Iowa Soybean Review, Summer 2020

IOWA

SOYBEAN Summer 2020

MEMBERSHIP MATTERS

President Tim Bardole, Rippey | At Large President Elect Jeff Jorgenson, Sidney | D7 Treasurer Dave Walton, Wilton | D6

Summer 2020 | Vol. 32, No. 8

Secretary Robb Ewoldt, Blue Grass | D6 Executive Committee Randy Miller, Lacona | D8 Board of Directors Brent Swart, Spencer | D1 Chuck White, Spencer | D1 April Hemmes, Hampton | D2 Casey Schlichting, Clear Lake | D2 Rick Juchems, Plainfield | D3 Suzanne Shirbroun, Farmersburg | D3 Marty Danzer, Carroll | D4 Jeff Frank, Auburn | D4 Tom Vincent, Perry | D5 Morey Hill, Madrid | D5 Bill Shipley, Nodaway | D7 Warren Bachman, Osceola | D8 Pat Swanson, Ottumwa | D9 Tom Adam, Harper | D9 Brent Renner, Klemme | At Large Steph Essick, Dickens | At Large Lindsay Greiner, Keota | At Large American Soybean Association Board of Directors Morey Hill, Madrid Wayne Fredericks, Osage Brian Kemp, Sibley John Heisdorffer, Keota Steph Essick, Dickens Dave Walton, Wilton United Soybean Board of Directors Lindsay Greiner, Keota Larry Marek, Riverside Tom Oswald, Cleghorn April Hemmes, Hampton Staff Credits Editor | Ann Clinton Sr. Dir., Information & Education | Aaron Putze, APR Creative Manager | Ashton Boles Photographer | Joseph L. Murphy Staff Writer | Bethany Baratta Staff Writer | Lauren Houska Staff Writer | Katie James Sales Director | David Larson

Iowa Soybean Review is published eight times a year by: Iowa Soybean Association 1255 SW Prairie Trail Parkway, Ankeny, Iowa 50023 (515) 251-8640 | iasoybeans.com E-mail: aclinton@iasoybeans.com For advertising information in the Iowa Soybean Review, please contact Larson Ent. LLC (515) 440-2810 or Dave@LarsonentLLC.com.

Comments and statewide news articles should be sent to the above address. Advertising space reservations must be made by the first day of the month preceding publication. In consideration of the acceptance of the advertisement, the agency and the advertiser must, in respect of the contents of the advertisement, indemnify and save the publisher harmless against any expense arising from claims or actions against the publisher because of the publication of the content of the advertisement.

12 User-Friendly

Production Research at your Fingertips New

Checkoff-Funded Site Provides Actionable Advice from Soybean Studies.

14 Membership Matters The Iowa Soybean Association is Driven To Deliver.

23 Research Reaps

Rewards for ISA Members Rooted in membership, sustained through connections.

28 Rooted in

membership, sustained through connections

Andrew Lauver distinctly remembers learning about the Iowa Soybean Association at the dinner table with his family.

On the Cover: Mylie, Tarin, Ryan, Morgan and Sloan (front center) Tiefenthaler represent an Iowa family whose membership in the Iowa Soybean Association plays an integral part in the future of the organization. Read more about Tarin's involvement on page 22.

IOWA SOYBEAN REVIEWÂŽ | 3

KIRK LEEDS Chief Executive Officer, Iowa Soybean Association kleeds@iasoybeans.com, Twitter @kirkleeds

Activate – (verb): “To call up, mobilize, start, set in motion, energize or to switch on.”

S

everal years ago, the board of directors of the Iowa Soybean Association (ISA) eliminated the need to pay dues to become a member of the association. The goal was to increase the number of farmers actively engaging with ISA and its many programs. Through this engagement, the board is working to increase farmers’ understanding of how soybean checkoff dollars are invested to: • Grow domestic and international demand • Find new uses for soybeans • Improve production efficiencies • Enhance soil health and conservation practices • Engage consumers in conversations about modern agriculture • Share timely information about these issues and results of ISA’s projects and programs

With more than 12,000 farmer members, eliminating dues as a requirement for membership has been successful. It has resulted in a spike in membership and increased support for our work. Yet, we know there are still too many soybean

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farmers that have not yet become members.

This leads to two important questions: Why haven’t more farmers taken advantage of this opportunity, and what does a farmer have to do to become a member?

As to why more farmers haven’t become members, there are several possible reasons. Perhaps they haven’t heard that they can become members without paying dues. Or maybe they just never got around to doing so. Or they don’t understand or perceive value in why they should join.

When ISA proclaims it’s “Driven To Deliver” for the soybean farmer, we walk the walk. Becoming an ISA member gives farmers greater and faster access to important and timely information. Members are plugged into ISA, receiving real-time opportunities to offer feedback and suggestions to the volunteer farmer directors of the ISA board. This is helpful as they make decisions on what gets funded and what becomes or remains a priority for the organization. In these challenging times, having greater access and input is more important than ever.

