American Soybean Association

from the American Soybean Association

As the dust settles on a challenging Speaker of the House election process earlier this month, the House Ag Committee is getting to work with eyes set on Farm Bill 2023.

New House Ag Chair Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-Pa.) held his first farm bill listening session last week in Pennsylvania where, according to media reports, he told the crowd it was “crunch time” for this important legislation and committed to working closely with the Budget Committee for bipartisan, adequately-funded bill.

Agri-Pulse reports the House will act ahead of the Senate in moving Farm Bill 2023 forward but faces potential roadblocks if the Republican majority urges cuts to nutrition programs.

The House added 12 new Republicans to the 15 returning GOP members on the Ag Committee this week, including Rep. Frank Lucas (OK), who chaired the committee during the writing of the 2014 Farm Bill.

Democrats have yet to announce committee appointments but last month reelected Rep. David Scott (GA) as Ranking Member. Scott recently released his farm bill priorities, which include rural broadband, protecting nutrition programs and assisting producers impacted by extreme climate, among others.

Soy Snapshots 🌱📸

ASA Executive Director of Government Affairs Christy Seyfert (center) participated in a farm bill panel at the MN Ag Expo today.

WOTUS Rule Hits Federal Register

The final definition of “Waters of the United States” was published in the federal register this week. The rule will go into effect March 20.

Background: Earlier this month, EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers announced their final definition of WOTUS, drawing concerns from ASA and others. ASA is still reviewing the 514-page rule to determine exactly what it means for soybean growers. Among the reasons soy growers are not pleased with this news: (1) the agencies will use a confusing two-part standard to identify which waters are WOTUS; (2) implementing use of these “significant nexus” standards will mean all waters and wetlands upstream of a project area are likely to be considered jurisdictional; and (3) the new rule will be more restrictive to land users and will likely restrict ag owners’ ability to sell to developers.

Despite this being a final rule, the WOTUS saga is far from over. The Supreme Court of the United States will release an opinion on a WOTUS case (Sackett v. EPA) later this spring, and industry stakeholders have already begun lawsuits to stop implementation of the rule.

ASA Provides Comments at EPA FRRCC Meeting

EPA’s Farm, Ranch, and Rural Communities federal advisory committee convened this week under its new two-year charter. Since 2007, FRRCC has provided independent policy advice, information, and recommendations to the EPA administrator on a range of environmental issues and policies important to agriculture and rural communities. Committee members include representatives from academia, industry (allies and related industries), NGOs, and state, local, and tribal governments.

Each term, the administrator charges FRRCC members with delivering a report on a specific set of topics that are under government consideration. In line with the Biden administration’s whole-of-government approach to tackling climate change, FRRCC is currently charged with considering how EPA’s tools and programs can best support and advance the U.S. agriculture sector’s climate mitigation and adaptation goals.

Although ASA does not have a current representative on the committee, ASA Director Charles Atkinson (KS) and Director of Government Affairs Ariel Wiegard had the opportunity to provide comments to FRRCC on how it should execute its climate charge. Among other things, they urged the committee to support ag sector innovation and research and to steer EPA to focus on farmer education instead of regulation.

Spotted in D.C.🌱📸

On January 6, ASA Director of Government Affairs Ariel Wiegard attended a quarterly stakeholder meeting at EPA’s Office of Water, along with other agriculture partners.

Growers Gather in Jacksonville for ASA’s Soybean Leadership Academy

Even the FAA’s temporary grounding of all flights last week couldn’t stop growers from traveling to Jacksonville, Florida, and participating in ASA’s annual Soybean Leadership Academy! More than 100 grower-leaders and staff gathered to hear from featured industry-leading speakers, engage in training and fellowship with members of the soy family from across the country.

Soybean Leadership Academy provides tools that enable state and national soybean board and association leaders to be more effective, efficient, and inspired leaders.

