Soy Checkoff Welcomes Applications for See for Yourself Program
U.S. Soybean Farmers Can See How Their Checkoff Investment Works for Them
HARRISBURG, PA (January 29, 2013) – This summer, 10 U.S. soybean farmers from across the country will get the chance to see how the United Soybean Board (USB) puts their soy checkoff investment to use. To find out who those 10 farmers will be, the national soy checkoff has begun accepting applications for its sixth annual See for Yourself program.
See For Yourself offers farmers the chance to see the checkoff in action and evaluate a wide range of checkoff activities. The 2013 See for Yourself session will take place July 21–27, 2013.
The Pennsylvania Soybean Board encourages the state’s soybean farmers to visit USB’s website and apply. The application deadline is April 1, 2013.
Indiana, Pa. soybean grower Andy Fabin was one of the ten participants selected for last year’s tour. “The experience really opened my eyes to industries in our country and abroad that use our beans to make so many different products,” Fabin said. “After the experience I feel confident in saying that the USB has found a great balance of research and promotion that ensures farmers get the biggest bang for their checkoff dollar.”
Farmer-participants will have the chance to see the activities of their checkoff up close, and draw their own conclusions at the same time. Participants will first meet in St. Louis, headquarters of USB, to receive an overview of the organization and see how the checkoff works on behalf of soybean farmers domestically. The group will then travel to a location abroad to learn about the demand for U.S. soy internationally and to see some of the many uses for soy. Examples of what participants might see include the use of biodiesel at a major airport, the importance of soy to animal agriculture and the use of soy by the food industry. USB will cover all travel, lodging and meal expenses.
The 69 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.
About the Pennsylvania Soybean Board
The Pennsylvania Soybean Board is a farmer-controlled Board responsible for managing Pennsylvania’s share of funds received from the nationwide Soybean Checkoff program. The funding is available under an assessment program, approved by Congress in 1990, under which soybean farmers contribute 50 cents of every $100 they receive for their beans at the first point of sale. Funds are used to develop markets, educate consumers, and research new ways to utilize and produce soybeans more efficiently.
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