New Farmer-Leaders Appointed to the United Soybean Board

The U.S. Department of Agriculture appoints 19 U.S. soybean farmers to serve on the United Soybean Board and reappoints 24 directors for an additional term.

ST. LOUIS (Nov. 28, 2022) – The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the appointment of 19 new farmer-leaders to serve on the United Soybean Board (USB). In addition, 24 farmer-leaders were reappointed. Forty-six leaders and alternates will serve three-year terms, and one new appointed member will serve a one-year term. Leaders will be sworn in for service during the USB December Meeting in St. Charles, Mo.

“We are thrilled about this group of directors joining us, whether they are new or returning farmer-leaders,” said Ralph Lott, USB Chair and farmer from New York. “Each of them offers different expertise and industry insights that will assist with making strategic checkoff investments to benefit all U.S. soybean farmers now and looking at what’s ahead.” 

The soy checkoff provides significant value to farmers by continuing to fund programs that build preference for U.S. soybeans across the country and throughout the world. Authorized by the Soybean Promotion, Research and Consumer Information Act, the checkoff is composed of 77 members representing 29 states, in addition to the Eastern and Western regions. The number of seats on the board and farmer representation is based on bushels produced in each of the production regions. Members must be soybean farmers nominated by a Qualified State Soybean Board.

“I look forward to the diverse perspectives these farmer-leaders will bring to our board. Together, we will work to create value for U.S. soybean farmers through strategically designed research, education and promotion programs,” said Meagan Kaiser, USB Vice Chair and Missouri farmer.

Newly appointed farmer-leaders include: 

Arkansas – Dustin Henson, Paragould
Illinois – David Wessel, Chandlerville
Illinois – Dwayne R. Anderson, Lynn Center
Indiana – Matthew Chapman, Springport
Iowa – Robb Ewoldt, Davenport
Iowa – Brent Renner, Klemme (1-year term)
Louisiana – Joseph Boudreaux, Port Barre
Maryland – R. Travis Hutchison, Cordova
Michigan – Dennis J. Gardner, Croswell
Michigan – Carla Schultz, Mayville
Minnesota – Thomas F. Frisch, Dumont
Mississippi – Matthew Guedon, Natchez
Nebraska – Victor Bohuslavsky, Seward
New Jersey – Patrick Giberson, Pemberton
New York – Jason E. Swede, Piffard
Oklahoma – Brent A. Rendel, Miami
South Dakota – Dawn Scheier, Salem
Wisconsin – Sara R. Stelter, Wautoma
Western Region – Rod Hahn, Yuma, Colorado

Reappointed farmer-leaders include: 

Delaware – Cory Atkins, Seaford
Indiana – Donald Andrew Wyss II, Fort Wayne
Kansas – Kurt Maurath, Oakley
Kansas – Lance Rezac, Onaga
Kentucky – Barry Lee Alexander, Cadiz
Minnesota – Gene Stoel, Lake Wilson
Mississippi – Jerry Slocum, Coldwater
Missouri – Neal W. Bredehoeft, Alma
Missouri – Meagan Kaiser, Bowling Green
Nebraska – Edward Lammers, Hartington
North Carolina – Reginald H. Strickland, Mount Olive
North Dakota – Matthew Gast, Valley City
North Dakota – Ryan Richard, Horace
North Dakota – Darren Kadlec, Pisek
Ohio – Steve Reinhard, Bucyrus
Ohio – Charles W. Bayliss, West Mansfield
Pennsylvania – John Harrell, Lebanon
South Dakota – Michael McCranie, Claremont
Tennessee – Don Willis, Hillsboro
Tennessee – Steve May, Hurricane Mills
Virginia – Susan A. Watkins, Sutherland
Wisconsin – Nancy Kavazanjian, Beaver Dam
Wisconsin – Tony Mellenthin, Eau Galle
Eastern Region – J. Nicholas Kercheval, Harpers Ferry, West Virginia

Newly appointed alternates include:

Delaware – Robert L. Emerson III, Middletown
New York – Seth Pritchard, Canandaigua
Eastern Region – Mark H. Kable, Charles Town, West Virginia
Western Region – Ross Watermann, Vona, Colorado

To see USDA’s Notice of Trade about appointments, click here. To learn more about key investments made on behalf of U.S. soybean farmers, sign up for the Soy Hopper newsletter at unitedsoybean.org/newsletter.

About United Soybean Board: United Soybean Board’s 77 volunteer farmer-leaders work on behalf of all U.S. soybean farmers to achieve maximum value for their soy checkoff investments. These volunteers create value by investing in research, education and promotion with the vision to deliver sustainable soy solutions to every life, every day across the three priority areas of Infrastructure & Connectivity, Health & Nutrition, and Innovation & Technology. 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 unitedsoybean.org.

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Contact:

Paul Murphy-Spooner at United Soybean Board, 515.975.6584.

Brad Robb at OBP, 901.230.0447