Illinois farmer leader elected to USB Executive Committee

ST. CHARLES, Mo. — At the United Soybean Board meeting in St. Charles, representatives of the national soy checkoff elected 11 farmer-leaders to serve on the Executive Committee, including Illinois farmer Gary Berg of St. Elmo, currently serving his second USB board term.

“I’m incredibly honored to have been selected by my farm colleagues for this challenging role,” Berg said. “I have much learning and listening to do, but I’m ready to roll up my sleeves and get to work for Illinois.”

According to a statement issued by USB, key successes from 2021 include U.S. soybeans being used as an ingredient in more than 1,000 different products. Notably, Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company announced a new sustainable soybean oil procurement policy increasing market potential for soybeans.

In addition, a checkoff-funded rural broadband report led to 15 recommendations for delivering high-speed internet needed by farmers and rural communities.

One hundred million metric tons of U.S. Soy Sustainability Assurance Protocol-verified soy shipped internationally. Domestically, the USDA Dietary Guidelines highlighted the inclusion of soy products across the dairy, oils, vegetables and protein categories. This is on top of record export volume for the 2020-2021 marketing year, as a result of strategic efforts to diversify international markets.

“The soybean checkoff is setting the stage for growers across the nation to deliver high-quality product to the world. The most profitable investment is the one we’re making in ourselves,” Berg said.