Who’s the No. 1 protein source in chicken feed? YOU are. That’s right. You’re winning.
All soybean farmers, including you, are really big in poultry and livestock feed. How? By pooling your resources through your soy checkoff. Learn how your soy checkoff is bringing tangible returns back to you and your operation at unitedsoybean.org/hopper
Moving Soy Forward. Moving You Forward.
Following the retirement of U.S. Rep. Trey Hollingsworth, Indiana’s Ninth Congressional District seat was open this year and won by State Sen. Erin Houchin, who will serve the south-central Indiana district.
Kendell Culp, a Rensselaer, Ind., farmer and an Indiana delegate to the American Soybean Association, was elected on Nov. 8 as a representative to the Indiana House of Representatives.
Chairman
Mike Koehne, Greensburg / D4
Vice Chairman Kevin Cox, Brazil / D3
Secretary Joseph Stoller, Bremen / D1
Treasurer C.J. Chalfant, Hartford City / D2
Committee Chairs Keevin Lemenager, Monrovia / D4 Carey McKibben, LaGrange / D2 Denise Scarborough, LaCrosse / D1
Directors
Allen Buchanan, Fowler / D1
Dylan Christopher, Brookston / D1
Nancy Cline, Tipton /D1
Kevin Kelley, Brookston / D1
Steve Phares, Albion / D2
Jenna Scott, Muncie / D2
Brian Warpup, Warren / D2
Mark Wenning, Cambridge City / D2
Derika Lynam-Spaetti, Richland / D3
Gary McDaniel, Boonville / D3
Jason Misiniec, Bicknell / D3
Larry Rusch, Vincennes / D3
Roger Bommer, Brookville / D4
Kevin Burbrink, Seymour / D4
Anngie Steinbarger, Edinburgh / D4
President Scott Smith, Windfall / D5
Vice President Chris Cherry, New Palestine / D6
Secretary Sarah Delbecq, Auburn / D3
Indiana corn- and soybean-funded checkoff research studying the affect of cover crops in reducing phosphate and nitrates into waterways received a National Science Foundation grant.
Recent studies show health-conscious consumers want high oleic soybean oil — and with seed decisions around the corner for farmers, this growing market demand may warrant a look at planting high oleic. 40
About the cover: Edinburgh, Ind., farmer Anngie Steinbarger has dedicated her life to helping Indiana farmers succeed. See the story on page 24.
Staff Credits
Editor / Dave
Treasurer Tyler Everett, Lebanon / D7
Directors
Tom Murphy, Chesterton / D1 Joe Tuholski, LaPorte / D2 Mike Beard, Frankfort / D4 J.R. Roesner, Ferdinand / D8 Mike Flock, Ramsey / D9
For advertising information in the Indiana Corn & Soybean Post®, contact Dave Blower Jr. at 317-3473620 or dblower@indianasoybean. 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.
facebook.com/indianaSoybeanAlliance
Houchin prepared to represent state’s Ninth Congressional District
Culp sworn into District 16 seat for Indiana House
The fields have been harvested, Thanksgiving dinner has been enjoyed; and in most places around the state, it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas. Perhaps more than any other time of year, winter is full of traditions.
For our family, one of those traditions is watching Purdue Boilermaker basketball. Boiler up! Hammer down!
OK . . . I don’t want to turn this page into a debate of your favorite team. If you root for the Indiana Hoosiers or Notre Dame or anyone else, that’s fine. But we love to watch those Boilers hustle, share the ball and play team defense. During games when they’re not shooting well or can’t find opportunities for fast-break baskets, hustle and teamwork can keep them competitive in the game.
And, really, that’s true for any team in any arena.
As president of the Indiana Corn Growers Association, I often think about how to apply that principle to our team. What it comes down to, I think, is taking advantage of every opportunity to have an impact on those who write the policies that affect our industry.
Many times, this means getting to know those lawmakers and policy-writers personally. Recently, I attended a roundtable meeting at the C.W. Mount Building in Tipton, Ind. The Peters Farm, a multi-generational family farm from Tipton County were the hosts. Bill Peters, Jenny Mundell and Brady Peters represented the farm.
The roundtable featured Indiana Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch and Indiana State Department of Agriculture Director Bruce Kettler. Others attending included Tipton County Commissioner Nancy Cline, who is also on the Indiana Soybean Alliance board, State Sen. Jim Buck (R-Kokomo, Dist. 21), and many farmers from around the area.
This meeting didn’t dig too deep into policy, but it
did give those of us involved in agriculture a chance to connect with decision-makers.
Crouch and Kettler told the attendees that Indiana is all about agriculture. Anything that can be done to help agriculture will also help the state’s economy.
More and more businesses are working from home as the economy becomes more digital, and farm businesses are no different. Rural broadband needs to reach to all corners of the state for ag businesses and others to succeed. To help, though, new internet technology is evolving; there are better resources and opportunities with fiber optics.
Crouch and Kettler said the COVID-19 pandemic affected all businesses – farmers were not spared. Some of the issues coming out of the COVID crises include supply chain problems, rising inflation, more labor shortages and complications with the H2A worker regulations. Although bushel prices for most crops are strong, profit margins have been tight due to higher costs and interest rates.
Much like the rest of the state, agriculture is vital to Tipton County’s economy. Tipton County is among the most productive farm areas in the country. Cline and Buck said, at the local level, the challenge is balancing city and rural community development. Good communication can help find solutions that benefit both communities.
Ultimately, everyone involved in the roundtable meeting wanted to hear from as many people as possible to help find those solutions.
For us, consistent hustle and teamwork means going to the meeting or talking to someone new even when you don’t feel like going. I promise you, though, that you’ll feel better about making the effort. At that point, you’ll know you’re contributing to a winning team.
Growing domestic demand for corn starts right at the pump. Ethanol continues to be a domestic driver of corn value. Working with automakers, new technologies, industry partners, retailers, fuel suppliers and consumers, checkoff investments continue to be used to promote higher ethanol blends and use.
Learn more about fueling corn value with ethanol at incorn.org. Scan
Anyone who knows me well knows that I am an aggressive problem-solver. I am going to do what needs to be done to finish the job.
More than a year ago, I learned that those of us who live in Statehouse District 54 were going to be in need of a new state representative as our previous representative was planning to retire. I thought: What a great time to bring in new ideas and promote a fresh vision for our district.
As you can imagine, there were several candidates interested in the job. But those of us in the farming and rural community were proud to discover and promote the eventual winner – Cory Criswell.
So, how did Cory get elected? Simple, it was good, oldfashioned hard work.
We helped connect Cory with local, small business owners and many farmer leaders, and he was off to the races. He assembled a remarkable team and knocked on the door of every Republican voter from the past election cycle, and he was able to win in an eight-way race in the May primary. With that momentum, Cory was also able to win in the general election this fall.
Many farmers struggle to think they can make a difference. This past victory for newly elected State Rep. Criswell is proof to me that the ground game can work.
Newly elected State Rep. Cory Criswell, center, visits Matthew and Jacob Chapman on their Henry County, Ind., farm.
We often forget that, as farmers, we have a wide circle of influence. From the people we do business with to the leaders and volunteer organizations we support; we don’t have to go very far to find people who think and believe as we do.
Farmers are the original community organizers. We are experts in networking and how government funding should work because we are often the largest local taxpayers.
My advice is simple: Be diligent. Be involved. Be proud of your legacy!
My name is Kyle Nagy. I just took on the role of Digital Communications Manager for ICGA and Indiana’s corn and soybean checkoffs. In this role I will use the tools and resources such as our websites, social media channels, emails and more to help support Indiana farmers and promote new opportunities.
I have worked in digital marketing roles for quite some time now. Most recently I was the Marketing Manager at Reynolds Farm Equipment. I learned a lot about farming and the equipment used to keep food on our tables there. What I have learned most of all is that the people in Indiana agriculture are some of the most genuine and passionate people out there.
Growing up in the corn and soybean fields of Howard County I never thought my career would end up in agriculture, but I’m glad it did.
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Because Quality Matters. 20 years and still growing.
This year’s election results are still trickling in as of this writing, but there is one thing that is certain: while there will be some changes in Washington, for the most part, we’re going to see more of the same in the new Congress.
Republicans will most likely take control of the U.S. House of Representatives, but, like the current Democratically controlled House, it will be by slim margins. With victories in Nevada and Arizona, Democrats will continue to control the Senate. A run-off scheduled in the Georgia Senate race will determine whether the vice president’s vote will be needed to determine party control.
Everyone in Washington is still sifting through the data to determine what drove voting patterns this year. The results run counter to political wisdom and historical patterns, all of which show that the president’s party typically loses seats by large margins. This is particularly true during economic downturns and when basic staples, like groceries and gas prices are soaring, as they are now.
Yet, while prices are high, the nation’s economic picture is complicated by the fact that employment rates remain steady. There is also evidence that the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision may have impacted voter enthusiasm among Democrats.
Strong and weak candidacies also shaped election outcomes. A strong showing by gubernatorial candidate Lee Zeldin in New York – an unusual occurrence for a state-wide Republican politician in the Empire State – lifted the sails of Upstate Republican candidates, flipping some blue districts red, including the seat of Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney, the chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. This is
juxtaposed with the Pennsylvania Sente race where the carpetbag label placed on celebrity Mehmet Oz may have hindered his chances of beating John Fetterman, despite his health concerns.
Thankfully, all but one of the candidates CornPAC invested in won their seats, positioning us well as we head into the 118th session of Congress. Over the coming months, my staff and I will be working to build relationships with the new members of Congress, particularly those who will sit on committees of interest.