Being a farmer member of ISA gives you both. Membership also allows soybean farmers to show support for their organization publicly.

Doing so encourages additional farmers to join, greatly enhancing the association’s long-term growth, vitality and relevancy.

On the question regarding how to become a member, the answer is an easy one. Since being a soybean farmer in Iowa is the only prerequisite to taking advantage of this opportunity at no additional cost, ISA uses the word “activate” to describe what needs to happen to become a member.

Your membership is there for the taking; all you have to do is tell us that you want to activate this benefit. The easiest way to do so is by visiting iasoybeans.com/join.

Or by calling our office at 800383-1423. All we need to know is your name, address, phone number and email address to activate your membership.

I encourage you to activate your membership today and experience firsthand how ISA is indeed “Driven To Deliver” for you and the industry.

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MICHAEL DOLCH Director of Public Affairs, Iowa Soybean Association MDolch@iasoybeans.com

Advocate = (ACT)Do2

N

o equation is more famous than E = mc2, and few are simpler. Indeed, the equation’s fame rests largely on its simplicity: the energy (E) of a system is equal to its mass (m) multiplied by the speed of light squared (c2).

The key message is that the mass of a system measures its energy content. According to scientific folklore, the great physicist Albert Einstein formulated this equation in 1905 and, in a single bow, explained how energy can be released in stars and nuclear explosions.

Now that you’re in the right frame of mind, consider this equation: Advocate = (ACT)Do2.

Much like Einstein’s Theory of Space Relativity, this selfproclaimed “Theory of Member Advocacy and Engagement” pairs a constant (Do) with a variable (ACT) to yield a movement of support (Advocate). An organization’s ability to advocate is equal to its member actions combined with its underlying day-to-day “doings.” With that in mind, let’s apply the equation to the Iowa Soybean Association’s (ISA) policy outreach and advocate membership.

We must first acknowledge that

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you, as an ISA farmer member, are the heart and soul of our organization. You’re essential to everything we do on a daily basis. Every single interaction that delivers a positive result in the policy or regulatory arena starts with you. That’s why we’re aggressively tapping into advocate members and elevating their voices on the important issues impacting the soybean industry.

In today’s world, it’s easy to get bogged down in the politics of an issue. As a nonpartisan organization, that’s not the case at ISA. By remaining neutral and focusing on facts, we have a unique advantage that yields unfettered access to policymakers at all levels of government. This has paid off time and time again as we’ve acted to ensure legislative and regulatory actions have considered soybean farmers’ perspectives.

Staring down some of the biggest and most complex issues many of us will ever see, we haven’t shied away. Drawing on the collective voice and actions of advocate membership, ISA has been out front leading the offense. In recent weeks, while planting season rolled on, ISA engaged state and federal officials

to ensure farmers were designated “essential,” protect the supply chain and access to seasonal inputs, and to press Congress and the administration for immediate financial relief.

Powered by your investment and actions, ISA will continue to show up every day for you, to get things done in Des Moines and Washington, D.C. We’re doubly determined to bring common-sense solutions to every conversation, especially as we battle unfair trade practices, defend key domestic markets like the Renewable Fuels Standard and support our number one customer – the livestock industry.

As you turn the pages of this month’s Iowa Soybean Review®, you’ll quickly learn the value of an ISA membership. We’re not about gimmicks, gets or petty politics.

Instead, we’re about doing, getting things done, and delivering results for you – the soybean farmer.

I call on you to join us, your friends, neighbors and likeminded farmers on the front lines of policy advocacy. Act now, do what’s necessary, and submit your advocate membership today. After all, you can’t “Advocate” without “Do” and “Act.”

unitedsoybean.org

RESEARCHING A BETTER BEAN unitedsoybean.org Brought to you by the soy checkoff. ©2018 United Soybean Board. Our Soy Checkoff and the Our Soy Checkoff mark are trademarks of United Soybean Board. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.

IOWA SOYBEAN REVIEW® | 7

Activate or Validate your Membership Your investment in the soybean checkoff powers the Iowa Soybean Association. Farmer membership is available to you at no additional cost. We customize your membership to meet your needs, sending you the information and providing the resources you need to make farming decisions that keep you competitive.

Put our expertise and services to work for you — validate your membership today at iasoybeans.com/join

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IOWA SOYBEAN REVIEW® | 9

Board of Director Elections are Here Ballots and instructions will soon arrive in your mailbox.

To qualify, all ballots must be postmarked no later than July 31, 2020.

Farmer leaders will be elected to serve as directors in Districts 1, 2, 4, 5 and 9.

If you live in District 1, 2, 4, 5 or 9: You will be electing one ISA director in your crop district as well as two directors for At-Large positions.

If you live in District 3, 6, 7 or 8: You will be electing two directors for two At-Large positions.