“ASA is fortunate to have both strong leaders and partners at the state and national level who are committed to the future of the soybean industry. We appreciate the industry and state partners who made the 2023 Soybean Leadership Academy a success,” ASA President Daryl Cates (IL) said. “I enjoyed hearing from a robust line-up of speakers and engaging with the growers and staff who took time to participate in this year’s program.”

Including policy updates, market trends, supply chain, weather, and more, Soybean Leadership Academy covered a wide range of pressing agriculture topics to take participants’ knowledge and leadership to the next level.

Featured speakers included: Meridith Elliott Powell; Susan Radwan, Leading Edge Mentoring; Steve Reinhard, vice chair, USB; Christy Seyfert, executive director of government affairs, ASA; Matt Reardon, Nutrien Ag Solutions; Dima Ghawi and Jonathan Shaver, Envision Partners. The program also featured a panel on markets and trends, featuring John Anderson, Ph.D., The University of Arkansas; Nick Goesser, Carbon A List; and Donald Maier, University of Tennessee Knoxville. To cap off the event, ASA Chairman Brad Doyle (AR) moderated a grower panel featuring Cates, ASA president; Belinda Burrier (MD), USB executive committee; and Joel Schreurs (MN), USSEC director, who is also an ASA director.

Participants also heard from industry leaders, including Bryan Perry, head of seeds and traits – U.S. Agricultural Solutions, BASF; Ryan Locke, industry relations manager, FMC; Scott Hedderich, executive director corporate affairs, Chevron REG; and Matt Erickson, agricultural economic and policy advisor, Farm Credit Services.

Industry Sponsors:

BASF
Farm Credit Council
FMC, An Agricultural Science Company
Chevron REG
USB

2023 State Sponsors

Delaware Soybean Board
Illinois Soybean Association
Indiana Soybean Alliance
Iowa Soybean Association
Kansas Soybean Commission
Kentucky Soybean Board
Maryland Soybean Board
Michigan Soybean Committee
Minnesota Soybean Research & Promotion Council
Missouri Soybean Association
Nebraska Soybean Board
North Carolina Soybean Producers Association
North Dakota Soybean Council
Ohio Soybean Council
South Dakota Soybean Research & Promotion Council
Tennessee Soybean Promotion Board
Virginia Soybean Association
Wisconsin Soybean Marketing Board

A special thanks to the Soybean Leadership Academy Steering Committee: Janna Fritz (MI), Joe Smentek, Bre Wagner and Gary Wheeler.

OTHER NEWS

Soy in the News

Great Scotts!
The Agribusiness Division Advisory Council of the Greater Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce honored ASA Director Jordan Scott (SD) and his family with its 2023 Farm Family of the Year award.

After a smooth harvest, Scott, who farms with his father and former ASA president Kevin Scott, is including policy work in his planning for the next growing season. “Policy is starting to make more farming decisions for us,” Jordan told the Greater Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce. “Farmers are busy, but it’s important stuff, especially in D.C. with EPA and all the current regulatory issues.” Read more.

2023 Farmer Forecast
At the South Carolina Corn and Soybean production meeting, ASA Director Jimmie Lee Shaw (SD) shared his outlook for the 2023 planting season and concerns carried over from 2022. Shaw spoke with Farm Progress during the meeting and shared that, while he saw a generally good, average 2022 crop, “rainfall was not abundant, and with input prices, we didn’t make the money we would have liked to make.” He is also watching fertilizer prices, as growers in his region are concerned about high input prices for 2023.

Shaw remains optimistic. “For this new crop year, we will deal with the hand we’re dealt, and we will make the best of it. I’m still optimistic for 2023.” Read more.

MinneSOYta
Minnesota Soybean President Bob Worth, a past ASA director, was interviewed by WNAX ahead of the 2023 Minnesota Ag Expo, where he gave a sneak peek at the resolutions process that happens during the session. Calling it the “roadmap,” Worth discussed how important the process is to plan the advocacy strategy of both MN soy and the U.S. soy industry. Listen here.