We will be addressing many issues important to corn growers over the next year, from securing support for the Next Generation Fuels Act to passing the Farm Bill to dealing with the fallout from the drought on the Mississippi River. We will spend the next month analyzing the election results, studying the new members of the House and Senate and using that information to develop a strategy for advancing the agenda of corn growers.
In this town, relationships and bridge building are important. As former Sen. Heidi Heitkamp noted at an event I moderated over the summer, “You’ve got to build the relationships with people who care about food stamps. You’ve got to build the relationships with people who care about conservation. You’ve got to actually have that conversation. You can’t expect to basically get a farm bill through, by just being who you are in production agriculture.”
I think often about Sen. Heitkamp’s advice. While they’re very different people, I think she and Hank Williams Jr. have their finger on the pulse of the country right now.
In fact, Williams’ lyrics from “A Country Boy Can Survive” have been playing in my head lately.
“The preacher man says it’s the end of time, and the Mississippi River is a goin’ dry. Interest rates up and the stock market’s down, and you only get mugged if you go downtown.”
Here’s to unusual times. Here’s to American elections. Here’s to a new Congress!
While some farmers are actual bus drivers, most are investing in schools in many other ways. As huge property and wheel tax contributors, farmers are ensuring those buses have somewhere to go, roads to travel on and fuels like biodiesel for their tanks. Farmers deliver the investment your backyard needs to prosper.
The Indiana Corn Marketing Council and Indiana Soybean Alliance have collaborated to pull all the facts and figures together to show just how much value Farmers Deliver. From economic development to thoughtful zoning to support agriculture and all the ripple effects that come with it, this program is designed to engage Indiana county officials and economic development leaders in all the ways agriculture benefits their communities. Do you know someone who should receive this information? Visit farmersdeliver.com and fill out our contact form.
Harvest is done, the midterm polls have closed, and the American Soybean Association and its grower leaders are raring to go as Congress returns. With the reauthorization of the Farm Bill sure to take up a majority of 2023, the U.S. soy industry is working hard to make sure soy policy priorities are in front of legislators before the end of the year.
With the threat of a national rail stoppage once again looming, ASA has been engaging with rail carriers, Congress and the Administration to highlight the impacts that such an event would have on agriculture.
The administration successfully helped mitigate a tentative agreement between the National Railway Labor Conference and 12 unions in September, preventing a potential strike or lockout. Each union is required to have its membership ratify the deal. If even one union does not reach a labor agreement, it is possible that all 12 unions will strike in solidarity.
On Nov. 9, the freight railroads and BMWED extended their current cooling off period until at least December 4 to align with all other rail unions yet to ratify their tentative agreements. As a result of this agreement, members of the two largest rail unions — BLET and SMART-TD — will complete the ratification votes that currently are underway prior to any potential work stoppage. This agreement provides greater certainty for the economy, rail customers and rail passengers ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday.
While ASA and other groups continue urging the negotiators to reach an agreement among themselves, Congress may need to intervene. ASA also initiated a grassroots advocacy push from soy growers and soy states to reach out to Congress and urge members to act should a final rail labor agreement not be reached.
Soybeans and all agricultural commodities rely on a multimodal network to move product to market. As such, a strong supply chain built on reliable infrastructure systems represents the largest competitive advantage for American soybean farmers over our competitors in Brazil and Argentina.
USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service announced Nov. 8, that the Federal Grain Inspection Service (FGIS) will publish a proposed rule seeking public comment on a proposal to make changes to the U.S. Standards for Soybeans and provided results of a study that found no significant differences in SBOC on official protein or oil content. USDA has recently received numerous requests from ASA, the U.S. Soy Export Council and other industry representatives to remove “Soybeans of Other Colors” (SBOC), as a grade-determining factor for describing the quality for soybeans (e.g., U.S. No 1 Yellow Soybeans, U.S. No. 2 Yellow Soybeans, etc.).
In response to requests for changes to the soybean standard, USDA will implement notice and comment rulemaking, as required by U.S. Grain Standards Act, to receive comments from the public regarding whether SBOC should be considered an informational factor that does not impact soybean grade determinations.
Over the course of this year, ASA has heard from many of you on the issue of seed coat discoloration. We have remained highly engaged with USDA, USSEC, and industry stakeholders and have been sharing information and developments as this issue progresses.
Historically, SBOC levels have been low, rarely impacting the grade of soybeans. For the past two years, the soybean industry has experienced an increased presence of SBOC. At the request of the Grain Inspection Advisory Committee (GIAC), FGIS conducted a study to evaluate whether the presence of SBOC had an impact on the quality of soybean protein and oil. The study found no significant differences in official protein or oil content.
Whether you’re dealing with drought, flood, heat or other climate-related stress, the soy checkoff is working behind the scenes to diversify U.S. soybean genetics and increase stress tolerance. We’re looking inside the bean, beyond the bushel and around the world to keep preference for U.S. soy strong. And it’s helping make a valuable impact for soybean farmers like you. See more ways the soy checkoff is maximizing profit opportunities for soybean farmers at unitedsoybean.org
Fellow Hoosiers,
It’s an honor to serve Indiana’s Sixth Congressional District in Congress, and I want to start by saying thank you. I’m humbled that you have entrusted me to serve you for another term in Washington, D.C.
During this term in Congress, I’ve had the pleasure of meeting and working with so many dedicated farmers and agriculture producers who are not only the backbone of Indiana but our nation.
When I came to Congress, I vowed to ensure that Hoosiers always have a seat at the table. That’s why I’m ready to hear what concerns and feedback you may have, and I will roll my sleeves up and get to work on solutions for you.
I want to share some of the projects our office has been working on this year.
In February, I joined my dear friend and late-colleague Jackie Walorski in leading an Indiana Congressional Delegation letter to the U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai asking the federal government to expand trade policies that reduce burdens on Indiana’s many farmers and agriculture producers. The letter called on the U.S. Trade Representative to prioritize United States-Mexico-CanadaAgreement (USMCA) enforcement, supply chain bottleneck solutions, U.S.- U.K. trade negotiations, and trade relations with emerging economies.
I know what a squeeze high input prices are putting on our producers, and that unfortunately you have to pass that onto the consumer. That’s why in March, I sent a letter along with 80 of my fellow lawmakers asking International Trade Commission Chair Jason Kearns to reconsider duties on phosphate fertilizer imported from Morocco and suspend the process to impose new duties on urea ammonium nitrate fertilizer from Trinidad and Tobago. In response, the ITC announced they would forgo any further regulations, which would have exacerbated surging fertilizer prices.
Then in October, I once again led my Indiana colleagues in calling on President Biden and his Administration to use the levers of the federal government to seek inflation relief for the agriculture community, rather than doublingdown on their track record of putting burdensome federal regulations in place.
Our work on your behalf here in Congress is far from over.
As we look ahead to a Republican majority in the House next year, we will not only continue but expand our work for Indiana’s Agriculture community. We will be the last line of defense against the Biden Administration’s policies that threaten our farmers, ranchers and producers’ way of life.
As a member of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, I look forward to moving forward legislation that makes your jobs easier – not harder. We should be working for you, not the other way around. That means deregulation, cutting federal red tape, and so much more.
In maintaining my commitment to having an open dialogue with the agriculture community, I invite anyone who is interested in our work or meeting with us to visit pence.house.gov to learn more.
In service to you,
Since 2019, Rep. Greg Pence has represented the 6th Congressional District of Indiana in the U.S. House of Representatives. He serves on the House Energy and Commerce Committee and the Subcommittee on Energy. Rep. Pence is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and a 1983 graduate of Loyola University Chicago.
Republicans won control of the U.S. House of Representatives by a slim margin and will lead the chamber when the 118th Congress convenes in January 2023. Although the Republicans will take over leadership, the slim majority and the Democrats control of the Senate, will limit the sway the GOP will have on policy initiatives.
We do know the 2018 Farm Bill expires in 2023, so work on a new bill will begin in earnest. Rep. G.T. Thompson (R-Pa.) is likely the Republicans’ choice to lead the House Agriculture Committee. Thompson said his priority will be to pass a Farm Bill on time in 2023.
With the Democrats maintaining a majority in the U.S. Senate, Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) will continue to hold the reins of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry.
Sen. Mike Braun (R-Ind.) and Rep. Jim Baird (R-Ind.) will be the biggest influencers for Indiana corn and soybean farmers in the development of the 2023 Farm Bill. Braun will continue
his membership on the Senate Ag Committee and serve as the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Food, Nutrition, Specialty Crops, Organics and Research.
With the Republicans taking the majority in the House, Baird will likely move up to chair the Subcommittee on Biotechnology, Horticulture and Research.
In other statewide elections, U.S. Sen. Todd Young (R-Ind.) was re-elected despite a spirited challenge from Democratic Hammond, Ind., Mayor Tom McDermott.
The Indiana congressional delegation will remain with seven Republicans and two Democrats. The winners include:
• Dist. 1 – incumbent Rep. Frank Mrvan (D)
• Dist. 2 – Rep. Rudy Yakym (R)
• Dist. 3 – incumbent Rep. Jim Banks (R)
• Dist. 4 – incumbent Rep. Jim Baird (R)
• Dist. 5 – incumbent Rep. Victoria Spartz (R)
• Dist. 6 – incumbent Rep. Greg Pence (R)
• Dist. 7 – incumbent Rep. Andre Carson (D)
• Dist. 8 – incumbent Rep. Larry Bucshon (R)
• Dist. 9 – Rep. Erin Houchin (R)
In related news, Rep. Yakym is a new member elected in both a special election to finish the remaining term of lateRep. Jackie Walorski and also for a full, two-year term. Rep. Banks is expected to announce a bid for House Majority Whip. Rep. Spartz is reportedly considering a run for the U.S. Senate in 2024. Rep. Houchin is a new member elected to replace retiring Rep. Trey Hollingsworth.
