Soybean checkoff farmer-leaders witnessed a monumental occasion at the recent United Soybean Board (USB) meeting. Leaders of USB and the American Soybean Association (ASA) signed a contract establishing the United States Soybean Export Council (USSEC).

USSEC co-chairmen Mark Pietz, USB vice chair of International Marketing and a soybean farmer from Lakefield, Minn., and Neal Bredehoeft, ASA Chairman and a soybean farmer from Alma, Mo., signed the contract for USSEC, which will become the international marketing implementation arm of the soybean checkoff. USSEC will establish a unified and coordinated international marketing program to build demand and brand for U.S. soybeans and products.

And if establishing a new marketing entity wasn’t enough, the Board began building upon past successes by approving its new FY 2006 target area budget.

“The true benefit of strengthening the presence of U.S. soybeans in international markets comes from USB and ASA continuing to work together to build our export markets,” says Greg Anderson, USB Chairman and a soybean farmer from Newman Grove, Neb. “Knowing that almost every other row of soybeans is exported overseas, this new organization is designed to strengthen international customer preference for our soybeans.”

USB farmer-leaders invested just over $37 million from their fellow soybean farmers in six target areas. These areas addressed animal utilization, industrial utilization, human utilization, supply, industry relations and market access.

Knowing that the livestock industry is their number one customer, soybean farmer-leaders will continue to build support in customer preference for U.S. soybeans and soy-based feed in domestic and international markets. Increased utilization of soy biodiesel and research and commercialization of new uses of soybeans also remained top funding priorities.

Producing a higher quality U.S. soybean for international customers continues as a focus for soybean farmers since funding was approved to promote the plantings of higher-oil-and-protein-content soybeans. Strengthening customer preference was also addressed for soybean-oil use in food consumption.

USB farmer-leaders agreed that improving farmers’ ability to identify their customers and improving on-farm competitiveness will be effective uses of checkoff dollars. Understanding and eliminating trade restrictions and improving global market protection were also areas granted funding.

“I am proud to be a member of an organization that knows its worth is measured through each and every soybean farmer’s individual success,” says Anderson. “We have been given a mandate by our fellow soybean farmers to establish new success and secure a promising future for generations of soybean farmers to come – and we intend to do just that.”

USB is made up of 64 farmer-directors who oversee the investments of the soybean checkoff on behalf of all U.S. soybean farmers. As stipulated in the Soybean Promotion, Research and Consumer Information Act, USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service has oversight responsibilities for the soybean checkoff.