More information available at iasoybeans.com/elections

Your Specialty Soya and Grains Alliance membership is: » Changing the inspection process for exports. » Branding the U.S. as the finest supplier of identity-preserved field crops in the world. » Amplifying the voice of small businesses to be heard by federal regulators. » Ensuring your specialty crop gets the premium return you deserve.

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Suzanne Shirbroun, farmer from Farmersburg and director of the Iowa Soybean Association, utilizes the Soybean Research & Information Network to access production research results.

User-Friendly Production Research at your Fingertips Checkoff-Funded Site Provides Actionable Advice

S

oybean production research reports may not be light reading for the masses. But the valuable nuggets those studies offer just got a lot easier to access, understand and apply on the farm.

To promote checkoff-funded production research, the United Soybean Board (USB) partnered with the North Central Soybean Research Program (NCSRP) to create the Soybean Research & Information Network (SRIN) found at www.soybeanresearchinfo.com.

“The site is dynamic, easy to consume and offers farmers one place with past and present checkoff-funded

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research projects,” says Cate Newberg, USB/NCSRP program manager leading the effort.

In addition to research, the site contains photos and useful information to help identify and manage key pests in soybeans.

“I use the site the most during the crop scouting season,” says Suzanne Shirbroun, farmer from Farmersburg and director of the Iowa Soybean Association. “With so many sources on this site, if I need more information, it is just a click away. I also use the insect tab quite often. The information is clear and concise for what I need.”

Research All in One Place Newberg says the SRIN site was developed to be the communications arm of the National Soybean Checkoff Research Database (www.soybeanresearchdata.com), a database that has been recently developed. The site contains state and national research funded by various checkoff programs.

It is accessible by all soybean organization staff, farmers, university and company researchers, agronomists and others interested in study results.

“The research database is essentially a warehouse of all the production research nationwide dating back to 2008,” says Newberg. “There is a lot of data for researchers to compare and contrast, see what has been done on various topics and find collaboration. It’s very robust.”

Complementing the database with the new SRIN site provides the opportunity to present research in a digestible fashion. Newberg says users can mine the site for projects of interest by entering the state and/or subject area.

The research articles on the SRIN site also link back to original research in the database and to related research from other states and regions.

Newberg adds she is also sharing some of the research found through the SRIN site on social media and other outlets. “We promote articles so we can get real-world management ideas out there that impact farmer production and conservation efforts. It is this research

knowledge and information sharing that will help advance the soybean industry,” she says.

As the site continues to be populated, Newberg says farmers can expect additional pest and disease information, production-related resources, and links to publications and annual reports.

“The site will continue to grow and

farmers will be able to see the benefits of their investments,” Newberg says.

“We also are piloting a project with aquaculture data to gauge interest in that industry aspect.”

Newberg asks that Iowa soybean farmers can contact her with feedback and suggestions after viewing what is available on the site. She can be reached at cnewberg@iasoybeans.com.

HARD WORK

soybeanresearchinfo.com

SOYBEANRESEARCHINFO.COM THE HARD WORK BEHIND YOUR HARD WORK. Controlling pests and diseases, streamlining irrigation, improving applications and much more. Whatever you do, you’ll find it here. The Soybean Research & Information Network has the information you need to work smarter and more efficiently. Visit soybeanresearchinfo.com to learn more.

FUNDED WITH SOYBEAN CHECKOFF DOLLARS THROUGH THE UNITED SOYBEAN BOARD AND NORTH CENTRAL SOYBEAN RESEARCH PROGRAM

Membership Matters The Iowa Soybean Association (ISA) is DRIVEN TO DELIVER increased soybean demand through market development and new uses, farmerfocused research and results, timely information and know-how, and policy initiatives enabling farmers to flourish.

Founded in 1964 by farmers to serve farmers, ISA is governed by a board of 22 farmers to advocate on behalf of the state’s 40,000 soybean producers, including more than 12,000 ISA farmer members and industry stakeholders.

DRIVEN TO DELIVER is our promise — a commitment; a declaration of who we are, what we value and who we serve: farm families just like yours.

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Ethan Nielsen farms nears Avoca with his wife, Kristyn, and son, Shane. Working with Ethan’s father, they raise soybean, corn, winter wheat and pigs. Ethan also runs a trucking company.

He knows that membership matters. He’s been involved with several Iowa Soybean Association (ISA) on-farm research trials and is a member of the District Advisory Council in District 4.

“Being involved with ISA helps me to network with fellow growers and learn better ways of achieving stronger yield goals and profitability.”

IOWA SOYBEAN REVIEW® | 15

I’m Driven To Deliver a sustainable, profitable soybean industry for the next generation.

Tim Bardole Rippey

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– Tim

Dear Soybean Farmer, Farming is an act of faith. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned about faith, it’s that help along the way makes all the difference.

That’s where the Iowa Soybean Association (ISA) comes in — a helping hand, a resourceful phone call, a family. Despite the challenges in our industry, ISA maintains the same unwavering commitment to each and every soybean farmer.

