Emerald Green \u2014 Celebrating 55 Years

Kirk Leeds, Chief Executive Officer, Iowa Soybean Association

Emerald Green – Celebrating 55 Years

This year marks the 55th anniversary of the establishment of the Iowa Soybean Association (ISA). In 1964, a small group of soybean farmers decided to form ISA to expand demand for Iowa soybeans and help farmers increase yields and reduce costs.

Although a relatively new crop in the early 60s, this group of visionary leaders knew the “magical bean” had great potential as an oil and high-quality protein for human consumption. It could also be a critical ingredient in commercial livestock feed, they thought.

I doubt many of those farmers in 1964 could have imagined the expansion in soybean consumption and production that would occur in the next five-plus decades.

They couldn’t fully appreciate then the number of new uses such as biodiesel, soy ink, soy wax, soybased candles and lubricants, carpet backing, tires, automobile seats, paints and a host of other products that would be developed and promoted in the years to come.

How could they possibly have foreseen that China, a country with hundreds of millions of poor, starving people would someday be the largest consumer of soybeans in the world and the No.1 market for U.S. soybeans?

Would they have even anticipated that soybeans would challenge — and at times surpass — corn acres in the United States?

This issue of the Iowa Soybean Review focuses on ISA’s 55th anniversary with stories celebrating the organization’s successes. Of note is an accounting of checkoff investments, first by the Iowa Soybean Promotion Board and more recently by ISA, in funding important and timely production research.

There is also a story about a recent roundtable discussion I was a part of with four former and current farmer leaders (pictured below). Although I have only been at ISA for 30 of its 55 years, the time spent with this group of leaders reminded me that today’s organization is what it is because of decisions made by farmers who have led this organization.

From left: Yvonne Wente, Ray Gaesser, Lindsay Greiner, Kirk Leeds, Ron Heck

Joseph L. Murphy/Iowa Soybean Association

Enjoy this special edition of the publication as we celebrate our 55th anniversary. I hope you notice the special use of emerald green on the cover and throughout the magazine. Emerald green is used to celebrate 55th anniversaries and is a great way for ISA to celebrate the reaching of this milestone. The deep green gemstone is known to represent commitment — an important trait the founders of this organization and the many farmers who have followed have demonstrated.

kleeds@iasoybeans.com, Twitter @kirkleeds