The most competitive congressional race was in Dist. 1, which is historically a Democratic stronghold. Many national pundits rated the race a toss-up and national fundraising money was pouring into the district along with high-profile visits by former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley (R), House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy and House Republican Whip Steve Scalise for GOP challenger Jennifer Ruth-Green. House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn (D), among others, for Rep. Mrvan. In the end, Rep. Mrvan pulled away from Ruth-Green 53 to 47 percent.
Headed into the first election after redistricting, polling predictions showed many competitive races across the state. Inflation, the economy, education, public safety and abortion were a few of the top issues for voters, and the two major political parties were jockeying over how these issues would play into their success on Election Day.
The Republican statewide ticket was ultimately successful on election night. Republicans will also continue to enjoy a legislative supermajority in both the Indiana House and the Indiana Senate.
One of the most heated statewide races was for the office of Secretary of State. Dogged by several controversies during the campaign, Republican candidate Diego Morales trailed the rest of the statewide Republican ticket by several points. However, he still captured 54 percent of the vote on election night. Incumbent Republican Auditor Tera Klutz and Republican Treasurer candidate Daniel Elliott brought in 60 and 61 percent of the vote, respectively.
Morales and Klutz faced Democratic and Libertarian opponents, but Elliott faced only a Democratic challenger. In the Secretary of State race, Democrat Destiny Wells captured 40 percent of the vote while the Libertarian Jeffrey Maurer came in at 6 percent.
Democrats pick up one seat in the House, but Republicans maintain a 70-29 super-majority.
In a hotly contested race, GOP candidate Kyle Pierce (R-Anderson) defeated incumbent Rep. Terri Austin (D-Anderson) by about 300 votes. This was a rematch from 2020 in a district made more competitive following redistricting.
Democrats picked up two open seats. Dr. Victoria Garcia Wilburn (D-Indianapolis) defeated Fred Glynn (R-Carmel) in Dist. 32 by a margin of 232 votes. Already a 50/50 district based on 2020 results, Glynn’s campaign for the general
election was suspended for several weeks because of an extended recount following the primary.
Also, Kyle Miller (D-Fort Wayne) defeated Davyd Jones (R-Fort Wayne) in Dist. 82.
No incumbent Republican representatives were defeated. The House Republicans will see many new faces following this election due to retirements and primary losses.
Kendell Culp (R-Rensselaer), Robb Greene (R-Shelbyville), Lindsay Patterson (R-Brookville), Craig Haggard (R-Mooresville) and Cory Criswell (R-New Castle) were all elected in unopposed open seats.
Speaker Todd Huston (R-Fishers) was re-elected to lead the House Republican caucus. The House Democrats announced Rep. Phil GiaQuinta (D-Fort Wayne) was re-elected to serve as the Democratic Leader. Rep. Cherrish Pryor (D-Indianapolis) and Rep. Carey Hamilton (D-Indianapolis) will serve as Minority Floor Leader and Minority Caucus Chair, respectively.
Republicans added an extra seat in the Indiana Senate, going from a 39-11 advantage to 40-10. GOP candidate Dan Dernulc (R-Highland) defeated recently caucused Sen. Michael Griffin (D-Highland) by a 52 to 48 percent vote.
One of the most expensive races in the state, and one that Democrats were eyeing as a potential pickup opportunity, was the race between Sen. Kyle Walker (R-Lawrence) and Fishers Councilwoman Jocelyn Vare (D-Fishers). Walker significantly outraised Vare and was able to win with 56 percent of the vote.
No Republican incumbents were defeated. Republicans and Democrats traded a couple of open seats. Republican Scott Alexander of Muncie defeated former state Rep. Melanie Wright (D-Yorktown) in a seat formerly held by the retiring Sen. Tim Lanane (D-Anderson). Democratic candidate Andrea Hunley defeated Evan Shearin (R-Indianapolis) in a new Indianapolis district that, before redistricting, was held by a Republican in southern Indiana.
Senate Republicans announced their leadership team. Caucus members voted to re-elect Sen. Rod Bray (R-Martinsville) as President Pro Tempore. Sen. Chris Garten (R-Charlestown) and Sen. Travis Holdman (R-Markle) will continue in their roles as Majority Floor Leader and Majority Caucus Chairman.
Rep. Frank Mrvan Merrillville District Office 7895 Broadway Suite A Merrillville, IN 46410 Phone: 219-795-1844
Rep. Rudy Yakym Mishawaka Office 2410 Grape Road Suite 2A Mishawaka, IN 46545
Phone: 574-204-2645
Rep. Jim Banks Fort Wayne Office 1300 S Harrison St Fort Wayne, IN 46802 Phone: 260-702-4750
Rep. Jim Baird Danville Office
355 S. Washington St. Suite 210 Danville, IN 46122 Phone: 317-563-5567
Rep. Victoria Spartz Carmel Office 216 West Main St. Carmel, IN 46032 Phone: 317-848-0201
Rep. Greg Pence Columbus Office 529 Washington St. Columbus, IN 47201 Phone: 812-799-5230
Rep. André Carson Indianapolis Office
300 E Fall Creek Pkwy. N. Dr. Suite 300 Indianapolis, IN 46205 Phone: 317-283-6516
115 N. Pennsylvania St. Indianapolis, IN 46204
Phone: 317-822-8240 www.braun.senate.gov (See website for other office locations)
Rep. Larry Bucshon
Evansville Office
20 NW Third St. Suite 1230 Evansville, IN 47708
Phone: 812-465-6484
Rep.-Elect Erin Houchin To Be Announced
251 North Illinois St. Suite 120 Indianapolis, IN 46204 P. 317-226-6700 www.young.senate.gov (See website for other office locations)
Farmers wear many hats to get the job done, both literally and figuratively. To be a farmer means you are a caretaker, business owner, mechanic, heavy equipment operator, salesman, conservationist, etc. The list goes on. It’s apparent that farming is more than a career, it’s a lifestyle. Indiana Corn Growers Association (ICGA) and Indiana Soybean Alliance Membership & Policy Committee (M&P) can help delegate the role of policy advocate, so farmers have one less hat to wear. By joining these organizations, they work for Indiana corn and soybean farmers to advocate on policy so farmers can continue to focus on feeding the world.
ICGA and M&P are separate from the checkoff organizations because checkoff dollars cannot fund policy advocacy efforts. The policy organizations receive funding from corporate sponsors and farmer membership dues.
Our staff has a team dedicated to policy with an extensive background and imperative connections to the agriculture policy world. Our jobs are to work on advocating for Indiana farmers at the Statehouse in Indianapolis and on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. Our strength is in numbers. The more members we have, the more impact we can make.
Becoming a member of ICGA and M&P means farmers also have access to other farmers. We host policy events throughout the year that members receive exclusive invitations to attend. This gives Indiana farmers the opportunity to meet with other farmers across the state to connect with and collaborate.
At these events industry leaders, stakeholders, and legislators attend to discuss agricultural policy. They want to hear from our farmer members. This provides the opportunity for farmers to talk directly with Indiana senators and congressmen representing all nine districts in the state. The best way to make an impact is to have farmers provide examples from their farms to show how important policy issues are and how they impact those businesses.
A membership provides many perks and benefits to farmers. Part of the membership dues go into paying the national organizations’ dues to become a member of those organizations, as well. The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) and American Soybean Association (ASA) are the two national organizations that represent corn and soybean growers across the country. These two organizations have a large presence in Washington, D.C. to advocate for corn and soybean policy on behalf of farmers.
Again, the power of numbers helps make them be so impactful when talking with legislators. Also, they provide benefits and discounts from national companies to farmer members as an incentive and way of saying thanks for being a member.
An investment in a membership more than pays for itself from the benefits. Being a member of ICGA and M&P farmers have a lobbyist in agriculture policy, a network of farmers to connect with, exclusive policy events throughout the state, opportunities to connect with legislators directly, and exclusive discounts on national brands.
Interested in joining? Contact Khyla Goodman at kgoodman@indianasoybean.com or go online at the ICGA website to incorn.org/icga/join-icga or the ISA website to indianasoybean.com/memberships.
Following the retirement of U.S. Rep. Trey Hollingsworth (R-Jeffersonville), Indiana’s Ninth Congressional District seat was open this election cycle and won by State Sen. Erin Houchin (R-Milltown, Ind.), who will serve the district which occupies most of southcentral Indiana.
Houchin defeated Democratic Party challenger Matthew Fyfe (Bloomington, Ind.) in the Nov. 8 General Election. Houchin earned 62.4 percent (136,448 votes) to 32.8 percent (69,746 votes) for Fyfe.
The Ninth District, which includes Bartholomew, Brown, Clark, Dearborn, Decatur, Floyd, Franklin, Harrison, Jackson, Jefferson, Jennings, Lawrence, Monroe, Ohio, Rigley, Scott, Switzerland and Washington counties is home to several types of farmers on thousands of acres of rural land. Stepping in to serve this area, Houchin said ag and rural communities have long been near and dear to her heart.
“I was born and raised in Scottsburg,” she said. “My entire life has been spent surrounded by rural communities. I have countless friends, family and neighbors in the agriculture industry, and I have been proud to support ag-related legislation as a member of the State Senate.”
In 2001, Houchin graduated from Indiana University with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and went on to earn her master’s degree in political management from the George Washington University in 2012. Earlier in her public service career, she was a caseworker for the Indiana Department of Child Services and was the Southeast Regional Director for then-U.S. Sen. Dan Coats. She served Indiana’s 47th District the state Senate from 2014 until her election to Congress.
