About the Checkoff
What is the Illinois Soybean Association?
The Illinois Soybean Association (ISA) checkoff and membership programs represent more than 43,000 soybean farmers in Illinois. The checkoff funds market development, soybean production and government relations efforts, while the membership program, Illinois Soybean Growers (ISG) and the Illinois Soybean Growers PAC actively advocates for positive and impactful legislation for farmers at local, state and national levels. ISA upholds the interests of Illinois soybean farmers through promotion, advocacy, research and education with the vision of becoming a trusted partner of Illinois soybean farmers to ensure their profitability now and for future generations.
How does the soybean checkoff work?
To help fund research and promotion efforts, Illinois soybean farmers contribute a portion of their sale proceeds to the checkoff program. Currently, farmers invest 0.5 percent of the net market price for each bushel they sell. Half of these collected funds are retained and administered by the United Soybean Board (USB). The other half is distributed to Qualified State Soybean Boards (QSSBs), like ISB, to be managed by a board of directors.
Your checkoff dollars at work
The Illinois Soybean Association (ISA) includes the ISA checkoff program, which is funded by checkoff dollars; ISA checkoff and membership programs for jointly funded projects; and Illinois Soybean Growers (ISG), which is funded by membership dollars.
ISA has 24 elected board members, of which six provide at large representation and 18 speak for the crop reporting districts where their farms are located.
Illinois soybean farmers contribute a portion of their sale proceeds to the checkoff program. Producers invest 0.5 percent of the net market price for each bushel they sell. Half of these collected funds are retained and administered by the United Soybean Board (USB). The other half is distributed to Qualified State Soybean Boards (QSSBs), like the Illinois Soybean Board, to be managed by a board of directors. The checkoff funds market development, soybean production and profitability research, issues analysis, communications and education.
Checkoff contributions do not pay for policy work. Those activities must be conducted and funded through ISG. ISG’s membership and advocacy efforts support Illinois soybean farmer interests in local areas, Springfield and in Washington, D.C.
The ISA checkoff and membership programs represent more than 43,000 soybean farmers in Illinois. With a focus on farmer needs, our efforts to supplement supply chain success targeted increased profitability and customer demand across multiple markets. In FY21, ISA invested in research efforts to improve soybean yield, partnered with crop input suppliers, soybean merchandisers and logistics companies for mutual success, all while reaching out to prospective and established soy customers and joining forces with industry colleagues to advance Illinois agriculture.
To learn about the programs funded by the USB portion, please visit the organization’s website, unitedsoybean.org.
