A Reliable Resource
ISA President Robb Ewoldt of Davenport
ISA research delivers knowledge and opportunities for farmers
BY BROCK JOHNSTON
T
he Iowa Soybean Association (ISA) has focused on the needs of soybean farmers since it started more than 55 years ago. As farmer needs changed, so did the size of commitment required to provide innovative research, tools and technical support across the state. What began in December 2000 as the first Global Positioning System Research Group with $50,000 from the Iowa Soybean Promotion board has now transformed into millions of dollars in checkoff funds to help farmers be more productive and profitable. The ISA Research Center for Farming Innovation (RCFI) was established in 2020. It combines agronomics, conservation and analytics to better serve Iowa’s 40,000 soybean growers.
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“The Center was a logical evolution for our internal programs,” says Ed Anderson, RCFI senior director of research. “For over 20 years, ISA has been the national leader in not-for-profit agronomic and conservation research conducted for and with farmers.” ISA has allocated more than $91 million in checkoff investments for internal and external research. These dollars highlight the critical role research plays in addressing farmer priorities and how these needs continue to shape ISA’s approach. “Whether it’s production, new uses or environmental research, ISA prioritizes research because farmers recognize the importance of investing in our own business,” says ISA President Robb Ewoldt of Davenport.
Holistic approach Anderson recognizes that farmers have options when considering partners to improve the agronomic or conservation aspects of their farms. But ISA is unique in providing farmers opportunities to conduct on-farm research and sift through scientific data. This information helps them better evaluate products or practices to help meet operational goals spanning agronomics and conservation in their total cropping systems. “The testimonials of farmers throughout Iowa further demonstrate ISA’s commitment to trustworthy, nonbiased research,” says Ewoldt. This is where ISA’s research efforts, powered through the soybean checkoff, present the vision and willingness to take risks and show true leadership to benefit Iowa soybean growers.