“It was my honor to serve in the State Senate, representing District 47 in Southern Indiana, which encompassed portions of the Ninth District,” Houchin said. “There, I had the privilege
state’s
of representing Hoosiers in Indianapolis, and advocating on their behalf. I gained valuable experience working with fellow legislators in both parties to pass meaningful legislation and improve the lives of Hoosiers.”
Houchin resides in Salem, Ind., with her husband, Dustin, and their two daughters and son. While she appreciates the experience and passion she gained in former public service roles, she feels she is now ready to serve at a different level in Congress. Houchin said she understands this will involve having the backs of Indiana farmers in her new district.
“I understand the vital importance farmers play, not just for our local communities, but for our entire state and country,” she said. “Farmers are some of the most hardworking people I know, and their efforts have such an impact. In today’s economy, I know so many are struggling, and farmers are being particularly hit hard by shortages, supply-chain issues and soaring prices on most everything.”
To that end, Houchin is excited to join a new Republican majority in the U.S. House of Representatives to “push back against far-left policies that are ruining our country, and get back to focusing on the issues that matter to everyday Americans.”
In the past, Houchin has worked to bring broadband internet to the poorly covered rural areas of Indiana that suffer the lack of opportunities that come with being a step behind the rest of the state in technological convenience.
“In the State Senate, I represented one of the most unserved areas of the state, and I made it my mission to bridge the digital divide and bring necessary broadband services to every corner of our district,” she said.
At that time, Houchin authored broadband grant
Houchin works on legislation in the Indiana Statehouse. She served Indiana’s 47th District the state Senate from 2014 until her election to Congress on Nov. 8.
legislation resulting in a $350 million investment in broadband expansion to unserved areas of Indiana.
“The Hoosier state went from 17 percent access to 1G speeds to more than 87 percent access to 1G speeds following the passage of the bill,” Houchin said. “I will continue working to ensure access to affordable and efficient broadband services as a member of Congress.”
Houchins is pleased that she has an opportunity to represent her district’s farmers at the 2023 Farm Bill debate continues.
“I am in favor of keeping crop insurance subsidized as a safety net for farmers to provide food security for our nation,” she said. “I am also in support of ethanol and soy diesel use as they are both renewable sources of fuel. I believe that it is better to produce our own fuel here in America rather than import it from foreign countries.”
Houchin said she also understands that farms operate 24 hours per day, seven days per week and need a workforce to reflect that ethic. The H2A worker visa program and Farm Workforce Modernization Act is one of the ways Indiana livestock and crop operations can suit that need.
“It’s important that we continue our H-2A worker visa program so that we can have a reliable workforce for our farmers in the ag community,” she said. “These workers come to the country legally, pay taxes and work hard. I am in support of legal migrant workers.”
Coming into the new year, Houchin said she is ready to serve at a different level in Congress and has the passion for public service to carry her in that endeavor.
Prior to being elected, Houchin participated in a Shop Talk event hosted by the Indiana Corn Growers Association (ICGA) and the Indiana Soybean Alliance’s Membership & Policy Committee near Brownstown, Ind. Posing with Houchin is Matthew Lucas, at left, a Jackson County farmer and an ICGA member and ICMC Board member, and farm hosts Tom and Nevin Hallow.
“As I get to work for Hoosiers in the Ninth District and around the state, I look forward to meeting with farmers and other experts in the agriculture industry to hear their concerns, and learn how I can help solve some of the challenges they face.”
BY ANN HINCH
Taking a break one morning from winterizing a hog barn to talk about his recent election to the Indiana House of Representatives, Kendell Culp recounted something he learned that week at new-legislator orientation in Indianapolis. “Most legislation that gets passed is passed in a bipartisan manner,” the Jasper County farmer said, “but we don’t often hear about that.”
In May, Culp won a plurality of votes in the State District 16 Republican primary against two challengers, which effectively propelled him to the Indiana Statehouse since there was no Democratic candidate on the General Election ballot.
Culp’s new seat is notable for other reasons this year. Statehouse districts were redrawn after the 2020 census to take effect this Nov. 8. The new map amended District 16’s borders to exclude Newton and Fulton counties but
to keep Jasper, Pulaski and Starke, and to draw in White County, which was part of then-neighboring District 25. (District 25 is now near Indianapolis). On the heels of the new map in September 2021, Reps. Doug Gutwein and Don Lehe – the Republicans representing districts 16 and 25 respectively – announced they would not seek re-election.
Culp said he knew a couple years ago Gutwein was retiring, which is what started him thinking about campaigning for that seat. At the time, Lehe was the only full-time farmer serving in the Indiana House and with redistricting looming, Culp was concerned that higher urban and suburban populations meant there would be less representation of rural interests in state laws.
After talking it over with family and colleagues on the Indiana Farm Bureau (INFB) – of which he has been vice president since 2016 – he decided to throw his hat in the
ring. While making his decision, he didn’t know Lehe was also retiring. So, while he was hoping to add a second fulltime farmer to the General Assembly, his election has at least kept the tally at one.
“To help agriculture and to help our rural communities bring some commonsense decision-making to the Statehouse – I think that’s always a good thing to have,” he said, noting there are other legislators who farm part-time or are ag-friendly but none he knows who farm full-time.
Culp, 61, has something of a genetic predisposition to public office as well as decades of appointed and elected positions behind his name – including serving on the Indiana Soybean Alliance (ISA) board as a director from 2013 to 2022.
His parents were involved in party politics, which held no interest for young Culp; he was, however, inspired by the specific work his dad was able to do on the county council and commission.
Though he was born into farming as the fourth generation, Culp spent money to rent farmland for the first time as a high-school junior. The older generations had cattle, but he wanted to get into hogs, so in 1978 his dad helped him buy 30 bred gilts to keep in an old farrowing barn on the farm. “It was kind of the old-fashioned way,” he explained. “You let them out twice a day, inside they had a solid floor – lots of manual labor with that.”
His father’s promise was if the boy stuck with the work, he would help his son expand the swine operation on-farm. “I guess I stayed with it,” quipped Culp, who now owns the 4,500-hog, farrow-to-finish operation with his wife, Tammy, and their son, Brandon. Their daughter, Kayla, farms primarily with her husband’s family but helps as needed.
Three young grandchildren are the potential sixth generation of this family operation.
After nine years of service, Culp termed off of the ISA board in 2021. Also leaving the board that year were Rensselaer, Ind., farmer David Rodibaugh, far left, and Kimmel, Ind., farmer Larry Wilkinson.
Along with Culp’s parents, Kendell, Tammy and Brandon also grow corn, soybeans and wheat and finish 150 beef cattle on the farm. In addition, Tammy has a catering business and directs the sale of beef and pork from the farm at the farmers’ market, as well as supplies meat to a few grocery stores and restaurants.
Culp learned from his father that serving in local office meant having some control over local spending. “You could see you paid local taxes, property taxes,” he said, “and Dad always said you could see where those dollars were spent.”
In the 1980s, he was elected to the Barkley Township advisory board and served for nine years. There he decided, “If you really want to affect things on your tax bill, you need to be involved with your school.” The township trustee appointed him to the school board, where he served eight years – three as its president.
There, Culp learned much about taxation and dealing with people. He recalled leading the district’s talks with educators during a teacher strike and negotiating a contract for the first time. “Everybody seemed to be happy with that, (and) I took that seriously,” he noted.
In 2004, he was elected to county commission, where he served 18 years until by law he had to resign in the middle of his fifth term – shortly after being elected to the Statehouse. “(County commissioner is) a bigger job than most people realize,” Culp mused, saying he never missed a meeting. “I’m proud of that, which hopefully shows my dedication to responsibilities that I take on.”
Jasper County is No. 1 in Indiana for overall ag production, as well as for corn and dairy. “Agriculture policy is a passion of mine,” and it pushed him to the state seat. “To me, (county commissioner) wasn’t a job, it was a passion. When you look at it that way, it’s enjoyable.”
He wants to see more economic development that enables Hoosier farmers to add in-state finished value to the cornucopia of raw commodities they produce.
Though he was born into
The older generations had
an old farrowing barn on the farm.
He is also serious about incentivizing more producers to stay on the farm to ensure food security. Too many regulations, he said, can be a roadblock to that desire to farm. “We’re a pretty low-regulation state, and I want to keep it that way,” Culp explained.
Keeping new regulation at bay is just part of the formula; making existing regulations more friendly is also key to him. In 2017, Culp said the state legislature repealed the sales tax on drainage tile. While he acknowledged this did reduce immediate tax revenue, he figured it will be more lucrative for the state over time because improved drainage makes farm fields more productive.
“In essence, you are going to be producing more crops on that ground,” he said – which means more income tax revenue from higher sales.
Another area of agriculture for which he hopes to be a strong voice is energy production. He believes District 16 is home to the most different types of energy production in Indiana; there is infrastructure for wind and solar, battery storage, large dairies equipped with digesters converting methane to natural gas and a corn ethanol plant, in addition to more traditional means such as coal-fired generation, gas-fired and hydropower.
“There’s just a lot of diversity of energy here,” Culp said. “The buzz phrase (for agriculture) is ‘food, fiber and fuel’ … ‘fuel’ needs to be replaced with ‘energy. That can be highly controversial, but let’s face it, it’s here, so we need to deal with it.”
For example, one sensibility he can bring to discussions about energy production in the Statehouse is to point out it matters where wind turbines or solar panels are located. These are often erected on leased farmland, but at least in Jasper County he said there’s a thoughtfulness to how it has been done. The most productive soil is in the southern and eastern parts of the county, and turbines are mostly located in other parts of the county on sandier ground.
“I’m not sure every community looks at it that way, but you need to balance it that way to preserve fertile land,” he added.
