THE FIELD

The Soy Checkoff Check-in

AgriTalk – May 3, 2024

In this month’s Leadership Link, USB CEO Lucas Lentsch discusses the importance of the United Soybean Board partnerships and how the checkoff is helping to address global food security.

Key Initiatives

INFRASTRUCTURE & CONNECTIVITY

 

INNOVATION & TECHNOLOGY

 

HEALTH & NUTRITION

 

EXPORTS

COMMUNICATION & EDUCATION

 

AWARD SEASON

Tony Mellenthin - USB director Wisconsin-28 Supply

Sold on Soy Takes Top Honors at SABRE

U.S. Soy won big at the 2024 North American SABRE Awards in May, taking top honors with the Sold on Soy campaign in the Corporate Reputation Institutional Image category. This reputation-building campaign was designed to change the narrative of soy from reactive, myth-busting to an always-on, positive influence engine. Matt Gast, chair of the soybean checkoff’s Communication & Education Committee and North Dakota farmer, attended the ceremony and accepted the award on behalf of U.S. soybean farmers and agency partner MSL.

GET THE SCOOP

USB STAFF UPDATES

Schwarzen Named EVP of Finance for USB  

As the new EVP of Finance, Sandi Schwarzen will play a key role on USB’s leadership team. She joins USB with more than 30 years of experience in accounting, with the past three serving as the contract lead with our accounting firm. Welcome Sandi!

Effective April 15 – Sandi Schwarzen accepted the role of Executive Vice President, Finance. As Executive Vice President, Sandi will be a key part of the USB senior leadership team. Sandi has been serving USB over the past three years as the contract lead with our accounting firm – CLA. Some highlights for Sandi’s career in finance includes:

  • Certified Public Accountant (CPA) member of the Missouri Society of CPA’s and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA).
  • Licensed to practice in Missouri.
  • 30 years in the industry and about 25 of those have been working exclusively with not-for-profit organizations.
  • 10 years in public accounting as an auditor – about 5 years specializing in not-for-profit audits.
  • 13 years as the Director of Finance for a large St. Louis nonprofit.
  • 7 years with CLA

Effective May 2 – Effie Mills, USB Finance Director, has resigned from her role with USBs Finance firm – CLA. As many of you have worked with Effie in the past, you are aware she was a valued exemplary employee, very professional, an asset to the team and a wonderful colleague. She spent a lot of time, in addition to her core job, helping the finance team implement many special projects that allow us to do our jobs more efficiently as well as more concise and accurate reporting to the board. For the time being, please reach out to Sandi Schwarzen should you have any questions.

Media Coverage

U.S. Soy Shines: Highlights from SXSW 

2 total interviews, 147.7M potential UVM 

  •  Tony Mellenthin breaks down U.S. Soy at SXSW via Farm Progress. Similar coverage via Wisconsin Soybean Marketing Board.
  • Carla Schultz amplifies soy’s role in fashion and beauty innovation via Electric Runway Podcast.
  • For this event, we focused on engaging with consumers via social media. 18 total posts were created and disseminated across U.S. Soy’s social media channels – Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X with a total of 636,840 impressions; 11,086 engagements; and a 5.7% engagement rate. 
  • Our Instagram post, published on March 7, racked up 322,801 impressions and 2,995 engagements. Our March 6 Instagram post garnered 307,846 impressions and 7,554 engagements.  
  • And our March 28 LinkedIn post accumulated a 15.9% engagement rate. 

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Top Media Placements

Where We’ve Been Lately

 

Event/Meeting: Soy Nutrition Institute Board Meeting
Location: Charleston, SC
Who attended: USB Directors April Hemmes, Sara Stelter, Matt Chapman, Tim Bardole along with USB staff Paul Murphy-Spooner and SmithBucklin staff Mike Greenwood and Kandi Bradford

Event/Meeting: Global Plant Forward Kitchen Summit and Post-Show Workshop
Location: Napa, CA
Who attended: USB Directors Jim Douglas, Laurie Isley along with SmithBucklin staff Kandi Bradford and MSL Group representing US Soy

Event/Meeting: Society for Mathematical Biology Conference
Location: Seoul, Korea
Who attended: USB Director – Ed Lammers presented virtually with a Q&A session via Zoom

Event/Meeting: Animal Nutrition Working Group Spring Meeting
Location: St. Louis, MO
Who attended: USB Directors – Dawn Scheier, Darren Kadlec, and Robb Ewoldt along with USB staff Keenan McRoberts, Lucas Lentsch, and Meghan Fullington.

Event/Meeting: Economist 9th Annual Sustainability Week
Location: London, UK
Who attended: Past USB Chair Meagan Kaiser was a featured speaker on a sustainability panel

Event/Meeting: US Grains & Oilseeds Supply Chain
Location: Panama
Who attended: USB Director Andy Fabin was a featured speaker

Event/Meeting: Seafood Expo North America/Seafood Processing North America
Location: Boston, MA
Who attended: USB Director Jay Swede

Event/Meeting: Food Bean Buyers Conference
Location: Seoul, Korea
Who attended: USB Director Andy Fabin was a featured speaker

Event/Meeting: Ag Supply Chain Asia 2024
Location: Bangkok, Thailand
Who attended: USB Past Chair Meagan Kaiser along with USB Directors Mary Stewart, Charles Atkinson, Kyle Durham, and Lance Rezac (USSEC Chair)

Event/Meeting: Asia Soy Excellence and Food Summit 2024
Location: Bangkok, Thailand
Who attended: USB Directors Lance Rezac (USSEC Chair) and Andy Fabin