I started farming in 1990 and activated my ISA farmer membership shortly after. I farm with my dad Roy and my brother Pete. I also welcomed my son Schyler to the operation and am pleased to welcome my two young grandsons Adam and Luke to the world of farming.

I’d venture to guess I was a lot like you when it came to my early days as an ISA farmer member. I received the magazine, read the news and was somewhat aware of which farmers had been elected to represent me.

But it wasn’t until I attended my first ISA research conference that I got interested in getting involved.

While ISA helped me learn the agronomic ropes of increasing my productivity, I surprised myself with how interested I became in the policy side of the association. I saw how vital it is to have the farmer voice in Des Moines and Washington, D.C. I got more and more involved until I eventually ran for the board of directors. I am now pleased to serve as your president and represent you the best way I can.

While ISA is here for you, I want to ask you for something I don’t often do – help. ISA needs you. Our industry needs you — now more than ever.

We need you as a member. And, we also need dedicated farmers with a desire to lead. We need the farmers reading this magazine who aren’t sure what ISA does to dive in and become more informed. We need the farmers who teeter on saying “yes” when opportunities present themselves to jump in with the same enthusiasm as that first combine run each harvest.

We need you to officially join our soybean family. Your farm will thank you for it.

The work ISA does is vital to every soybean producer in the state. You may not think your checkoff dollars — or if you pay them, membership dues — mean much, but in reality, they are critical.

If you are that farmer, there are two things I want to stress to you: • Go to ISA events. Read the stories on the website. Follow ISA on any of your social media platforms. There are many things this organization does that you benefit from, yet might not know about.

• Activate your ISA membership. ISA is only as strong as the farmers who choose to be a part of it. If you market at least 250 bushels of soybeans each year, your checkoff dollars mean your ISA membership comes at no cost.

We just need you to let us know you want to be a part of this organization. If you’re already a member, give us a call and touch base. If you feel you’re not currently benefiting as an ISA member, let’s fix that.

All you have to do is visit iasoybeans.com/join to activate your membership.

We are all in this business together. Being an active ISA member is the first step in advocating for yourself as a soybean producer. As a farmer, if I’m not willing to do that for myself, who will?

Join our family, and let’s work together to support each other when we need it most. With a little faith and a whole lot of work from ISA, you’ll see how much it pays to activate your membership.

Warmest regards,

Tim Bardole , ISA President

ISA needs you. The industry needs you. Activating and validating your ISA membership at no additional cost strengthens our voice, accountability to the farmer and the ROI of everything we do.

IOWA SOYBEAN REVIEW® | 17

See Yourself as a Member The Iowa Soybean Association (ISA) is your organization, founded and led by farmers ‌ just like you.

When you join ISA, you choose how engaged you want to be in the association. From receiving topic-specific information to presiding over a 22-farmer board of directors, your journey is entirely up to you.

We need you. The future of our industry depends on supporting each other along the way.

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The Iowa Soybean Association is a family of soybean farmers strengthened by a common cause — to help farmers produce and sell more soybeans at a competitive price.

We deliver opportunities to you, our

What matters to you matters to us because ISA is directed by

members, to help you make the most of your membership — and your checkoff investment. Our programs connect you

the soybean farmer and powered by

with fellow farmers, develop and hone

the soybean checkoff.

your leadership skills, provide the latest industry information and help you see yourself in places you never thought possible. See what these members have to say about their involvement with ISA.

IOWA SOYBEAN REVIEW® | 19

Keith Lovrien Clarksville

District Advisory Council The Iowa Soybean Association (ISA) District Advisory Council (DAC) is made up of farmer leaders in each of Iowa's nine crop districts, representing all 99 counties. DAC members are farmers who have stepped forward to do more with ISA and get involved in ways that best fit their interests, skills and schedules.

I am Driven To Deliver improved water quality for my neighbors downstream. To do this, I use cover crops and tile monitoring to see exactly what is in the water leaving my farm.

– Keith

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K

eith Lovrien grows soybeans and corn outside of Clarksville.

Farming since 1988, Lovrien has been an ISA member for over a decade.

He believes in the importance of promoting the soybean industry and his work as a farmer. His involvement with the District Advisory Council (DAC) positions him for success.

“I think it’s important for farmers to be involved in organizations like ISA,” Keith says. “We have skin in the game, so promoting our industry and continuously innovating is vital to our success.”

Lovrien says ISA is the place where promotion and innovation meet. He has completed field trials with ISA for several years and says some cornerstones of his farm management practices have come from the ISA office.

“We actually didn’t do any cover crop trials, we just started planting them,” he says. “Based on what I’d seen from other farmers who did the ISA trials, I knew we could benefit.”

And he was right. Lovrien saw results from the cover crops quickly and continues to plant them today.

The same goes for Lovrien’s tillage and seeding strategies. Because of ISA,

he started using a drill for soybean planting and can now plant both corn and beans at the same time with the help of his son Mason.