Culp said his time on the ISA – which also led him to serving on the American Soybean Association’s board of directors since 2015 – opened his eyes to a broader view of the impact of farming. He learned more about new uses for soybeans and corn, marketing opportunities and overseas destinations for the crop. It took him from being narrowly focused on his own farm.
“As farmers, we don’t think of that – we do our job, we
do our best to grow our crop or raise our livestock, we take care of our land or our animals and once that commodity’s sold, we start over again,” he said. “But that’s just the beginning...basically, it opened my eyes to a greater vision, a bigger picture of the enormity of our agricultural industry.”
It also educated him on transportation infrastructure issues. In 2017 he said he testified on behalf of INFB and ISA Membership and Policy/Indiana Corn Growers Association at the Statehouse in favor of increased funding for roads and bridges through the state Community Crossings Matching Grant program. Though he is fiscally conservative, he thought this increase was justified.
One practical effort he is proud to have assisted with was a local ordinance in the 1990s when he was on the Jasper County Farm Bureau Board. Non-farmers were moving in from northern counties and more subdivisions were being built. The local board and lawmakers saw the potential for conflict between new residents who didn’t know about the noises and odors and loud late-night harvests of farming, and longtime farmers potentially expected to change their work.
Culp recalled he and others asking: “How do we live in harmony but yet respect each other that there’s times (farmers are) busy, so we don’t have to change the way we farm?”
County lawmakers passed an ordinance requiring those moving into the farm-adjacent subdivisions to attach a rider to the deeds waiving any landowner’s right into perpetuity to claim the preexisting farms as a “nuisance.” Since there was interest at the state level for such protections, he was part of the contingent who spoke with legislators as well – and a version of this went into Indiana’s “Right to Farm” law.
During this effort, he recalled working with an older man on the farm board who was a Democrat. When they were planning to speak with legislators, he told Culp: You work your side of the aisle and I’ll work mine, and we’ll get it done. “I’ve never forgotten that,” he explained.
“My grandfather always said about farming, you may own title to it, but you’re just caring for it for a lifetime, and you need to leave things better than you found them... When I’m done (as a lawmaker), hopefully I can look back and say, ‘Yep; things are better than when we started.’”
Rep. Kendell Culp and other state legislators were sworn into office Nov. 22, and the 2023 General Assembly is scheduled to begin its work on Jan. 9.
“ My grandfather always said about farming, you may own title to it, but you’re just caring for it for a lifetime, and you need to leave things better than you found them . . .When I’m done (as a lawmaker), hopefully I can look back and say, ‘Yep, things are better than when we started. ’ ’’State Rep. Kendell Culp (R-Rensselaer, Ind.) poses with four generations of his family at the Indiana Statehouse. Culp was elected to District 16 of the Indiana House of Representatives on Nov. 8.
Anngie Steinbarger has a heart for agriculture. She has testified about crop insurance before the U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee, raised her daughters on a working farm, and judged the Purdue Student Soybean Innovation Competition as a member of the Indiana Soybean Alliance board of directors.
Steinbarger is a dedicated “agvocate.”
“I have always worked in the ag industry. I love the people, and their commitment to preserving the land,” she explained. “I continue to be amazed that so few people can provide food, fuel and fiber to the U.S. and the world.”
She and her husband, Mike, began farming in 1983 with her parents, Harlan and Virginia Burbrink. They initially finished cattle and hogs in addition to raising row crops of corn, soybeans and wheat. Their daughters, Hayley Clark and Michelle Tobias, showed heifers in 4-H.
Anngie and Mike Steinbarger, farmers from Edinburgh, Ind., pose with their antique Farmall tractor.
and chemicals to dealers throughout Indiana and crop scouted fields for DuPont.
“In summertime I’d scout fields, then adjust crop insurance claims in the fall,” Steinbarger said. “I’ve worked in the crop insurance industry for 30 years. I currently work for ProAg. Both of my daughters and a son-in-law work in the same industry.”
Steinbarger’s crop insurance job opportunity popped up thanks to the family farm needing to replant acres of corn.
“Many years ago, Mike and I filed a replant claim. We told the adjuster the remaining population and asked if the field qualified for a claim,” she said. “When the adjuster completed a field appraisal, the population was similar to mine. The adjuster recruited me to become an adjuster and was a mentor for many years. I have enjoyed the roles of adjuster, claims supervisor, marketing manager and claims specialist over the years.”
“Our daughters received their first Angus heifers for Christmas when they were 10 years old. It was so fun to see the heifers all groomed and haltered when we picked them up,” Steinbarger said.
The girls kept their heifers and started a cow/calf operation under Smooth Stone Cattle Company at the family farm in Edinburgh. Now the Steinbargers’ farm with their daughters, their husbands Dan Clark and Matthew Tobias, as well as grandchildren. Most of the finished cattle are sold as freezer beef. “Mike and I are grateful that our family wants to participate in the operation,” said Steinbarger.
Their current operation includes no-till row crops and cattle in addition to growing their own cover crop seed and cleaning it. “We plant cereal rye, cut it very early and wet wrap it,” said Steinbarger. “We feed our cattle with it. We also put in irrigation pivots to benefit our crops. Mike believes our cover crops improve soil health tremendously.”
Her professional history and acumen have been gained in a variety of positions. She has worked in sales of fertilizer
Per a USDA 2020 report, 1.4 percent of the U.S. population were farmers providing food and fiber for the 330 million residents. Per 2018, the top four major crops in the U.S. were corn, soybeans, wheat and cotton. Crop insurance coverage for those crops totaled 208 million acres. Exactly 87 percent of planted acres had crop insurance.
Personally, having crop insurance gives Steinbarger an understanding of the challenges facing fellow farmers.
“The positive side of crop insurance is it’s a risk management tool that helps farmers pay operating expenses if they don’t have crops to sell. It provides a level of security to those of us who operate at the mercy of the weather and markets,” she said. “I dare say I’ve paid in more money in premiums than I’ve collected, but crop insurance allows us to maintain cash flow.”
Many farmers remember the benefit of having crop insurance during the drought of 2012. Steinbarger is grateful their operation had such insurance when their corn produced 40 bushels per acre rather than the usual 180 bushels per
acre. “Without crop insurance we would not have been able to pay our bills and plant the 2013 crop.”
What advice does Steinbarger have for farmers starting out? “Crop insurance is a risk management tool you can’t afford to ignore because it offers certainty and predictability. There is so much risk for farmers, crop insurance provides banks assurance that farmers can repay borrowed funds,” she said. “This demand for assurance through crop insurance has increased over the years. Banks expect new farmers to buy crop insurance so they can farm year after year. No bank is going to lend you money unless you’re making money. You need money to repay bank loans. Crop insurance provides debt repayment assurance when a farmer experiences unfavorable weather or markets.”
She noted older farmers have similar concerns as younger farmers. “Younger farmers are trying to gather operating money while older farmers are trying to protect their operating money. Seasoned farmers feel the effects of rough years and don’t have many years to rebuild lost operating money,” she said. “Crop insurance helps farmers mitigate risk. Other farm programs are valuable, too. Crop insurance shouldn’t be the only tool you use to mitigate risk.”
As the new farm bill conversation continues, many insured farmers are concerned the crop insurance program may change. Steinbarger’s big concern is the possible separation of the nutrition title from the bill. “The nutrition title comprises 80 percent of the farm bill. I am concerned that decoupling the nutrition title from the bill would prevent passage.”
“We have a dwindling farm population making it harder to achieve support of a farm bill,” said Steinbarger. “While the general public supports passage of a farm bill based on the nutrition title, they don’t realize a farm bill is critical to the production of food and fiber. Decoupling the nutrition title would result in less support for a farm bill.”
With children and grandchildren, the Steinbarger family get together on the farm.
Steinbarger’s commitment to the Indiana Soybean Alliance (ISA) began when a good friend asked her to consider joining the organization. She was also asked to testify before the U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee about crop insurance. She worked with the American Soybean Association (ASA) to coordinate that testimony. The ASA encouraged her to be a member before she testified.
“I joined the ISA board because I wanted to help improve the viability of Indiana soybean farmers,” said Steinbarger. “I loved judging the Purdue Student Soybean Innovation Competition. I am amazed the Purdue students can find creative new uses for soybeans such as, soy crayons, and soy wax. Also, I had no idea the Alliance invests over $600,000 per year in research projects aimed at identifying solutions to environmental stressors such as weeds, pests, drought and diseases.”
During her eight years of service, Steinbarger has witnessed the construction of the Indiana Corn and Soybean Innovation Center, at Purdue University. The center is an automated plant phenotyping facility that supports student research and development which benefits Indiana corn and soybean farmers.
“I am proud to be part of an organization that invests checkoff dollars to assure we move Indiana’s pile of soybeans,” she said.
The Export Exchange conference, hosted this fall by the U.S. Grains Council (USGC), Growth Energy and the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA), is paying dividends, according to surveys of overseas grain buyers who attended.
In total, attendees reported sales of more than $225 million with another $128 million continuing in negotiation. That equates to 514,850 metric tons of grains and coproducts traded during the event.
The top grain traded during the three-day conference was corn, with 208,800 metric tons collectively purchased, followed by distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS), with 156,400 metric tons sold.
Export Exchange 2022 offered attendees a unique opportunity to meet and build relationships with domestic suppliers of corn, DDGS, sorghum, barley and other commodities.
soybean meal and 22,000 MT of soybeans.
In addition to the business-to-business and network building opportunities for attendees, Export Exchange also featured a strong roster of expert speakers across five general sessions, as well as an exhibit hall where agribusiness large and small had the chance to showcase their products.
