American Soybean Association, United Soybean Board serve farmers

COLUMBUS, Ind. — At the Ag Policy Summit, two Indiana farmers discussed how the American Soybean Association and the United Soybean Board work together for U.S. farmers.

The two organizations complement one another to share farmers’ stories and products.

Phil Ramsey, a farmer in Shelby County who serves on the ASA board of directors, shared how the organization works.

“Checkoff dollars cannot be used for policy,” he explained. “ASA is the policy side of the soy industry, with money raised through sponsors, giving and other resources. We’re your voice to congressmen and senators.”

“ASA works every day on every issue related to agriculture, from the farm bill to biofuels, from pesticides to transportation,” Ramsey said. “When we go out there for board meetings and Hill visits, they prepare us very well to talk to our legislators. That’s the policy side of the soybean industry.”

Kevin Wilson, a farmer from Walton in north-central Indiana, discussed USB.

“When you sell a bushel of soybeans, a certain percentage goes back into the checkoff,” he said. “The USB manages that pool of money, with guidelines from the USDA — one being not to pay for lobbying. We use that money for research, promotion and innovations.”

While the two organizations operate under different mandates and funding rules, their goals remain aligned.

“It’s important to keep the doors open between our two organizations,” Wilson said.