Many soybeans have been delivered to the elevator, but where will they go next? The soy checkoff invites farmers to find the answer to this question and learn about the impact that U.S. soy’s biggest customers make on farmers’ bottom lines during this year’s See for Yourself program.
From now until April 4, all U.S. soybean farmers over the age of 18 can apply for the United Soybean Board’s (USB’s) eighth annual See for Yourself program by visiting the USB website, www.UnitedSoybean.org/SeeforYourself. The program is scheduled for July 30 – August 7, 2015.
Besides introducing the program participants to their customers and showing them the results of their checkoff investment, See for Yourself also allows the soy checkoff to learn about U.S. soybean farmers’ perspective of checkoff-funded projects.
“Farmers don’t often have the chance to see the activities of their checkoff up close and draw their own conclusions,” says Pennsylvania Soybean Board member Andy Fabin, who was chosen to participate in the 2012 See for Yourself tour. “I’d encourage Pennsylvania soybean growers to apply. See for Yourself is an eye-opening, once-in-a-lifetime experience.” During the 2012 tour, Fabin and the other participants learned about the use of soy biodiesel at Lambert-St. Louis International Airport, toured a barge-loading facility and visited a laboratory to see soy research taking place, all before heading to Mexico, the number one market for U.S. soybean meal, to get a firsthand look at a large user of U.S. soy.
Each year, the checkoff selects 10 soybean farmers from around the country to see and evaluate the work of the checkoff firsthand. Participants come from diverse backgrounds and farming operations, but all have one thing in common: the desire to learn more about how their checkoff dollars are being invested.
Accompanied by checkoff farmer-leaders, the participants meet a variety of customers, both domestic and international, and see a variety of sites that represent end uses for U.S. soy, such as animal agriculture, the food industry, industrial uses and more.
The 70 farmer-directors of USB oversee the investments of the soy checkoff to maximize profit opportunities for all U.S. soybean farmers. These volunteers invest and leverage checkoff funds to increase the value of U.S. soy meal and oil, to ensure U.S. soybean farmers and their customers have the freedom and infrastructure to operate, and to meet the needs of U.S. soy’s customers. As stipulated in the federal Soybean Promotion, Research and Consumer Information Act, the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service has oversight responsibilities for USB and the soy checkoff.