Along with the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA)and the American Soybean Association (ASA), BASF Crop Protection announced the winners of six scholarships during the 2011 Commodity Classic on Thursday in Tampa. This is the fourth year for both scholarship programs. “BASF is dedicated to providing the next generation of agricultural industry leaders with resources to further their education and advance …
Trade Top Issue for Corn and Soybean Leaders
The issue at the top of the list for the farmer leaders of the American Soybean Association (ASA) and the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) is trade. “In the last marketing year, over 60% of the soybeans in the U.S. were exported, compared to 55% just a year ago,” said ASA president Alan Kemper of Indiana during a press conference …
Secretary Tom Vilsack, Chairman Frank Lucas to Speak at Commodity Classic
USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack is returning to the Commodity Classic and will be joined this year by U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Agriculture Chairman Frank Lucas. The two will deliver keynote addresses during the General Session on March 4th in Tampa, Florida. “We are honored to welcome two of the most respected and influential men in Washington on agriculture …
Classic Comments From ASA VP
Smooth Sailing at Commodity Classic in Tampa, FL sounds really good right now. I spoke with American Soybean Association VP, Bob Worth, about the upcoming annual event. He farms in Minnesota and was in between a rain storm and a blizzard so I know he’s looking forward to heading south at the beginning of March. Bob says we’re going to …
Soybean Growers Appeal to Congress
Soybean farmers are in Washington D.C. this week for a little lame duck. In addition to uniting with other agriculture groups urging Congress to fix the “death tax,” American Soybean Association (ASA) farmer-leaders are participating in a biodiesel fly-in to discuss renewing the biodiesel tax incentive that expired at the end of last year. Participating from ASA are grower-leaders Joe …
American Soybean Association Update
Commodity group leaders always make time to visit with the media at Farm Progress Show. One of them I spoke with yesterday was Rob Joslin, President, American Soybean Association. Rob is a soybean grower from Ohio. In the photo he’s on the left and speaking with Stu Ellis. I asked him about the issues that ASA is working on and …
Taking the SOY Challenge
Each year, soybean growers around the country take the American Soybean Association (ASA) and BASF up on their challenge to reduce weed competition, increase plant health and protect yields – but only three are chosen. We already met first place winners David and Sue Roehm in an earlier post. Today we meet Dave and Mary Jonas of Pinnconning, Michigan, one …
ASA Vice President Works for Agriculture
His wife calls him a “PMG” – Professional Meeting Goer – because Alan Kemper has been serving on the boards of state and national agricultural organizations for over two decades now. As First Vice President for the American Soybean Association, Alan will soon be the first person to have served as president for both ASA and the National Corn Growers …
ASA Celebrates 90th Anniversary by Highlighting Soybean Successes
The American Soybean Association (ASA) is celebrating its 90th anniversary this year and has a lot to celebrate. Last year, the organization received more than $12.8 million in export funding from the USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service for the promotion of U.S. soybeans and soybean products. ASA President Rob Joslin noted in the organization’s press conference during Commodity Classic that this …
ASA Scholarship Award Winner
Ben Bellar, a high school senior from Howard, Kansas, was named the 2010-2011 ASA Scholarship recipient during the 2010 Commodity Classic in Anaheim, California. An active member of the ASA and FFA, Bellar has been raising soybeans since he was a child and plans to study agriculture technology management at Kansas State University next year. He is pictured here at …