Each session focused on a different issue facing the agricultural industry, starting with insights into upcoming policy decisions in Washington that will affect farmers and producers across the country. Other speakers touched on critical topics such as inflation and shipping logistics, breakthroughs in DDGS uses like aquaculture and a panel on the advantages of U.S. corn against its competitors.
Export Exchange 2022 attendees reported sales of more than $225 million with another $128 million continuing in negotiation. That equates to 514,850 metric tons of grains and co-products traded during the event.
More than 200 international buyers and end-users of coarse grains and co-products from more than 35 countries were in Minneapolis for the conference, in October, and for related tours of U.S. farms, ethanol plants and export infrastructure as part of Council trade teams.
“The sales that were conducted at Export Exchange this year shows the strong appetite for U.S. product and proves there is no substitute for in-person business,” said Emily Byron, USGC Director of Global Programs. “By putting buyers and sellers in the same room and allowing them to foster strong connections, we’re working to keep U.S. farmers at the forefront of global agriculture trade.”
Other grains traded at Export Exchange included 24,250 metric tons (MT) of corn gluten meal, 77,000 MT of
The Council supported Export Exchange by sponsoring 21 trade teams, 11 visiting prior to the event and 10 afterwards, that had the chance to tour facilities ranging from family farms to ethanol plants and grain elevators in 18 different states.
These trade teams, with participants grouped by their region of origin and commodities they deal in, allow buyers and foreign government officials to make connections with U.S. producers building trust, and therefore better business partnerships, for years to come.
“This year’s Export Exchange was more vital than ever considering the pandemic that hamstrung global trade and halted in-person business meetings,” Byron said. “The Council is proud to have helped reconnect our domestic producers with major international importers and pave the way for continued successes for U.S. agriculture on the global scale.”
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BY MARY PECK
International customers of U.S. Soy can better demonstrate their commitment to sourcing sustainable ingredients now that the U.S. Soy Sustainability Assurance Protocol (SSAP) allows the transfer of SSAP certificates up to four times.
U.S. Soy customers have long sought more transparency in the sustainability of their purchases. This recent change to the SSAP by Soy Export Sustainability, LLC, which is partially funded by the national soybean checkoff, allows customers to keep records of their sustainable U.S. Soy purchases, use these purchases to meet their ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) goals, and report on their progress toward those goals. Importers will be able to receive a certificate in their name from an exporter, the importer will then be able to transfer certificates to their customers. The certificate has the potential to be transferred a total of four times after export.
“Ensuring sustainable sourcing of products is central to our commitment to responsible supply chains. We are glad to see continuous improvement of the SSAP certifications, as well as the transparent and credible methodologies in place for measuring sustainable performance,” said Dessislava Barzachka, EA Sustainability Execution Manager, Bunge. “Transferable certificates are key to our customers and our business to track and verify that the soy products we source are raised in a sustainable manner, leading to greater sustainability of the global food system.”
The SSAP, which was developed in 2013, is a verified aggregate approach, audited by third parties, that verifies sustainable soybean production on a national scale. The system is designed to maintain mass balance of verified sustainable soy at each transfer and industry processing calculations are also incorporated into the system. The organization issuing and tracking the certificates is Soy Export Sustainability, LLC.
While this change meets the buyers’ needs for demonstrating their commitment to sourcing sustainable soy in the shortterm, in the longterm the change could also help generate demand for their products because of consumer preferences for sustainable products.
Under the SSAP guidelines, U.S. soybean farmers continuously improve their sustainability performance, ensuring an even more sustainable product in the future. U.S. Soy is already recognized as having the lowest carbon footprint versus soy of other origins. In addition, the SSAP includes farm audits conducted by the USDA. SSAP recently earned Silver Level Equivalence when benchmarked with the Sustainable Agriculture Initiative Platform (SAI Platform)’s Farm Sustainability Assessment (FSA) 3.0. It is also positively benchmarked with the soy sourcing guidelines of the European Feed Manufacturers Federation (FEFAC) through the independent International Trade Centre (ITC) and is recognized by the Consumer Goods Forum’s Sustainable Soy Sourcing Guidelines and
What is the U.S. Soy Sustainability Assurance Protocol?
The U.S. Soy Sustainability Assurance Protocol (SSAP) is a protocol that outlines the regulations, processes, and management practices that ensure sustainable soy production on the vast majority of U.S. soybean farms.
It is a national-based system of sustainability and conservation laws and regulations combined with careful implementation of best production practices on more than 300,000 U.S. soybean farms.
The SSAP aggregates how U.S. Soy farmers contribute to the improvement of environmental, social, and economic sustainability outcomes.
The SSAP’s quantifiable and results-driven approach was developed through a multi-stakeholder process –including participants across the entire value chain. It is regularly reviewed and updated.
An SSAP shipment certificate provides verification to international customers that the soy grown in the United States is produced in a sustainable manner.
SSAP shipment certificates can be issued for any
the Global Seafood Alliance’s Best Aquaculture Practices.
“U.S. soybean farmers have a strong commitment to sustainability, so we are always exploring how we can support their efforts to verify the sustainability of their products. The SSAP does that, but now with transferable certificates, it allows for that verification to be passed along to their other customers,” said Abby Rinne, Director of Sustainability, U.S. Soybean Export Council.
USSEC is a founding member of Soy Export Sustainability, LLC focused on differentiating, elevating preference, and attaining market access for U.S. Soy.
type of U.S. Soy exported from the U.S, allowing for processing conversions into various types of soy including meal, oil, flour, and hulls.
What is an SSAP Transferable Certificate?
With SSAP transferable certificates, exporters of U.S. Soy can now transfer certificates to their international customers. And those international customers can transfer certificates as they sell SSAP verified soy through the value chain.
SSAP shipment certificates can be transferred to U.S. Soy customers four times after the point of export. The system will also allow for transferability based on processing conversions into various types of soy including meal, oil, flour and hulls.
What is the value of SSAP Transferable Certificates?
Exporters can improve the certificate transparency and record keeping of their own sustainability efforts, while enabling international customers of U.S. Soy to also demonstrate a verifiable commitment to sustainability. Customers can now benefit by receiving an SSAP certificate in their name for the exact amount and the exact product type of their global deliveries.
INfield Advantage Indiana Agriculture Nutrient Alliance
The process of farming corn, soybeans and other commodities is often seasonal. There is a season for planting, a season for cultivating and a season for harvesting – among others. Often these seasons are determined by the weather or timing.
Marketing those commodities, though, is more about relationships. Going to meet buyers around the world or hosting those buyers on an Indiana farm is often the final step in securing new customers for the soybeans and corn grown in this state. Taking the time to travel or preparing to host a foreign trade group is usually profitable and worth the time and effort.
In recent months, Indiana corn and soybean checkoff staff and farmer-leaders have traveled to Asia and South America to create new markets. Indiana Soybean Alliance (ISA) board member Mike Koehne, a farmer from Greensburg, Ind., took time out of harvest to meet potential trade partners in Vietnam and Thailand. At about the same time, Indiana Corn Marketing Council (ICMC) board member Tim Gauck, also a farmer from Greensburg, Ind., hosted trade teams from Vietnam.
“If you don’t go anywhere or if you don’t meet anyone from anywhere else, then the world can seem like a small place,” Gauck said. “When you meet people from other places, you tend to see the world through their eyes. That gives you a new perspective. It changes the way you see your own farm. We love to share what we do with foreign visitors –we’re proud of the work we do. But we also learn a lot from our visitors.
Relationships and breaking down obstacles are essential to creating new markets.”
In mid-October, ICMC board member David Ring, a farmer from rural Dubois County, Ind., hosted farmers from Mexico who were interested in seeing his turkey production facilities as well as his row crops. “The language barrier is something that is quickly overcome,” Ring said. “The bottom line is sharing what we know with people who are interested in learning.”
Rainy September weather, which delayed harvest, made the trade mission to Southeast Asia easier for Koehne. From Sept. 17-25, he was among a group of Indiana farmers who visited Thailand and Vietnam to participate in a variety of meetings and events that ICMC and ISA fund.
“The delay to harvest made it easier for me to travel and connect with customers in Southeast Asia,” Koehne said. “This was a priceless opportunity to talk with customers, learn what they look for in soybeans and gain insight into how we as farmers can better meet those needs.”
In Bangkok, Thailand, the Hoosier farmers attended a joint conference hosted by the U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC) and the U.S. Grains Council (USGC) to meet grain buyers from throughout the region. Other farmers provided crop updates, and speakers described global demand, U.S. yield potential, ongoing supply chain issues and the challenges of rising input costs.
“In both Thailand and Vietnam, we visited with local officials from the USDA Foreign Ag Service (FAS) offices in
those countries,” Koehne said. “During these meetings, we learned about needs and market trends in those specif ic countries, the Southeast Asia region and neighboring regions.”
The U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF), an organization committed to building global markets for U.S. meat products, coordinated the trip. “Livestock farmers rely on U.S. soybean meal to produce those products, so we work closely together,” Koehne added.
In Ho Chi Mihn City, Vietnam, ISA and USMEF sponsored a pork cooking contest for local chefs to show off a wide variety of creative ways to use U.S. pork in dishes appealing to Vietnamese customers. During a trip to a supermarket promoting U.S. pork, the Hoosier delegation learned that Vietnam has a growing demand for packaged meat, rather than relying solely on local live markets to purchase meat.
“I was amazed at how many (Vietnamese grain buyers) were interested in soy food beans from the U.S.,” Koehne said. “The market for the specialty soybeans I raise is growing, and that’s exciting.”
While at a Bunge soybean facility and port, the team saw where U.S. soybeans were unloaded from ocean ships for crushing. Soybean meal was then loaded onto barges that travel up Vietnam’s rivers to other areas of the country.
