I am honored to serve a second term as Chairman of the Illinois Soybean Association (ISA).  As a corn, soybean and cattle farmer in Vermillion County, I have seen firsthand the value of your soybean checkoff dollars at work during my past seven years on the ISA board.

Looking Backward

Earlier this year, I had the privilege of visiting Vietnam and Thailand as Chairman of the U.S. Identity Preserved Alliance. Southeast Asia is seeing an increase in imports of U.S. soy, due to their growing livestock and aquaculture sectors, and appetite for soy-based foods, like tofu.

In August, ISA hosted more than 500 soybean buyers from nearly 60 countries on three Illinois farms as part of Soy Connext in Chicago. The tours served as an opportunity for buyers to connect directly with Illinois farmers and gain a deeper understanding of U.S. soy.

Another notable highlight was when the State of Illinois and the Republic of Indonesia signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). The MOU focused on expanding trade, opening new markets for Illinois farmers and strengthening cooperation across multiple sectors. This is a win for soybean farmers because Indonesia is one of our most important soybean markets.

On the soybean production front, ISA initiated five new On-Farm Trial Network (OFTN) research trials, while collaborating with 34 farmers and partners. The OFTN allows for testing across a wide range of locations, weather and soils in Illinois. The team also established more than 20 unique demonstration and research plots at the ISA Agronomy Farm, while successfully hosting multiple farm visits and a field day.

Moving Forward

Heading into 2027, three Illinois policy issues stand out as top of mind: the estate tax, wetlands and pesticide use around schools. Illinois Soybean Growers (ISG) will continue to be actively engaged in Springfield on behalf of farmers, just like myself. ISG is also proactively working in D.C. on key federal issues, including passing a farm bill and keeping the U.S. in the U.S. Mexico Canada Agreement (USMCA).

None of this work would be possible without the dedicated staff working day in and day out at ISA, and I tip my hat to them for their commitment to serving farmers.

All-in-all, I’m looking forward to another year of staying engaged with policymakers, collaborating with industry partners and working on behalf of the more than 43,000 soybean farmers in Illinois. I encourage any farmer interested to get involved in ISA, through opportunities like our LEAD program. There is no shortage of work to be done, and we are always looking for our next ag leaders.