The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the appointment of 19 members and four alternates to serve on the United Soybean Board. All 19 members and three alternate members will serve three-year terms. One alternate member will serve a two-year term. The terms of members appointed to three-year and two-year terms start December 2023 and end December 2026.
Newly appointed members are:
- Alabama – Sam Butler, New Hope.
- Arkansas – AJ Hood, Star City.
- Illinois – Gary Berg, Saint Elmo.
- Indiana – Thomas Glen Griffiths, Kendallville.
- Iowa – Timothy Bardole, Rippey; Brent Renner, Klemme.
- Kansas – Charles W. Atkinson, Great Bend.
- Kentucky – Ryan Dale Bivens, Hodgenville.
- Maryland – Mary Archer Stewart, Pylesville.
- Michigan – Laurie Isley, Palmyra.
- Minnesota – Lawrence E. Sukalski, Fairmont.
- Mississippi – Philip Good, Macon.
- Missouri – Kyle Durham, Norborne.
- Nebraska – Greg Greving, Chapman.
- Ohio – Dave Dotterer, Rittman.
- South Carolina – Fitzhugh Bethea, Dillon.
- South Dakota – Todd J. Hanten, Goodwin.
- Tennessee – Eric Maupin, Newbern.
- Texas – Andrew W. Scott, Jr., Weslaco.
Newly appointed alternates are:
- Alabama – David Wilson, Lincoln.
- New Jersey – Murn Myers, Delanco (2-Year Term).
- South Carolina – Charlie Whiten, Westminster.
- Texas – Sam Sparks III, Harlingen.
The board is authorized by the Soybean Promotion, Research, and Information Act and is composed of 77 members representing 29 states and Eastern and Western regions. Members must be soybean producers nominated by a qualified state soybean board. More information about the board is available on the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) United Soybean Board webpage.
Since 1966, Congress has authorized the development of industry-funded research and promotion boards to provide a framework for agricultural industries to pool their resources and combine efforts to develop new markets, strengthen existing markets and conduct important research and promotion activities. AMS provides oversight of 22 boards, paid for by industry assessments, which helps ensure fiscal accountability and program integrity.
AMS policy is that diversity of the boards, councils and committees it oversees should reflect the diversity of their industries in terms of the experience of members, methods of production and distribution, marketing strategies, and other distinguishing factors, including but not limited to individuals from historically underserved communities, that will bring different perspectives and ideas to the table. Throughout the full nomination process, the industry must conduct extensive outreach, paying particular attention to reaching underserved communities, and consider the diversity of the population served and the knowledge, skills, and abilities of the members to serve a diverse population.
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender