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Farmers appointed to serve on U.S. Soybean Export Council
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10/5/2007 4:10 p.m. CDT ST. LOUIS -- In an effort to continue to increase U.S. soybean farmer profitability through international exports, the United States Soybean Export Council announced director appointments to its board at a recent meeting. The United Soybean Board appointed seven soybean checkoff farmer-leaders to the 19-member board, which was created in 2005 to strengthen relationships with foreign buyers and increase exports of U.S. soy.
These appointments come at a time when the U.S. soybean industry is coming off a record-breaking year. Figures recently released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture show U.S. soybean exports grew to an all-time high of 1.1 billion bushels.
“USSEC is partially funded through the soybean checkoff, and it is imperative that we wisely invest farmer dollars to meet the needs of soy buyers around the world,” says Mark Pietz, USSEC Chairman and a soybean farmer from Lakefield, Minn. “We are excited to have a great mix of experience from our new and returning board members, and I look forward to serving with them to create export opportunities in the year ahead.”
The following soybean checkoff farmer-leaders have been appointed to serve on the USSEC board of directors for the 2008 fiscal year: Greg Anderson from Newman Grove, Neb.; Ike Boudreaux from Lebeau, La.; Phil Bradshaw from Griggsville, Ill.; Ken Dalenberg from Mansfield, Ill.; Secretary Terry Ecker from Elmo, Mo.; Eric Niemann from Nortonville, Kan.; and Chairman Mark Pietz.
Many of these board members have been reappointed to the USSEC board and bring years of experience. Not only have they established the international marketing arm of the soybean checkoff, they’ve also helped build the U.S. soybean industry abroad. New board members bring a wealth of experience and perspective from working with their state checkoff boards and with other facets of the soybean industry. This experience will be channeled into positively impacting U.S. soybean farmers’ bottom line by continuing to develop the international relationships with soybean buyers.
In addition to organizing its board for the next fiscal year, USSEC recently launched new marketing strategies with a shift in marketing focus. Soybean checkoff international marketing efforts, which were previously focused on geographic regions abroad, will now be focused on different product categories to better server international customers’ needs.
“With our new board in place and a repositioning of our strategic focus, the soybean checkoff is poised to meet the specific needs of our customers around the globe,” says Pietz. “It doesn’t matter whether you’re a major or modest purchaser of U.S. soybeans, our purpose is to understand your specific needs and relay that information back to U.S. soybean farmers in order to supply products that suit buyers’ needs.”
USB is made up of 64 farmer-directors who oversee the investments of the soybean checkoff on behalf of all U.S. soybean farmers. Checkoff funds are invested in the areas of animal utilization, human utilization, industrial utilization, industry relations, market access and supply. As stipulated in the Soybean Promotion, Research and Customer Information Act, USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service has oversight responsibilities for USB and the soybean checkoff.
Source: United Soybean Board news release.
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