When prices aren’t profitable, Lovrien says innovation is more critical than ever. Leveraging ISA’s research results with various policy efforts, being a part of the DAC affords him opportunities to get involved where he might not have seen himself.

Lovrien has worked to promote the use of biodiesel at his county level and also became a member of ISA’s Communications Squad this year.

“If you’re an ISA member, you’re more willing to try new things that will benefit you and our entire industry down the road,” he says.

Taking advantage of opportunities at ISA has helped Lovrien be a better farmer. As a steward of water quality, he leans on ISA to assist in his water management practices.

“I can already see the results of some of my water quality practices,” he says. “I know what’s going downstream.”

Through taking advantage of his membership at ISA, Lovrien ultimately strives to grow a better product in a more sustainable way.

Communications Squad The Communications Squad is driven to empower farmers to be more effective spokespersons for the soybean industry.

Participants gather four times per year to get the latest industry updates on agricultural issues, converse with television, radio and newspaper reporters and share their farming stories.

I am Driven To Deliver the best products with the best stewardship practices on my farm. I care about providing safe food and fuel for consumers while ensuring the land is taken care of for future farmers.

– Ethan

E

than Crow started farming in Marshalltown in 2010. With his farm bordering the city, he has a unique understanding of consumers’ perceptions of agriculture and the need to share realities behind modern farming. And, as a young farmer, he also understands the challenges new producers face.

After being an Iowa Soybean Association (ISA) member for nearly a decade, Ethan took the leap to go further when invited to participate in the ISA Communications Squad.

“ISA helps farmers think outside the box,” Ethan says. “Doing so has helped my operation thrive.

The Communications Squad has introduced me to other producers while learning to share my story.”

Crow says the right network of people in your back pocket is important, especially during challenging times.

“There are good people at ISA, and we can use them to tap into the things that help us survive difficult times in agriculture,” he says.

The farmer is also branching beyond the Communications Squad and getting into the field trials he found linked to ISA. Research trials are a great way to learn what can work for your farm. For Ethan, it’s learning how to keep a family legacy moving forward while rising to the challenge of providing a secure and abundant food supply for a nation worried about shortages from COVID-19.

“I know we have to step up and do our part, and that means equipping ourselves with the best information out there,” Crow says.

After choosing to participate in the Communications Squad for a second year, Crow has found a strong voice in advocating for agriculture. You can find him sharing details about farming with the Iowa Food & Family Project and being featured on CNBC, Iowa Farmer Today, the Farm Bureau Spokesman and on his local CBS station.

Ethan Crow Marshalltown

IOWA SOYBEAN REVIEW® | 21

Tarin Tiefenthaler Carroll

ISA Experience The Iowa Soybean Association (ISA) Experience is an opportunity to immerse yourself in what ISA has to offer. Whether you are interested in on-farm research, getting involved in policy, understanding the impacts of transportation, talking to the media, or growing leadership skills, this program is for you. We want to get you where you need to be and connect you with staff and farmer leaders who can help you succeed.

We are Driven To Deliver a high-quality product, from our farm and soybean conditioning facility. We take pride in the fact that we deliver such a great product at a fair price — we operate in a way that allows everyone involved to succeed.

– Tarin

22 | SUMMER 2020 | IASOYBEANS.COM

T

arin Tiefenthaler and her husband Ryan raise soybeans, corn, rye and hay outside Carroll and operate a soybean conditioning facility.

They’ve incorporated cover crops on their operation and harvest them for next year’s seed or sell them to fellow farmers.

“We like to try things and see what works for us,” Tarin says.

“That’s why the ISA Experience was the right fit for me.”

Like many farm families, most days have the Tiefenthalers busy with farm business, family life and commitments to their community. Tarin was looking for an organization to give time to that would “fill her cup” — and she found ISA. “It started as me wanting to volunteer at the Iowa State Fair, and I didn’t really know what else I wanted to do or how I fit in ISA’s programming or how it fit with my life,” Tarin says.

“But ISA still invested in me, and from there, the Producer Services team connected me with the ISA Experience.”

Tarin soon learned about ISA’s many programs and opportunities. She took particular interest in transportation issues and the financial impact they have on their farming operation and soybean conditioning facility.

She also found a passion for agriculture awareness and joined CommonGround Iowa, a jointly led program between ISA and Iowa Corn Growers Association. The program trains women who are leaders in agriculture to effectively communicate.

“Getting involved with ISA was something I needed, but I didn’t realize that until I tried it,” Tarin says. “These opportunities work and provide value for me at this time in my life.”

Research Reaps Rewards for ISA Members

BY BETHANY BARATTA

U

sing your investment in the soybean checkoff and leveraging it through a variety of public and private partnerships, the Iowa Soybean Association (ISA) Research Center for Farming Innovation applies their combined expertise, experience and expansive data to serve ISA farmer members. That means members have unique access to data and information from onfarm trials and collaborations with partners.

“As an ISA member, I have a great appreciation for the transparent, science-based data we have access to at our fingertips,” says Aimee Bissell, an ISA farmer member near Bedford.