Other News:

ASA/WISHH Sponsors Trade Team Members’ Inclusion at UGA International Poultry Short Course

ASA/WISHH is sponsoring the travel and participation of four people from Ethiopia, Ghana, and Senegal to the International Poultry Production Short Course at the University of Georgia. As production increases in Africa, soy can increasingly serve as feed for poultry production companies.

The American Soybean Association’s World Initiative for Soy in Human Health program sponsored the travel and participation of four people from Ethiopia, Ghana, and Senegal to the International Poultry Short Course at the University of Georgia.

WISHH escorted the group from Atlanta to Athens for the program, which includes intensive classroom lecture and hands-on laboratory exercises from one of the world’s leading poultry science programs. Presentations were made by USDA station researchers, and UGA staff presented during the course.

U.S. soy can increasingly serve as feed for poultry production companies. The program offers trade team members the opportunity to learn about future potential for global poultry production and the soybean industry in the United States while networking with U.S. soy industry leaders to build long-term relationships.

“There have been numerous experiences in the program that have been helpful to my understanding of the poultry production process. I believe it’s highly likely that what I’ve learned here will help me in the next stages of my business in Ghana,” said Mathew Bonso, CEO of Harimat Farms in Ghana.

Bonso said specifically learning more about poultry nutrition, egg quality and safety, feeder and drinker system management and the identification of common poultry diseases through lecture and the guided laboratory exercises were, “the highlights of the program, and the lessons learned are all things I plan to implement upon return to my country.”

2023 Commodity Classic Show Floor Approaches Sell-Out

Exhibit space at the 2023 Commodity Classic in Orlando is rapidly reaching sell-out status, with nearly 400 companies and more than 2,600 booth spaces already committed. A limited number of remaining prime-visibility booths are expected to sell quickly.

The 2023 Commodity Classic will be held March 9-11 at the Orange County Convention Center West Concourse in Orlando, Florida.

Exhibitors at Commodity Classic will have direct interaction with thousands of top producers, first-time attendees, and key ag media representatives. Commodity Classic attracts top farmers from across the nation who are early adopters, thought leaders, and innovators in agriculture. Attendee data from the most recent Commodity Classic in New Orleans indicated the average producer at Commodity Classic farms 3,483 acres and represents $3.5 million in total gross farm income.

Commodity Classic provides farmers with a unique combination of outstanding education, top-notch speakers, a huge trade show with the latest technology and innovation, entertainment, and the opportunity to network with thousands of farmers from across the nation.

For information on exhibiting at the 2023 Commodity Classic, including the trade show floor plan, contract documents, and booth costs, visit the Commodity Classic website. For more information, contact Kristi Burmeister, Commodity Classic Trade Show Manager, at 636.745.3008 or tradeshow@commodityclassic.com.

USSEC: Demand for U.S. Soy Remains Strong Near Term

While demand for U.S. soy remains strong, as demonstrated by figures released Jan. 12 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, one market analyst voices concerns regarding the global supply and demand balance sheet when taking the long view. Read more from USSEC.

SOY CHECKOFF NEWS

Soil Carbon Sequestration — What’s in It for You, the Farmer

The Earth’s climate is changing. Adverse weather patterns are becoming more frequent and severe. Farmers are having to deal with longer periods of excessive heat, drought or extreme flooding.

An increased focus on climate change and creating carbon dioxide removal solutions for governments and corporations — many of whom have established mid-century carbon net-zero goals — are creating opportunities for farmers to monetize carbon sequestration production practices. The door is opening for farmers to be an integral and active part of the climate change solution. Read more.

The Roundup: 2022’s Top Articles

2022 brought countless wins for U.S. soy, including increased demand and exports, as well as entering new markets. Here's a roundup of some of USB's top 2022 articles and wins to get us excited for what’s to come in 2023. Read more.

UPCOMING ASA EVENTS

ASA Board of Directors Meeting: Tuesday, Feb. 28-Thursday, March 2, 2023
Commodity Classic: Thursday, March 9-Saturday, March 11, 2023

American Soybean Association - eBean News