The Partners Issue
AUGUST 2026 | VOLUME 6, ISSUE 10
Every day, Illinois Soybean Association (ISA) is working on your behalf, and our impact is amplified by the partners who share our commitment to Illinois soybean farmers.
By John Lumpe, ISA CEO
Investment in farmer leaders creates opportunities to engage directly with customers, industry stakeholders, policymakers, and decision-makers across the globe.
By Scott Gaffner, Secretary & At-Large Director, Illinois Soybean Association
Agricultural drones are buzzing into action, helping producers adapt faster, work smarter and maximize every inch of their fields.
By IL Field & Bean Team
Learn about USDA's Soybean Germplasm Collection that is located at the University of Illinois.
By Ashley Rice-Haddon, ISA Content Manager
Relive the highlights of ISA’s 2025 Soybean Summit through photos that capture key moments, speakers and takeaways that made the event an essential experience.
By Olivia Key, Illinois Field & Bean Assistant Editor
TikTok sensation Jackson Laux, age 9, partners with John Deere to inspire agriculture's future.
By IL Field & Bean Team
Get to know John Reichman and his family, who have quietly played a pivotal role in advancing soybean research and production.
By IL Field & Bean Team
When Illinois farmer Tom Ritter tragically lost his life in a grain bin accident this August, his neighbors and friends didn’t hesitate to step in.
By IL Field & Bean Team
We're exploring the ways Illinois growers can maximize crop potential with next-generation biostimulants.
By Valent BioSciences
Join us for the 2026 Field Advisor Forum on Thursday, January 16, at the Atkins Golf Club at the University of Illinois in Urbana.
By Kelsey Litchfield, ISA Agronomic Outreach Manager/Editor, Field Advisor
ISA's new Agronomy Farm is a nearly 98-acre site designed to turn checkoff-funded research into practical, field-ready insights for Illinois farmers.
By Abigail Peterson, CCA, ISA Director of Agronomy
Illinois Soy Envoy Byron Hendrix, CCA, reviews how farmers can access financial support for conservation practices on their operations.
By Byron Hendrix, CCA, IL Soy Envoy
Through the See for Yourself 2025 program, participants saw firsthand how checkoff investments open international doors for U.S. soy, supporting profit-ability back home.
By Johnathan Griffel, 2024 20 Under 40 Farmer
Learn more about the iFAB Tech Hub at the University of Illinois and how its team is harnessing the power of corn and soy to create sustainable, high-value products.
By Olivia Key, Field & Bean Magazine Assistant Editor
As it celebrates its one-year anniversary, the ISA Soy Innovation Center is dedicated to facilitating the research and commercialization of new and innovative soy-based products with a focus on three primary categories: textiles, bio-lubricants and industrial applications.
By IL Field & Bean Team
Did you know soy can be used to replace nearly any product made from petroleum—including plastics? Soy-based plastics offer a nontoxic alternative to everyday items, contributing to sustainability and representing an exciting opportunity to drive demand for Illinois soy.
By Dylan Karis, Lead Chemist, Airable Research Lab
Learn more about an emerging partnership between ISA and the Peoria-based National Center for Agricultural Utilization, a 270,000-sq.-ft. research facility that employs nearly 200 people including 75 Ph.D. scientists.
By IL Field & Bean Team
Less than two years since its launch, this program boasts more than 63 Sustainably Certified products, each of which must meet the standards outlined by the USDA’s BioPreferred® Program.
By IL Field & Bean Team
Discover the many ways the Illinois Soybean Association has spent the last 60 years advancing biofuels, infrastructure and waterways transportation, and critical agronomic research - and what soybean farmers can expect in the coming years.
By IL Field & Bean Team
Hear from Stephen Censky, Chief Executive Officer of the American Soybean Association, about the ways ASA, ISA and other groups are working together to protect your farming freedoms.
By Stephen Censky
Get to know your ISA Government Relations Team, which is dedicated to advocating ...
By Olivia Key
Illinois Field & Bean Magazine spoke with select federal and state legislators ...
By IL Field & Bean Team
Jonathan Coppess of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign guest authors this perspective on the Farm Bill's impasse and the unlikelihood for reauthorization this year.
By Jonathan Coppess
The challenges farmers face every single day are tedious and time-consuming.
By IL Field & Bean Team