“A trip like this is well worth the time — even when it is scheduled right before harvest,” Koehne said. “We learn so much more by talking to actual end users. And, it means a lot to our customers when we show up and want to learn from them. I come back from these trips with information to share with other farmers that helps us all make better management decisions on our farms that allow us to better meet those needs. As I raise my soybeans, I will adjust my decision-making to raise a better product that they want to purchase.”
Food stability, security and sustainability were on the minds of more than 300 industry participants who gathered at Together in Trade, the 2022 Southeast Asia U.S. Agricultural Co-operators Conference in Bangkok, Thailand, in September. Jointly organized by USSEC and USGC, with support from the soy checkoff, the event tackled trade topics through conversations, panel discussions and networking.
Market prices for corn, soybeans and wheat remain a top concern. USSEC CEO Jim Sutter said COVID climate change and conflict largely contribute to volatility and price surges. He noted those factors are also setting the pace for sustainability and sustainable practices for global agriculture and agribusiness.
Sustainability was a recurring theme throughout, with the need for sustainability to underpin the future of food production and feed more people with fewer resources resonating across audiences.
As sustainability is becoming increasingly critical and a passport for businesses to operate, certifications have proven valuable in stemming the challenge of “greenwashing.” Certifications provide consumers with greater confidence that the products they are consuming are truly contributing to the sustainable development of the planet.
While sustainability remains crucial, the value of addressing nuances related to starting sustainable farming practices was also discussed. Dr. Scott Hutchins, Sustainability and Value Creation Consultant for ICMC and ISA, said economic sustainability must be clear when considering new practices.
“Farmers can’t think green if they’re in the red,” Hutchins said. “We have to make sure it’s viable for both the small and large farms, and ensure we design these systems to be more efficient and effective.”
WISHH is a program of the American Soybean Association and is funded in part by the United Soybean Board and state soybean board checkoff programs.
from global training for high-quality foods and feeds. from for
Like an oak tree from an acorn, the foundation for a sizable project – such as securing a coveted $1.6 million grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) – usually takes a while to grow and expand.
Sixteen years ago, Dr. Jennifer Tank of University of Notre Dame partnered with the Kosciusko County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) and The Nature Conservancy to design a two-stage ditch to better prevent local runoff nutrients of farm fields from floating down feeder waterways to the Mississippi River and contributing to the hypoxic “dead zone” in the Gulf of Mexico.
The upgrade to the Shatto Ditch clarified runoff water – but it also led to the idea of expanding the ditch while planting cover crops including grasses, legumes and forbs, and measuring how the two practices combined might better reduce sediment, nitrogen and phosphorous runoff for improved water quality.
To carry out this next stage of their effort and fund the data collection, in 2013 the three partners added Indiana
University (IU), the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), the U.S. Geological Survey and county surveyors to their team. Tank – Galla Professor in Notre Dame’s Department of Biological Sciences – and other researchers secured federal funding for the newly created Indiana Watershed Initiative through NRCS’ Regional Conservation Partnership Program.
During the five-year study in cooperation with some local landowners, this effort expanded cover crop use in the watershed from 13 percent of farmed acres to more than 62 percent, thanks in large part to direct payments to farmers for cover seeding. (In 2020, the NRCS reported this had dropped to 22 percent of acres after payments stopped.)
It also gave Tank and the IU researchers their next idea: Measuring how well using cover crops to trap carbon dioxide, or CO2, in soil lowers emissions that contribute to climate change. Led by IU project director Dr. Kim Novick, the team applied twice to the NSF for a grant and received notification earlier this year that they were successful. Only
1 in 4 competitive proposals (those chosen for evaluation by the NSF) receive funding.
“The fact that they got this is very big,” said Joe Rorick, Conservation Cropping Systems Initiative agronomist and the Soy/Corn On-Farm Sustainability Programs and Research coordinator for Indiana Soybean Alliance (ISA) and Indiana Corn Marketing Council (ICMC). He noted the award is also indicative of how important agriculture is to the federal government and to the nation’s top scientists.
Dr. Todd Royer, professor at IU’s O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs, and Tank explained that it was critical to be able to bridge the gap between when the NRCS funding ended in 2019 and 2022 when the NSF award was set to be available. Continuing support from ISA and ICMC checkoff dollars helped fill the gap during that time. ISA, ICMC and the Walton Family Foundation first provided the necessary matching funds to secure the NRCS grant for five years.
“I think ISA and ICMC really got us the funding we needed to generate a lot of data that led to additional questions,” Royer said. “We took those questions and partnered with other folks, mostly here at IU, to submit this grant (application) to the National Science Foundation, to expand the scope of the research from beyond just water quality and soil health to have a large social science component, an economics component and a new approach to measuring the effect of cover crops with eddy covariance towers.”
The tower is equipment that measures exchanges of CO2, water, energy and other trace gases between ecosystems and the atmosphere. They are expensive to erect.
Dr. Todd Royer, professor at IU’s O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs, said ISA and ICMC funding was critical to bridge the gap between when the NRCS funding ended in 2019 and when the NSF ward was available in 2022
The new study will also use remote-sensing satellite data, which Royer said the team can use to help extrapolate their Indiana ground data across the entire Corn Belt to model how cover crops might be best distributed. The time and cost of data collection, Tank pointed out, is why there isn’t much onthe-ground data about carbon soil sequestration – yet.
“What we’ve learned after a decade … is you have to sample year-round, and you have to take lots of samples,” she said, because the environment throws a lot of “noise” at researchers and their instruments, and it takes time and work to “tease out” the benefits of all these signals.
She called being able to continue monitoring the work they began in 2013 – even after the federal funding ended in 2019 – due to ISA/ICMC support “that kind of continuous bridge that these checkoff dollars are incredibly useful for.” She and Royer also said their support from the two organizations gave researchers the chance to build strong relationships with farmer landowners, since their universities are not land-grant and as such, rely heavily on privately owned farmland to study.
One of their supporters was Dave Rodibaugh, a Jasper County hog, soybean and corn farmer who cycled off the ISA Board of Directors last winter after nine years. He served as chair in 2020, as well as on the ISA’s Budget and Finance Committee. Tank remembered him as “always an encouraging voice when we’d come down to Indianapolis to present (our work) to the board.”
Rodibaugh appreciated the testing and scrutiny Tank and the team brought to their study for so many years to collect solid data that would be accepted by farmers, who are an evidence-driven set of professionals. He explained the project was an opportunity to shine a light on soil and water health and show farmers how they might improve their own lands.
He has used no-till in his fields for decades, then began learning more about cover crops through ISA meetings and
related research, as well as hearing from farmers actually using cover. While he sees great value in planting it, he thinks it takes more investment to do and involves more risk than practices such as no-till.
“They have managed the cover crop research in a way that farmers have been able to learn from their findings, and find them useful,” Rodibaugh said of the research team.
“They’re both the best kind of people,” Rorick agreed, adding Tank and Royer have been good at reporting their findings, making themselves available for conversations and documenting their work in a way that helps farmers understand the data. “They’re very easy to work with.”
The farmer investment into cover crops that Rodibaugh referenced is not lost on the NSF. In order to apply for the $1.6 million award, Tank and Royer said the Foundation required the applicants to go beyond crop and environmental sciences and consider other factors that play into ability of farmers to participate in such carbon sequestration.
“Estimates of the climate benefits achievable with cover crops are uncertain,” their abstract reads in part, “and it is not known how social and economic factors interact with environmental feedbacks to determine whether individual producers will adopt cover crops at the necessary scales.”
So, the new study that officially began on Oct. 1 expands
into social science and economics. In addition to field measurements, it will include surveys and focus groups to better understand how and why farmers decide to use cover crops – or not – and learn more about the decisionmaking process.
While surveying farmers isn’t a new concept, Royer said this will be done through the lens of the federal government’s new Climate Smart Agriculture initiative, which aims to increase agricultural productivity and income while building resilience to climate change and reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
Could this program and the promise of an emerging market for farmers to sell “carbon capture” credits to offset large GHS emitters incentivize them to plant more cover crops? If the data show the practice works, perhaps more farmers will consider cover crops.
“Folks don’t make changes willy-nilly,” Tank said, “Particularly farmers. They study it and think about how it’s going to affect their operation” – not just in terms of budget and field use, but also changing any work habits and timing on the farm.
“This is an intentional focus by the National Science Foundation on taking this interdisciplinary approach to understanding these complex systems,” Royer explained.
“I don’t know if 10 years ago, Todd or I ever imagined that the team would build out like this to include an economist, two social scientists and other kinds of experts,” Tank added.
Headed by Novick, the O’Neill Chair, the team consists of Tank and Royer as well as IU’s Dr. Mallory Barnes, an expert in quantitative analysis and ecological data on scales of time; Dr. Shellye Suttles, an ag economist with a focus on food system sustainability and ag impact on climate change; Dr. Landon Yoder, who focuses on how farmers, government and society cooperate on ag production and conservation; and a number of postdoctoral and lab students.
“This research will provide actionable policy and management guidance through committed partnership with a broad community of public and private stakeholders,” the team’s abstract states, “ranging from individual farmers to state- and national-level officials.”
“There’s a long way to go to actually measure how these practices impact carbon,” Tank said of using cover crops. “The biggest thing that drives us is bringing the real numbers to what the farmers want to know. I think this whole Climate Smart Agriculture push has real potential, but the farmers we work with want to see the real data. We’re not going to push something unless you can measure it.”
Royer added that this effort will hopefully turn into a minimum 10-year study, to be able to most- accurately measure change, because soil carbon accumulates slowly. Their study will continue to use the Kosciusko County watershed, as well as others to be determined.