The ISA research team takes a holistic approach to research. This includes testing and evaluating how a practice or product performs on the farm and also soil testing, plant tissue sampling and a complete

analysis as the ISA analytics team develops models and interactive decision tools.

“We help farmers conduct on-farm research in the areas of agronomy and conservation, supported by state-of-the-art analytics, to provide valuable unbiased, scientifically sound data and information about products, practices, technologies, tools and infrastructure for improving their productivity, sustainability and profitability,” says Ed Anderson, ISA senior director of research.

“This helps farmers customize their decision-making for continuously improving their cropping systems and management practices so they can get the best bang for their buck.”

Rob Stout has seen firsthand how his ISA membership and involvement in ISA research trials can benefit his farm.

ISA provided meaningful water quality analyses for a cover crop study Stout was working on through Iowa Learning Farms and Practical Farmers of Iowa. ISA’s on-site water lab helped show the substantial water quality benefits Stout could reap by adding cover crops to his acres. Since then, Stout has planted 100% of his acres to cover crops.

“Because of our conservation ethic and how we feel about soil and water quality, we’ve turned to the ISA for assistance in testing various practices,” Stout says.

A trial on Stout’s farm showed he could lower his commercial nitrogen usage and costs by sidedressing with manure instead of urea in the spring. The trial also showed a 3.5-bushel-per-acre yield boost in his corn fields.

(Continued on page 24)

IOWA SOYBEAN REVIEW® | 23

(Continued from page 23)

“We’re always focused on productive and profitable agronomics and cropping systems,” Anderson says. “And we want them to work hand-inhand with robust and sustainable conservation and environmental solutions.”

Bissell is participating in research trials with ISA. One evaluates TerraMax, an in-furrow soybean inoculant. A fungicide timing study using Miravis will generate data to strengthen ISA’s farmer decision tools for optimizing fungicide applications for best control and greatest return on investment. Another trial focuses on soybean seeding rates.

Bissell learned about the trials available this year through her involvement with ISA at a Research and Results Forum held in February.

She says working with ISA through various trials avoids biases, which she or a supplier could have.

“When we select a product to use on our farm, the supplier inundates us with a lot of data. You start to wonder who benefits from that data?” Bissell says. “Working with ISA is a transparent experience; the data benefits farmers. We put a lot of faith and trust in the data ISA provides.”

That transparency and farmer relationship is of utmost importance to the ISA research team.

“We’re not trying to sell you a product,” Anderson says. “We’re trying to share information and knowledge to help you be better.”

ISA collaborates on basic and applied research with the Iowa Nutrient Research Center, Iowa Soybean Research Center, North Central Soybean Research Program and the Soybean Research & Information Network.

This provides extensive research results and information useful to Iowa soybean farmers.

“I look at the research sites because there are other research trials out there that may not be on my radar,” Stout says.

I am Driven To Deliver healthy soils and clean water through continuous improvement. We’ve turned to ISA for assistance in testing various practices. I’ve seen firsthand how ISA membership and involvement in their research trials benefit my operation.

Rob Stout Washtington

24 | SUMMER 2020 | IASOYBEANS.COM

– Rob

Clint and Aimee Bissell Bedford

One trial of interest compared soybean seeding rates and effects on yield. The trial showed reducing seeding rates by 20,000 seeds per acre could save $7 to $8 per acre without impacting yield potential. Stout was intrigued, so this year he’s trying this on his farm. Bissell is also conducting the trial on her farm.

“Based on that research, we dropped our seeding population to 140,000 seeds per acre from 150,000 to 155,000 seeds per acre,” he says.

So far, he’s seen a 10% savings in seed cost at planting.

Investments in the Iowa Soybean Association (ISA)

through the checkoff makes projects like these possible. Data from on-farm research trials and edge-of-field conservation studies are anonymously aggregated with the data from others to create a wealth of usable information and decision tools to positively impact profitability, while contributing to better and more environmentally sound cropping systems.

Reap the benefits of your investment by joining ISA as a farmer member. Go to iasoybeans.com/join .

Contact Bethany Baratta at bbaratta@iasoybeans.com.

We’re not shy about tackling issues and challenges, going where the data leads and getting soil under our fingernails as we take to the fields and travel the world to boost soybean production, demand and farmer profitability.

We’re about creating opportunities and delivering results for Iowa soybean

I am Driven To Deliver healthy soils and clean water through continuous improvement.

farmers!

– Aimee

Research Participants IOWA SOYBEAN REVIEW® | 25

Ray Gaesser Corning

Advocate Member Your advocate membership empowers the Iowa Soybean Association (ISA) to positively influence policy and regulatory matters impacting the U.S. soybean industry. We leverage your non-checkoff investment with additional partnerships to engage at the state and federal level to enhance the competitiveness of your farm.

I am Driven To Deliver because when we work together, we all benefit.

Our Public Affairs team is where you can’t be, helping make, shape, implement or fight commonsense laws and regulations that impact your farming operation.

