South Dakota Soybean Executive Draws on Policy and Leadership Experience

Kevin Scott has begun his second month as the executive director of the South Dakota Soybean Association and the South Dakota Soybean Checkoff. Scott is a past president of both the South Dakota Soybean Association as well the American Soybean Association. Each is a membership organization, where as a volunteer farmer/leader, Scott helped to steer policy on state and federal levels. Our conversation took place on July 9^th, in Portland, Oregon, the final day of a South Dakota Soybean See For Yourself tour to the Pacific Northwest, and Scott’s first official day to head the organization. That followed Scott’s predecessor Jerry Schmitz’s last official day on July 8^th. Shifting to his new position, Scott is involved from the standpoint of executive leadership.

“My goal in doing the policy work that I've done for the last 25 or 30 years is to kind of ensure the future of South Dakota farming and soybeans in particular,” Scott told the South Dakota Soybean Network. “I’m hoping that the next generation has a place to go and keep farming, farming the way we need to to produce protein for the world.”

Scott’s leadership history includes a few years on the checkoff supported U.S. Soybean Export Council promoting foreign sales of U.S. soybeans.

“Whether it's the GMO issues at that time or biofuels began to be played at that point; and for five years I served on that board,” he recalled, explaining his role on the USSEC board. “And then in the last couple years of my ASA board action I was chosen as president of that organization.”