Secretary of agriculture Ed Schafer recently announced 19 appointments to the United Soybean Board (USB). Twelve of these directors are returning to serve an additional term, with seven new members coming on board. Each of these appointees represents soybean farmers from their state or region.

Returning members will use their experience and knowledge of the checkoff to better position the industry for success while new members will bring forward fresh ideas to achieve maximum value for each soybean farmer’s checkoff dollar. The board members will work to better the soy industry from the ground up by using checkoff funding to research better seed varieties and production processes along with finding new markets and uses for their product.

The 12 returning board members are James D. Wilson, Alabama; H. Todd Allen, Arkansas; James L. Stillman, Iowa; Roy P. Bardole, Iowa; John W. Wray, Kansas; George H. Martin, Kentucky; Eugene L. Lowe, III, Maryland; R. Alan Moore, Michigan; Jason S. Bean, Missouri; Cecil B. Eaddy, South Carolina; Gerald G. Caldwell, Tennessee; and Thomas Rotello, Sr., Texas.

New board members include Dwain L. Ford, Illinois; Michael A. Beard, Indiana; Scott G. Singlestad, Minnesota; James D. Sneed, Mississippi; Mike G. Korth, Nebraska; Daniel J. Corcoran, Ohio; and Robert J. Metz, South Dakota. Two alternates were also appointed and they are Michael A. Dee, Alabama, and Henry V. Elliott, Jr., South Carolina.

The appointees will begin their three-year terms in December.