Louisiana Farmer New Appointment To United Soybean Board

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the appointment of 19 new farmer-leaders to serve on the United Soybean Board (USB). In addition, 24 farmer-leaders were reappointed. Forty-six leaders and alternates will serve three-year terms, and one new appointed member will serve a one-year term. Leaders will be sworn in for service during the USB December Meeting in St. Charles, Mo.

“We are thrilled about this group of directors joining us, whether they are new or returning farmer-leaders,” said Ralph Lott, USB Chair and farmer from New York. “Each of them offers different expertise and industry insights that will assist with making strategic checkoff investments to benefit all U.S. soybean farmers now and looking at what’s ahead.”

The soy checkoff provides significant value to farmers by continuing to fund programs that build preference for U.S. soybeans across the country and throughout the world. Authorized by the Soybean Promotion, Research and Consumer Information Act, the checkoff is composed of 77 members representing 29 states, in addition to the Eastern and Western regions. The number of seats on the board and farmer representation is based on bushels produced in each of the production regions. Members must be soybean farmers nominated by a Qualified State Soybean Board.

“I look forward to the diverse perspectives these farmer-leaders will bring to our board. Together, we will work to create value for U.S. soybean farmers through strategically designed research, education and promotion programs,'' said Meagan Kaiser, USB Vice Chair and Missouri farmer. 

Newly appointed farmer-leaders include: 

  • Arkansas – Dustin Henson, Paragould

  • Illinois – David Wessel, Chandlerville

  • Illinois – Dwayne R. Anderson, Lynn Center

  • Indiana – Matthew Chapman, Springport

  • Iowa – Robb Ewoldt, Davenport

  • Iowa – Brent Renner, Klemme (1-year term)

  • Louisiana – Joseph Boudreaux, Port Barre

  • Maryland – R. Travis Hutchison, Cordova

  • Michigan – Dennis J. Gardner, Croswell

  • Michigan – Carla Schultz, Mayville

  • Minnesota – Thomas F. Frisch, Dumont

  • Mississippi – Matthew Guedon, Natchez

  • Nebraska – Victor Bohuslavsky, Seward

  • New Jersey – Patrick Giberson, Pemberton

  • New York – Jason E. Swede, Piffard

  • Oklahoma – Brent A. Rendel, Miami

  • South Dakota – Dawn Scheier, Salem

  • Wisconsin – Sara R. Stelter, Wautoma

  • Western Region – Rod Hahn, Yuma, Colorado

Reappointed farmer-leaders include: 

  • Delaware – Cory Atkins, Seaford

  • Indiana – Donald Andrew Wyss II, Fort Wayne

  • Kansas – Kurt Maurath, Oakley

  • Kansas – Lance Rezac, Onaga

  • Kentucky – Barry Lee Alexander, Cadiz

  • Minnesota – Gene Stoel, Lake Wilson

  • Mississippi – Jerry Slocum, Coldwater

  • Missouri – Neal W. Bredehoeft, Alma

  • Missouri – Meagan Kaiser, Bowling Green

  • Nebraska – Edward Lammers, Hartington

  • North Carolina – Reginald H. Strickland, Mount Olive

  • North Dakota – Matthew Gast, Valley City

  • North Dakota – Ryan Richard, Horace

  • North Dakota – Darren Kadlec, Pisek

  • Ohio – Steve Reinhard, Bucyrus

  • Ohio – Charles W. Bayliss, West Mansfield

  • Pennsylvania – John Harrell, Lebanon

  • South Dakota – Michael McCranie, Claremont

  • Tennessee – Don Willis, Hillsboro

  • Tennessee – Steve May, Hurricane Mills

  • Virginia – Susan A. Watkins, Sutherland

  • Wisconsin – Nancy Kavazanjian, Beaver Dam

  • Wisconsin – Tony Mellenthin, Eau Galle

  • Eastern Region – J. Nicholas Kercheval, Harpers Ferry, West Virginia

Newly appointed alternates include:

  • Delaware – Robert L. Emerson III, Middletown

  • New York – Seth Pritchard, Canandaigua

  • Eastern Region – Mark H. Kable, Charles Town, West Virginia

  • Western Region – Ross Watermann, Vona, Colorado

To see USDA’s Notice of Trade about appointments, click here. To learn more about key investments made on behalf of U.S. soybean farmers, sign up for the Soy Hopper newsletter at unitedsoybean.org/newsletter.

Soybeansdon molino