– Ray

26 | SUMMER 2020 | IASOYBEANS.COM

P

eople support what they help build.

“The decision to be an advocate member of ISA is easy,” says Ray Gaesser, who farms with wife Elaine and son Chris near Corning. “ISA has always been a family to us.”

Gaesser has created a legacy of leadership within agriculture.

He has been a leader among Iowa and U.S. soybean farmers since 1997, serving as president of ISA and the American Soybean Association. Currently, Gaesser is a Solutions from the Land board member. He is also a member of the North American Climate Smart Agriculture Alliance steering committee, co-chair of the Iowa Smart Agriculture group, and co-chair of the Conservation Infrastructure Initiative. All organizations are dedicated to

innovating and adapting practices that protect soil and water, sequester nutrients and carbon, and build soil health.

Through his leadership experiences, Gaesser has personally seen the importance of non-checkoff resources to enhance local, state and national policies and regulations.

“Good agricultural policy is critical,” says Gaesser.

The Gaessers have been members of ISA for nearly 40 years. While the ISA farmermembership is at no additional cost for soybean farmers, the ISA advocate designation includes an annual fee. When asked why he financially invests in the association, Gaesser is quick to turn the question around.

“Why wouldn’t we be an advocate member of ISA?”

Board of Directors Serving on the Iowa Soybean Association’s (ISA) Board of Directors is an opportunity to elevate your leadership efforts and provide direction for your organization. Directors represent the soybean farmers in their crop reporting districts and determine where checkoff dollars are invested and leveraged. They also represent Iowa on trade missions, at various agricultural conferences, at the state and national Capitols and are regularly called upon to speak with the media about important issues.

Iowa soybean farmers need a voice locally, nationally and globally on so many levels, including policy, production research and soybean demand. I’m driven to be one of those farmers, advocating for positive changes that allow us all to protect our livelihood and continue our way of life.

– Jeff

J

eff Jorgenson and his wife Jennifer raise soybeans, corn, hay and manage 180 cow-calf pairs outside Sidney.

Farming for 22 years, he’s been a leader within ISA for more than a decade.

Jeff currently serves as ISA president-elect and will take the helm as president in September.

“I’ve seen many changes in agriculture during the years that I have been serving on the board,” Jeff says. “There have been a lot of ups and downs, which is the nature of farming. As board members, we are entrusted to manage the association through those changes.”

A strong advocate for the farmer, Jeff enjoys doing the behind-the-scenes work to help farmers get what they need to be more competitive. He’s traveled to several countries as an ISA leader, including Brazil, China, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Costa Rica and has attended countless meetings with state and local representatives.

“We all experience the downturn in markets or feel the pain of burdensome regulations,” he says. “The opportunity to have fellow farmers go to work for you in Des Moines, Washington, D.C., or abroad to have your perspective heard and understood is so valuable.”

Humbled to be serving as president in the coming year, Jeff is ready to keep working on important issues on behalf of Iowa’s soybean farmers and is excited to see a renewed focus on ISA membership.

“Whether through your farmer membership (available at no addtional cost) or a paid advocate membership, we must have farmers involved in the work we do,” he says.

“If you’re considering running for the board in 2021 or further down the road, know that you’ll be part of a group focused on a common goal, and you can make a positive impact on this thing we all love — farming.”

Jeff Jorgenson Sidney

IOWA SOYBEAN REVIEW® | 27

Rooted in Membership, Sustained Through Connections

BY BETHANY BARATTA

A

ndrew Lauver distinctly remembers learning about the Iowa Soybean Association (ISA) at the dinner table with his family. His father Kevin worked as an ISA membership recruiter then and shared stories of the work ISA was doing to help farmers be productive and profitable.

Through his own membership, Lauver has learned that ISA’s mission and focus on farmers haven’t changed.

“I’m proud to be associated with ISA and the great work they do on more fronts than profitability,” says Lauver, an ISA farmer member near Rockwell City.

He got involved with ISA in 2012 as part of the District Advisory Council (DAC). Since then, he’s formed strong,

deeper relationships with fellow farmers and ISA staff.

Connections with other farmers in his area and across the state provide opportunities for greater understanding and camaraderie. He thinks of ISA District 4 Director Jeff Frank of Auburn as a leader not only in the community, but as a mentor to him within the ag community. There’s also Sam Showalter, who Lauver met in college and continues to maintain contact with through ISA. In fact, Lauver and Showalter have both received the ISA New Leader Award for their involvement and commitment to promoting the soybean industry and agriculture.

Opportunities to connect with

other farmers either through research forums, policy advocacy discussions or through the various programs like Communications Squad and ISA Experience Class cultivate valuable relationships.

“There are several opportunities to rub elbows with other knowledgeable producers and ISA members,” says Reed Burres, an ISA farmer member from Humboldt and member of the ISA District Advisory Council.

These interactions have helped me become a better farmer, he adds.

