All is not rosy in the soybean world as evidenced by a release sent out this morning by the American Soybean Association.
“Serious ethical, legal, and financial allegations have been raised about how farmer checkoff funds and program activities are being conducted,” said ASA President John Hoffman, a soybean producer from Waterloo, Iowa. “These significant allegations have caused ASA to ask the Inspector General to conduct an investigation and audit so that the basis of the allegations can be impartially investigated to find the truth.”
Allegations include the improper and wasteful expenditure of both checkoff and federal funds; potential evasion of mandated salary and administrative spending caps by USB; conflicts of interests at USB; use of checkoff funds for prohibited purposes by USB; and wasteful and excessive spending by USB. There are additional allegations concerning improper USB oversight and tolerance of actions that have taken place at the USSEC, an entity created by USB and ASA in October 2005. These allegations include improper conduct by a USSEC employee at USSEC functions; the firing of whistleblowers; improper employee relationships; contracting violations; management malfeasance and the inability of ASA Directors serving on USSEC Board to obtain an independent and objective investigation of the allegations.
Full Release
Post Update: I just received the following response to this from USB:
The allegations made by the American Soybean Association against the United Soybean Board (USB) regarding mismanagement of farmer checkoff dollars are categorically untrue.
Today, U.S. soybean farmers enjoy record demand both here and abroad for their soybeans, through the fiscally responsible efforts of the farmers who serve voluntarily on USB. If the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) deems it necessary, USB welcomes a USDA Office of Inspector General audit of any and all of its operations, contractor operations and projects.
We would encourage all U.S. soybean farmers to learn more about how USB and the soybean checkoff program operate by visiting www.unitedsoybean.org, the only official website of USB and the soybean checkoff program.
Aerial applicators learned about some new BASF products here at the NAAA Convention. They’ve been very happy to hear about them because Headline fungicide has really meant a lot to their business in the last 2 years.
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Dr. Peter Davies is from Australia and he participated in a BI Foundations Seminar presentation on software utilities for assessing, monitoring and managing PRRS within a region. He focused on geographic systems and mapping. He sees real application for mapping the virus with some current software options that are web based. This makes it a lot easier to use than having to install complex software on a computer.
Taking part in a joint presentation at the BI Foundations Seminar this week was Dr. Enrique Mondaca, a veterinarian from Mexico. His presentation focused on software utilities that are used to map where you’ll find the PRRS virus. He says this is important because often producers don’t know that there is a PRRS outbreak in their area.
Dr. Scott Dee was one of the presenters at the BI Foundations Seminar this week. He provided an update on research assessing aerosol transmission of PRRSV and the results of air filtration technology for preventing the introduction of PRRSV into facilities. And of course, from the viewpoint of applying this to area and regional control projects.
The aviators attending the NAAA Convention got to hear some optimistic news today from Dr. Abner Womack, University of Missouri (pictured on right). He was here to talk about the results of the latest FAPRI outlook. 
He says that we’d be in trouble without that mandate too. In fact, he says that without it, “you’d be switching off the light at ethanol plants.” 
The United Soybean Board has a newly designed website which features the ability to do some customization of the content you see. It’s an example of what I call the “try to be everything to everybody” strategy since it’s got weather, news, markets, etc. I suppose that’s fine for some people but . . . maybe it’s just me but I like to visit specific sites/services that specialize in certain things like, well, weather, news and markets. I think organizations do this thinking it will keep visitors on their website longer or something. Does anybody have any data on whether or not the be-all portal concept works? How about just giving me simple access to the information I need about the programs the organization is doing and maybe letting me subscribe to it via RSS? Perhaps let me hear directly from the leadership about what’s going on? (blog, podcast, etc.?) The new site does look very nice and seems pretty easy to navigate but I didn’t take time to register and customize the content modules. Don’t have time.
BASF Headline has been a boon for the agricultural aviation business and the fungicide was in the spotlight during technical sessions on the first day of the NAAA convention in Las Vegas on Monday.
Jim Gaffney is market manager for BASF aerial application strategy and he presented some results for low volume Headline application. “A couple years ago, BASF introduced two gallons per acre, down from five gallons, and we’re now looking at going less than two gallons,” said Gaffney. “What this does is allow aerial applicators to cover more acres with the same amount of fuel in the same amount of time.”
The opening breakfast for the National Agricultural Aviation Association convention this morning featured a compelling story of survival, rescue and personal success by accomplished military Strike Eagle pilot Brian Udell. He is pictured here next to his wife, along with NAAA president Bob Bailey and executive director Andrew Moore.