Membership Matters

See Yourself as a Member

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.

ISA is a family of soybean farmers strengthened by a common cause — to help farmers produce and sellmore soybeans at a competitive price.

We deliver opportunities to you, our members, to help you make the most of your membership — and your checkoff investment. Our programs connect you with fellow farmers, develop and hone 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.

What matters to you matters to us because ISA is directed by the soybean farmer and powered by the soybean checkoff.

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.

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

— Ethan Nielsen

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.

Tim Bardole, ISA President and Rippey soybean farmer.

I’m Driven To Deliver asustainable, profitable soybean industryfor the next generation.

— Tim Bardole

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

In the following pages, you will read testimonials from these ISA members about the programs they are involved in and how they benefit from them:

Keith Lovrien | Clarksville | District Advisory Council

Tarin Tiefenthaler | Carroll | ISA Experience

Ethan Crow | Marshalltown | Communications Squad

Clint and Aimee Bissell | Bedford | Research Participants

Ray Gaesser | Corning | Advocate Member

Jeff Jorgenson | Sidney | Board of Directors