“Farmers who are more involved are also more involved with farm management practices,” Burres says.

“Because of that, I’ve picked up on more tools to add to my existing crop management toolbox.”

Burres also received the New Leader Award from ISA. Being an ISA member means having the news and information to help

I am Driven To Deliver an opportunity for our next generation.

28 | SUMMER 2020 | IASOYBEANS.COM

– Andrew

PROGRAMS & ORGANIZATIONS I am Driven To Deliver new opportunities to increase the likelihood of being profitable.

growers make informed farming decisions. It’s also access to the experts who perform on-farm research trials and analyze the results in a way that’s usable to farmers like Lauver and Burres.

Validating and activating your ISA membership unlocks the door to deeper relationships and partnerships beyond the farm gate.

“ISA membership covers a much larger footprint than one would think,” says Bre Wagner, a producer services coordinator for ISA. Joining ISA means you also have a front row seat to the programs and organizations within the association, giving Iowa soybean farmers a voice in the association’s activities.

ISA membership pays off in the form of trusted partnerships and

– Reed

support from ISA staff focused on making your farm profitable and productive.

“Compared to a lot of other ag organizations, the people make it so much more of a family environment,” Burres says.

“The atmosphere is second to none. That’s what keeps me coming back.”

ISA membership includes many opportunities for engagement — from reading news and information to help you make informed business decisions to participating in policy advocacy at the local, state and federal levels.

“No matter the interest, there’s a place for you here at ISA,” Wagner says.

Contact Bethany Baratta at bbaratta@iasoybeans.com.

Soy Transportation Coalition Established in 2007, the Soy Transportation Coalition is comprised of 13 state soybean boards, the American Soybean Association and the United Soybean Board. The goal of the organization is to position the soybean industry to benefit from a transportation system that delivers cost effective, reliable and competitive service.

Iowa Biodiesel Board

With a production capacity of about 400 million gallons per year, Iowa is the nation's leading state in biodiesel production. The Iowa Biodiesel Board (IBB) represents the biodiesel industry in Iowa, from production through distribution to end users. The IBB promotes the commercial success of biodiesel in Iowa.

Iowa Ag Water Alliance

Iowa Agriculture Water Alliance (IAWA) drives collaboration between farmers and partners to drive the adoption of conservation practices and other innovations that improve water quality.

Iowa Food & Family Project

The Iowa Food & Family Project celebrates the continuous improvement of Iowa’s farm families and their dedication to providing wholesome food for everyone. The project encourages Iowans to become better acquainted with the dedicated farmers who grow and raise their food through various activities throughout the year. The goal of this outreach is to help consumers become more knowledgeable and trusting in agriculture processes.

CommonGround

When consumers understand that real families are raising their food and that they share common values and expectations, they have more trust in farming. The goal is to put a face to farm families by training women who are leaders in agriculture to effectively communicate to fellow women who are purchasing the food for their own families.

IOWA SOYBEAN REVIEW® | 29

BIODIESEL IS THE LARGEST GROWING MARKET FOR SOYBEAN OIL IN THE LAST DECADE.

The Last Word Editor’s Notes by Ann Clinton aclinton@iasoybeans.com

Personal Invitation

Y

our membership in the Iowa Soybean Association (ISA) is so important to us that we’ve dedicated this entire issue of the Iowa Soybean Review® to the subject.

We know many worthwhile organizations ask for your time and commitment. We know you must see value in your membership if you are going to engage at a more meaningful level. We also know that agriculture is in the midst of challenging times, which is why we need you now more than ever.

ISA is your organization representing your industry, working every day to make your operation more profitable. Not an organization for a chosen few, ISA strives to serve every farmer of every size in every section of the state.

I hope you see your reason for farming represented on these pages. Whether it’s your legacy,

commitment to the environment, interest in research data, overall passion for farming … whatever it is that motivates you each day; we are here for it.

Most importantly, we hope this issue piques your curiosity.

We hope you begin to see yourself among the faces in this magazine.

We hope this issue is the beginning of a conversation that turns into a long-term relationship with ISA. The association has a deep desire to know who you are and how we can serve you better. Are we valuable to you? Do you know how you can get engaged at any level that interests you?

Are you a member yet? If not, I’m personally inviting you to join ISA. I sincerely hope that in a year’s time you and I can visit about how the organization has impacted your farming business in ways you didn’t even were possible before today.

Visit our iasoybeans.com and check it out. If you want to be a farmer-member at no cost … great. If you feel compelled to invest financially in the noncheckoff initiatives working on your behalf … awesome. We need you to take your organization into the future.

As always, shoot me a note about whatever is on your mind.

There’s a lot to talk about … let’s start a discussion.

Be well, my friends.

Take the next step and find your path with ISA. Activate or validate your membership at iasoybeans.com/join and our Producers Services team will help you find the right opportunity.

IOWA SOYBEAN REVIEW® | 31

IT TAKES HEART. Grit and determination got you here. Faith will keep you going. You were made for this.