Greetings! My name is Faith Case and I am happy to present myself as the new Outreach Coordinator for the NC Soybean Producers Association. Born and raised in Rock Hill, SC, I come from a large family of big personalities. Some of my hobbies include reading, hiking, and playing tennis. Although I did not grow up on a farm, I have always maintained a garden in my backyard, shaped with colorful cucurbits, amongst a variety fruits and vegetables. My passion for agronomy was seeded in the garden, but it sprouted in a high school biology class, where I endeavored to measure the effects of synthetic fertility treatments on radish growth. Entranced by the ability of something as small as a seed to flourish and grow new life, I decided to study Plant and Environmental Science at Clemson University, with a concentration emphasis in Agronomy. Before you give me a hard time for being a tiger, please know that I am already at peace with Clemson’s loss to NC State at the football game last weekend… mostly. Nonetheless, my studies guided me through a scientific journey beginning with basic plant physiology, leading to agronomic practices in the field, and capping with environmental sustainability. During this time, I worked for the Clemson Student Organic Farm as well as Musser Fruit Research Center. These positions blessed me with the chance to spend time with actual growers and gain hands-on experience learning in the field.
I am excited to embark on this adventure with NC Soy for multiple reasons: The first is that growers are some of the kindest and most intelligent people I have had the chance to meet. I am enthusiastic to learn from them and grow with them, so we can ensure our NC soy production is the best it can be. The next reason is that this job puts me in the unique position to educate non-growers on soy production and agricultural practices in general. Many people are under the impression that agriculture is confined to what meets the eye; however, beneath the soil surface there are hundreds of processes all taking place simultaneously in which chemistry and biology and ecology and genetics are all interacting to create food, feed, and fuel to sustain our way of life. Agriculture has come a long way from where it began, and soy is a very important protein-packed commodity that will continue to be vital to our economy, in order to support the ever-rising population. It is important to me that both our producers and consumers are working together to ensure the future of the mighty soybean. I hope y’all will follow along with me on this fun journey as we help to further educate the good people of NC about soybean production!
