North Carolina Soybean Producers Association board members and staff attended the Commodity Classic Mar. 3-5, 2016 in New Orleans to learn about best practices and the latest farm innovations, get new ideas and network with farmers, and industry professionals from across the country. This year the focus of the event for the United Soybean Board was sustainability, and it will remain a focus of communications throughout the year.
Farmer-leaders and staff made attendees aware that many farmers are already contributing to sustainable farming but that more improvements are needed. Sustainability is a major part of USB’s long-range strategic plan because it’s a differentiator for U.S. soy and a major component of end-user demands. The farmer-leaders who attended Commodity Classic on behalf of USB visited with fellow soybean farmers at the USB exhibit and shared the sustainable practices they use on their farms.
Here are some other highlights from the event:
- USB farmer-leaders, including Chair Jared Hagert (North Dakota) and Vice Chair John Motter (Ohio), participated in approximately 25 interviews to discuss sustainability with more than 19 media outlets.
- Jared addressed more than 1,000 members of the soybean industry at the American Soybean Association Awards Banquet, discussing how U.S. soybean farmers’ production practices result in a sustainably-produced crop.
- More than 175 attending farmers were proud to tell others about the sustainability practices they use on their farms (see photo at right) and walked away with soil-testing kits.
- Past USB chairs gathered at the annual Past Chairmen’s Forum to learn about the checkoff’s top focus areas in the Long-Range Strategic Plan.
