North Dakota farmer to drive checkoff investments in soybean innovation ST. LOUIS (Dec. 10, 2015) - Jared Hagert, soybean farmer from Emerado, North Dakota, has been elected by his fellow United Soybean Board (USB) farmer-directors to lead the national soy checkoff in 2016. Hagert will be the first chair to implement the board's new
Long-Range Strategic Plan, which emphasizes soybean innovation for farmer profit opportunities, including continued high oleic development, soybean-meal-quality improvements and technological advances to maximize on-farm profitability.
"The best use of checkoff funds is to invest in programs that provide value back to all U.S. soybean farmers," Hagert says. "To maximize profit opportunities for our farmers, we need to look beyond the bushel and focus on our end users. Meeting their needs will help to drive demand for our crop now and in the future."
The following farmer-leaders will be joining Hagert as executive committee members to oversee USB's profit-building programs:
- USB Vice Chair: John Motter, Jenera, Ohio
- USB Secretary and Oil Target Area Coordinator: Jimmy Sneed, Hernando, Mississippi
- USB Treasurer: Delbert Christensen, Audubon, Iowa
- USB Past Chair: Bob Haselwood, Berryton, Kansas
- USB Meal Target Area Coordinator: Mike Beard, Frankfort, Indiana
- USB Sustainability Target Area Coordinator: Nancy Kavazanjian, Beaver Dam, Wisconsin
- USB Supply Action Team Lead: Bill Beam, Elverson, Pennsylvania
- USB Marketplace Action Team Lead: John Dodson, Halls, Tennessee
- USB Demand Action Team Lead: Lewis Bainbridge, Ethan, South Dakota
- USB Audit & Evaluation Committee Chair: Keith Tapp, Sebree, Kentucky
Members of the Strategic Management Committee (SMC) will ensure that program goals align with the checkoff's strategic objectives. Farmer-leaders who will serve on the SMC include :
- SMC Chair: Bob Haselwood, Berryton, Kansas
- Delbert Christensen, Audubon, Iowa
- Larry Marek, Riverside, Iowa
- John Motter, Jenera, Ohio
- Ron Ohlde, Palmer, Kansas
- Jacob Parker, Columbia, North Carolina
In addition to electing a new slate of officers, 17 checkoff farmer-leaders were
sworn in. Five of these directors are new to the board, with 12 returning.
The 70 farmer-directors of USB oversee the investments of the soy checkoff to maximize profit opportunities for all U.S. soybean farmers. These volunteers invest and leverage checkoff funds to increase the value of U.S. soy meal and oil, to ensure U.S. soybean farmers and their customers have the freedom and infrastructure to operate, and to meet the needs of U.S. soy's customers. As stipulated in the federal Soybean Promotion, Research and Consumer Information Act, the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service has oversight responsibilities for USB and the soy checkoff.
For more information on the United Soybean Board, visit www.unitedsoybean.org
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