American Soybean Association

Election Day, Nov. 5, will end the costliest, dirtiest American political campaign season in memory and it will likely also mark Opening Day for what could be the costliest, dirtiest post-election fight in American history.

Let’s pause to consider the-above headline. First, it’s a quote; I didn’t write it. That’s important because the third rail of today’s ag journalism — the deadly, high-voltage topic that can burn your career — is Donald Trump.

A new study revealed a tariff-induced trade war would have a serious impact on corn and soybean farmers via lost global market share.

Low rainfall levels throughout the Midwest in the late summer and early autumn have caused water levels on the upper and lower Mississippi, as well as the Illinois, Missouri and Ohio rivers, to drop.

While recent actions may have led fans — and foes — of biodiesel, including soy biodiesel, to start writing the renewable fuel’s obituary, one biodiesel cheerleader isn’t ready to send flowers.

As soon as the large mahogany door in the congressional building was opened, the farmers were greeted with hellos and handshakes. “Do you want some Indiana popcorn?” the staff in Republican U.S. Rep. Greg Pence’s office proudly asked.

Through the foresight of farmers campaigning for a sales tax exemption over two decades ago, biodiesel production in Illinois has increased fifteenfold.

The farm-to-port export chain from Illinois to Oregon and beyond was the focus of a recent tour for 12 South Koreans hosted by Kansas State University’s International Grains Program.

The announcement of guidance on eligibility for the sustainable aviation fuel tax credit was met with both concern and optimism.

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack will soon meet with farm officials from key trading partners Canada and Mexico.

The ASA is appreciative of EPA actions to issue an existing stocks order and allow farmers planning to use dicamba product for 2024 to receive and use it this season.

Farm, aviation and biofuel groups voiced support for a science-based approach to measure greenhouse gas emission reductions in Sustainable Aviation Fuel.

Dave Kestel is well known on social media for his consistently positive attitude and his upbeat and patriotic photos that salute the American flag and the American farmer.

It’s been years since this weekly effort has used any time, muscle or brain cells to write or, frankly, even care about any of the 21 costly, largely ineffective and virtually bulletproof federal commodity checkoff programs.

The Illinois Soybean Association elected new leadership during its annual meeting in Champaign. Ron Kindred, of District 9, was elected chairman after having served as ISA vice chairman for the previous two years.

Critics of the EPA’s biofuel blending targets say it doesn’t accurately reflect the industry’s expected growth and is below the corn-based ethanol mandate previously proposed.

American Soybean Association and Illinois Soybean Association directors, alongside ISA staff, recently visited the nation’s capital to meet with legislators and to visit both the embassies of Taiwan and India.

Neil Caskey, a long-time professional in the agricultural arena, has been tapped to lead the National Corn Growers Association as its new CEO, according to the organization’s board of directors.

The Illinois Soybean Association hosted its first ever Impact Awards banquet. The evening was full of celebration, recognition and reflecting upon everything ISA has been able to accomplish in 2022.

Steve Pitstick started harvesting soybeans about a week later than he planned this year. “Part of that is due to the later than normal start in the spring and we had a cloudy, somewhat cool summer,” said Pitstick who farms about 5,000 acres of corn and soybeans near Maple Park.

The Illinois Soybean Association kicked off our new fiscal year with a slate full of promising and purposeful projects that place Illinois soybean farmers’ profitability as a top priority by growing opportunities for soybean uses, markets, accessibility and demand.

Illinois Corn is celebrating being named as a valued partner in multiple projects funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities program.

The Illinois Soybean Association recently sent two Illinois farmers to Washington, D.C., where a select group of grower leaders from across the country took part in a two-day training to become members of the American Soybean Association’s Agriculture Communications Team.

The farmer-leaders of the United Soybean Board convened for its summer board meeting to approve a 2023 fiscal year budget of $123 million for program work, starting Oct. 1, 2022.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency finalized a package of action setting 2020, 2021 and 2022 Renewable Fuel Standard biofuel volumes.

Over the last decade, many pieces of U.S. climate and environmental policy have sought to make use of the climate change mitigation potential of carbon sequestration and carbon markets have been developed.

The American Soybean Association and Illinois Soybean Association are accepting applications for director positions.

Two Illinois soybean farmer leaders were elected to executive leadership positions with the U.S. Soybean Export Council during Commodity Classic in New Orleans.

Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack touted new action plans for the U.S. Department of Agriculture at the Commodity Classic in New Orleans.

The formation of unlikely partnerships and expansion of renewable diesel production are expected to spark robust demand for U.S. soybeans.

During its annual meeting in St. Louis, the American Soybean Association elected the leaders who will steer the organization through a new year of soybean policy advocacy, including planning for the 2023 farm bill and other soy priorities.

In an integrated global economy, supply chains are essential to moving the goods and products that feed and power people around the world. The challenge of keeping those supply chains open — specifically for food and agricultural goods — was the primary focus of the Indiana Ag Policy Forum.

In his role as an Illinois Soybean Association director and vice chairman, Ron Kindred participated in the organization’s farm bill listening session at its headquarters.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed biofuel blending volumes for 2020, 2021 and 2022 drew a mixed bag of reactions from biofuel proponents and the oil industry.

The interconnectivity of different transportation modes and need for reliability in both transportation and broadband infrastructure emerged as key ingredients for continued competitiveness of the U.S. agriculture industry during a virtual webinar hosted by the St. Louis AgriBusiness Club.

Economists shared outlooks about the ag economy at the 2021 Ag Outlook Forum. The event was held in Kansas City in partnership with the Agricultural Business Council of Kansas City and Agri-Pulse Communications.

The “Power of Two” associations teaming up to work on behalf of Illinois corn and soybean farmers was showcased at the Farm Progress Show.

The U.S. Soybean Export Council, United Soybean Board and American Soybean Association announced that over 100 million metric tons of U.S. Soy Sustainability Assurance Protocol-verified soy has been exported internationally over the seven years since the protocol was launched in 2014.

The theme of this year’s Ag Policy Summit was “sustainability and new trends in agriculture.”

The history of soybeans in the United States can be traced back to 1765, when the first soybean seed was planted in North America.

Four Indiana farmers are eligible to take part in a long-standing program developed to build tomorrow’s leaders in American agriculture.

Ron Kindred has seen a lot of changes since he first joined the Illinois Soybean Association board over 20 years ago, but the organization’s focus remains steadfast in seeking new uses, expanding markets and guiding legislative policy.

Sydney Hefty of Auburn, Indiana, is the recipient of the 2021-2022 Soy Scholarship award, sponsored by BASF and the American Soybean Association.