I just got off the phone with Missouri soybean grower, Warren Stemme, who is the Vice President of the newly formed U.S. Soybean Federation. I wanted to learn more about the USSF so I could share with you.

Warren says the USSF is just getting started so there is no staff yet although they plan to put a lobbyist in Washington, DC as soon as possible. For the time being, the organization is being handled by the Minnesota Soybean Association office with Jim Palmer, MSA Executive Director, as the acting CEO. Warren says a very positive element of the new organization is equal representation for each state association that joins. He also says that the American Soybean Association’s recent call for an audit of the United Soybean Board has caused “strained relationships between those two groups.” He says the USSF supports the current soybean checkoff. He says their goal is to “move forward in a positive manner.”

You can listen to my interview with Warren here: ussf-stemme.mp3

You can also download the interview with this link: Warren Stemme Interview (mp3)