Schroeder: ISA relaunches Illinois Field & Bean magazine

I think it certainly goes without saying that most of us next month will be happy to say goodbye to 2020. Illinois soybean farmers, along with all other Americans, have been challenged by the pandemic and the impact it has on our daily lives and on our livelihoods.

The Illinois Soybean Association board of directors kept that in mind back in July and August when deciding where to invest soybean checkoff dollars for the remainder of this calendar year and into the next. And we agreed on making sure all of our work would be targeted at meeting as many of the needs of the state’s soybean farmers as possible for 2021 and beyond.

One of those decisions was to return to a more “farmer-centric” magazine. Beginning this month, Illinois Field & Bean returns, replacing Soy Perspectives.

The relaunch offers a deliberate approach to making sure both soybean checkoff and Illinois Soybean Grower membership content bring value to the state’s 43,000 soybean farmers. Illinois Field & Bean will remain a six-time-a-year magazine published in November, January, February, March, June and August.

We think this “back-to-our-roots” approach in our content will be good news for Illinois soybean farmers, based on our conversations with folks. Previous ISA surveys have shown strong interest in ISA communications because farmers are invested in the activities of this organization.

We recognize that Illinois soybean farmers lead the nation in purchasing power and bushels produced. As readers, Illinois soybean farmers are truly invested and want to engage with Illinois Field & Bean to see how checkoff and membership dollars are being placed into action.

With our new direction and with each issue, we want to help Illinois soybean farmers feel more informed, knowledgeable and competitive in the current marketplace.

The decision also fits well with ISA’s overall fiscal year 2021 efforts, putting today’s soybean farmer needs at the center of all projects funded by the checkoff program.

We updated our mission to uphold the interests of Illinois soybean farmers through promotion, advocacy and education. The new strategic plan can equip Illinois soybean farmers for the future.

Projects will be funded in three critical areas, and we will share updates and success stories in the magazine from each of these areas: market development, government relations and utilization.

One of the projects ISA has funded over the years continues to see significant success and is the cover story for the November issue — biodiesel. Checkoff-funded projects in ISA’s government relations area focus on biodiesel education.

ISA’s signature checkoff-funded initiative is to increase the use of B20 — diesel fuel blended with at least 20% biodiesel — in Illinois. We are sharing biodiesel’s positive impact on the environment, human health and the Illinois economy.

Biodiesel also may find its way into our market development and utilization project areas. Within market development, ISA is identifying key existing global and domestic markets that show opportunity for substantial growth and increase new global and domestic markets.

On the utilization front, we are put energy and funding into identifying new uses for soybeans and soy products, as well as demonstrating soybean production sustainability.

Projects will look for ways to increase domestic soy biodiesel use and improve soybean productivity and quality, as well as help Illinois soybean farmers implement best management practices.

I hope you will watch for Illinois Field & Bean in your mailboxes this month. Or, you can read it online at www.ilsoy.org.

May it be one valuable bright spot for helping you end this challenging year on a positive note. Email me at ilsoy@ilsoy.org and tell me what you think!

Doug Schroeder is chairman of the Illinois Soybean Association.