collective action,” said Jerry Slocum, a USB director from Mississippi nominated Ludeman for the award. “The USB exists today thriving, transparent, and farmer-led because Sandy and his peers built it right the first time.”

Ludeman brought practical farming experience to his fourth-generation family farm. He began his leadership journey with the American Soybean Development Foundation in the mid-1980s, where he recognized the need for consistent, farmer-driven funding for research, promotion, and market development.

When the national Soy Checkoff launched in September 1991, Ludeman navigated early resistance from grain industry partners and state organizations. He personally met with national grain companies to build consensus and ensure broad support for the farmer-led initiative.

Ludeman’s early leadership included work on biodiesel engine testing, establishing USB’s first international office in Moscow, and promoting new uses for soybean oil decades before sustainability became a widespread industry priority. He carried the principle that all soybean farmers, regardless of location or operation size, should contribute equally and benefit equally from checkoff investments.

“His forward-thinking efforts helped ignite a soybean revolution that transformed global markets and positioned U.S. soy as a cornerstone of agricultural innovation,” Slocum said in the nomination.

Even after retiring from formal USB service in 1994, Ludeman continued advocating for checkoff integrity and farmer representation. His guidance has influenced subsequent generations of farmer leaders navigating the organization through changing market conditions and industry challenges.

“Through decades of quiet influence, steadfast advocacy, and humility, Sandy’s legacy continues to shape how farmers work together to drive innovation, build markets, and share the story of U.S. soy around the world,” Slocum said.