Vilsack appoints SD, ND, MN farmer-leaders to U.S. Soybean Board

SIOUX FALLS - Last week U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the appointment of 17 farmer-leaders and one alternate to the United Soybean Board (USB) and soybean checkoff. All appointees will serve three-year terms beginning immediately and will represent the interests of all U.S soybean farmers.

Six of these farmer-leaders have been reappointed to the board and bring back their years of experience in providing profit opportunities to all U.S. soybean farmers. The eleven new board members bring a wealth of experience and perspective from working with their state soybean checkoff boards and with other facets of the U.S. soybean industry.

Appointed farmer-leaders include:

. F.H. Lyons Jr., Arkansas

. Mark Detweiler, Georgia

. David P. Hartke, Illinois

. Karen Fear, Indiana

. Laura L. Foell, Iowa

. Dennis R. Clark, Kentucky

. Raymond S. Schexnayder, Jr., Louisiana

. James A. Call, Minnesota

. Todd Gibson, Missouri

. Mark A. Caspers, Nebraska;

. Earl B. Hendrix, North Carolina

. Vanessa A. Kummer, North Dakota

. John B. Motter, Ohio

. Jim Musser, Pennsylvania

. Stanley R. Hanson, South Dakota

. R. Bruce Johnson, Virginia

. Wade A. Cowan, Texas (alternate member)

. Walter L. Godwin, Georgia (alternate member)

USB holds its February Board of Directors Meeting Feb. 15-18 in Birmingham, Ala. USB is made up of 68 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 Consumer Information Act, USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service has oversight responsibilities for USB and the soybean checkoff.

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