Kansas farmer will lead United Soybean Board

By Doug Rich

The United Soybean Board (USB) held its annual meeting December 6 and 7 in St. Louis, Mo., and elected new officers.

Eric Niemann, a soybean farmer from Nortonville, Kan., is the newly elected chairman of the United Soybean Board. Neimann farms 1,100 acres of soybeans, corn, and wheat on land in northeast Kansas.

"It is a great honor to represent the farmers of the soybean checkoff as USB chairman," Neimann said. "I will continue to remain dedicated to the mission of the soybean checkoff and want you all to know that my phone will always be on and my door will always be open. I look forward to the potential of what we can accomplish together in the upcoming year."

Serving on the board with Neimann will be vice chairman, Ike Bourdreaux from Lebeau, La.; secretary, Chuck Friedrich from Aurora, S.D.; and treasurer, Kent Gronlie from Northwood, N.D. Also serving on the executive committee are Todd Allen, West Memphis, Ark.; Terry Ecker, Elmo, Mo.; Chuck Myers, Lyons, Neb.; Mark Pietz, Lakefield, Minn.; Jack Reed, Salem, Ind.; and Rick Stern, Cream Ridge, N.J.

Soybean growers will face several challenges this year the first being the potential for reduced acreage as the demand for ethanol from corn continues to expand. This comes at a time when the demand for soybean meal and biodiesel are growing, as well.

"We do believe that soybean acres will go down a little bit," Neimann said. "But we are also looking at record supplies going into this year. It is a decision that American soybean farmers will have to make."

As with any cropping decision price and weather will play a role.

"If weather is favorable I think we will have corn go in early but if there are delays in planting we may see acres go to soybeans," Boudreaux said.

Chuck Friedrich thought that the growing demand for soybean meal from poultry and hog production in South Dakota would play a role in planting decision in his state.

"Economics will drive the decisions that we make," Gronlie said.

In North Dakota Kent Gronlie thinks there will be an increase in corn acreage at the expense of notSoybeansbut wheat.

As farmers around the country begin thinking about their spring planting decisions they are looking at corn yield and price versus soybean yield and price. USB will be putting money into soybean yield research.

"We have not seen the trend line for soybean yields going up as fast as corn but it has been going up," Niemann said. "Soybean breeders are looking at yield and disease resistance."

Ike Lebeau said they had learned a lot about soybean rust this past year in the southern states. They experience more soybean rust outbreaks than ever before during the last growing season.

"We learned that fungicides work when you apply the right product, at the right time, in the proper manner," Lebeau said. "Growers should be vigilant but don't panic. You do have time to make decisions."

The USB annual meeting was held in conjunction with two soybean industry strategic planning sessions, Connections and Soy 2020. Connections focused on emerging issues in the next three to five years. Soy 2020 was a vision session to define success for the soybean industry in the year 2020.

"This is a changing industry," Neimann said. "We need to look ahead so that we can direct our resources in the best possible way. We have a lot of challenges ahead of us that could turn into a lot of opportunity."

Doug Rich can be reached by phone 785-749-5304 or by e-mail at richhpj@aol.com.

Date: 1/11/07

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