“Our ultimate goal is to provide information that informs agricultural management and probably agricultural policy as well,” he said.
Working with the Indiana Corn and Soybean Innovation Center, Purdue University, the University of Notre Dame, Indiana University and farmers themselves, the Indiana Corn Marketing Council invests in research to identify solutions for environmental stressors, weeds, pests and input use and costs — all driving toward improved production AND improved farm profitability
Every dollar invested in research is value returned to the farm. To see research at work, visit incorn.org.
BY MALENA BARTABURU, MSC Student, Purdue University AND DAN QUINN, PH.D., Purdue Assistant Professor of Agronomy
WIth recent increases in corn grain prices, weather variability, nutrient deficiencies and losses, emerging diseases, and overall declines in yearly percent yield gains, many farmers have been driven toward using different tactics and technologies to improve corn production.
One popular strategy by farmers to maintain yield potential and optimize production is through combinations of higher seeding rates, additional macro and micronutrient fertilizer and prophylactic chemical input applications. However, these management decisions can be expensive, unnecessary and may increase the potential for biological resistance and nutrient losses when used improperly.
In 2022, with Indiana Corn Marketing Council (ICMC) funding, the Corn Agronomy Program at Purdue University established a statewide research trial to evaluate corn physiological, yield and economic responses to single and combinations of different management intensities and commonly marketed inputs. In addition, with recent claims of improved “stay-green” and plant health benefits from various intensive practices and applied inputs, Purdue researchers wanted to understand how intensive management can impact late-season grain fill duration and kernel weight accumulation in corn.
The research trials encompassed both smallplot and field-scale research trials spanning from southern, central and northern Indiana. The goals of this research were to:
• Evaluate corn growth, yield and economic response to management practices and applied inputs alone and in combination across multiple locations
• Determine the impact of combined intensive practices and corn fungicide applications on grain fill duration and kernel weight accumulation
The experiment was first established in May in three locations (four total fields) throughout Indiana. The locations included: West Lafayette, Ind. (ACRE), Butlerville, Ind. (SEPAC, 2 fields) and Columbia City, Ind. (NEPAC). Three out of the four research fields were field-scale trials with plots that measured 30 feet wide (12, 30-inch rows) and ran the entire length of the field (500- to 1,000-feet long).
The center 6-8 rows of each of these plots were harvested with a commercial combine and a calibrated yield monitor to determine treatment differences. A small-plot trial was established at ACRE for more intensive plant and corn kernel development measurements.
At each location Purdue researchers incorporated eight
total treatments described below:
• Control treatment (C) based on Purdue University seed rate and nitrogen (N) fertilizer recommendations of 30,000 seeds per acre and N fertilizer application as starter (2x2) and V5 growth stage sidedress
• C + sub-surface banded starter (2x2) fungicide (Xyway)
• C + 20 percent increase in corn seeding rate (36,000 seeds per acre)
• C + sulfur fertilizer (5.2 gallons per acre as ammonium thiosulfate (ATS) at V5 sidedress)
• C + foliar micronutrients (zinc, manganese, and boron applied at the V6 growth stage)
• C + late-season N application (starter N (2x2) + V5 sidedress N + V10-12 growth stage sidedress N surface-banded with drop tubes on a sprayer, total N rate remained the same as other treatments)
• C + foliar fungicide applied at the R1 growth stage (Delaro complete)
Location Treatment Treatment Cost† Grain Yield Net Profit†
Columbia City, IN (NEPAC)
Control
$ per acre Bu per acre $ per acre
253.40 222.1 d* 1226.18
C + 2x2 Fungicide 280.83 228.1 bcd 1238.72
C + 36K seed rate 272.72 230.3 bcd 1260.81
C + Sulfur 270.65 233.5 b 1284.52
C + Foliar Micro 274.14 231.3 bcd 1266.39
C + V10 N 261.06 222.9 d 1223.59
C + R1 Fungicide 277.89 231.9 bc 1266.76
Intensive 356.12 249.2 a 1303.75
West Lafayette, IN (ACRE) Control
253.40 199.9 c 1108.84
C + 2x2 Fungicide 280.83 201.5 c 1113.50
C + 36K seed rate 272.72 212.4 bc 1184.06
C + Sulfur 270.65 212.4 bc 1180.81
C + Foliar Micro 274.14 208.4 bc 1156.70
C + V10 N 261.06 225.4 ab 1278.51
C + R1 Fungicide 277.89 220.8 ab 1238.60
Intensive 356.12 233.2 a 1304.08
Butlerville, IN (SEPAC)§
Control
253.40 261.4 d 1487.82
C + Xyway 280.83 267.9 ab 1503.12
C + 36K seed rate 272.72 261.6 d 1469.80
C + Sulfur 270.65 266.5 bc 1504.13
C + Foliar Micro 274.14 263.1 cd 1478.01
C + V10 N 261.06 267.5 ab 1520.38
C + R1 Fungicide 277.89 271.3 a 1528.69
Intensive 356.12 270.9 a 1448.27
* Average corn grain yield values that contain the same corresponding letter and are within the same location are not statistically different from each other (P > 0.1).
† Treatment costs were calculated as the combined cost of corn seed, fertilizer cost, chemical input cost, and application cost. Prices were calculated as an average from various local retailers. Net profit was calculated based on average harvest corn grain cash price + average grain yield – treatment costs.
§ The research trial in Butlerville, Ind., was performed in two separate fields, yield data was combined from those two fields due to similar responses at that location.
• Intensive treatment: all additional inputs and management practices applied together
The 2022 research yield and profitability results are presented in Table 1 and include the average treatment cost per acre, grain yield average and net profit average. Preliminary yield results from Indiana showed the intensive management treatment out yielded the control at all three locations by an average of 24 bushels (bu) per acre (Table 1).
In addition, despite the added cost, the intensive treatments increased net profit compared to the control treatment by an average of $115 per acre. The inputs with the largest yield responses at all three locations included sulfur (+8 bu at 2 of 3 locations), V10 nitrogen application (+5 bu at 2 of 3 locations), and R1 fungicide (+14 bu at all locations). All three research locations exhibited visual foliar disease (e.g., tar spot, southern rust, gray leaf spot, northern corn leaf blight) which was significantly reduced by the R1 fungicide application, likely driving the observed yield responses.
As well, late-season N application responses were likely due to increased plant N uptake and N use efficiency due to more timely rainfall following the V10-12 N application as compared to observed June drought conditions driving visual
N deficiency symptoms and limited plant uptake following the V5 sidedress N only. Visual sulfur fertilizer responses and sulfur deficiency symptoms were also observed at all three locations.
Furthermore, the intensive treatment which contained all applied inputs exhibited greater plant health and stay-green potential at the R6 growth stage as compared to the control treatment (Figure 1).
Overall, the preliminary results from this research study highlight the potential for additional inputs and intensive management practices to improve corn yield and profitability when conditions are conducive for responses (e.g., foliar disease, nutrient deficiencies). In addition, soil and tissue test results, kernel growth, dry matter, and weight parameters are still currently being analyzed to help further understand the observed results.
Also, this trial is being performed in collaboration with the University of Kentucky and Michigan State University and will be repeated next year to provide additional data and conclusions. It is important to remember that additional data, years, and locations will help us further understand corn yield benefits from the applied inputs and practices across more environments and weather conditions.
Lastly, the authors would also like to thank ICMC for funding of this project.
Recent studies show health-conscious consumers want high oleic soybean oil — and with seed decisions around the corner for farmers, this growing market demand may warrant a look at planting high oleic. The benefits associated with high oleic speak for themselves.
For Kevin Wilson, soy checkoff farmer-leader with the United Soybean Board (USB) and a farmer from Walton, Ind., the decision is simple. Farmers are turning to high oleic due to its premium, sustainable qualities while meeting the worldwide demand for soybean oil.
“Companies are looking into more sustainable products to use, and they are seeing an increase in benefits for growing high oleic,” Wilson said. “The confidence they have in U.S. farmers providing a reliable product is a major plus for U.S. Soy.”
Generally, farmers growing high oleic soybeans report that they yield on par with or better than their farm’s average — adding profitability and innovation. Wilson has grown high oleic soybeans for seven years on his farm and said he’s enjoyed success.
“The yields are consistent with the commodity soybeans, and high oleic doesn’t require much additional time spent preparing for planting or harvesting,” Wilson said. “It’s been a big win for us.”
High oleic soybeans add long-term value for all U.S. soybean farmers by providing a product that meets demand in new and existing markets for soy, such as food and industrial customers. High oleic soybean oil works even better than commodity soybean oil in high-heat situations, which expands markets for soybean oil in frying, baking and high-heat industrial uses. As health- and sustainability-conscious consumers increase demand for this oil, processors offer a premium to high oleic soybean farmers.
“A main benefit for high oleic farmers is the added premium for growing them. The last two years’ premiums have been $1.25
per bushel; and in the 2023 crop, they are around $2.20 per bushel,” Wilson explained. “The demand for high oleic soybean oil has started to take off as companies are realizing the many benefits.”
High oleic soybean acres topped 800,000 in 2022 but are expected to climb to 1.2 million in 2023. Farmers can capitalize on this demand by securing contracts now. Farmers can learn how to secure contracts for high oleic soybean production and the premiums that come with them by visiting unitedsoybean. org
“This is a great opportunity for farmers to add value to their land,” said John Motter, USB Past Chair and an Ohio farmer who started growing high oleic soybeans in 2011. “It’s an attractive way for a farmer to make additional revenue, ensuring reliability to meet customer demand and furthering the reputation of U.S. Soy.”
As farmers start to think about next season, Wilson recommends learning more to determine if high oleic soybeans are a viable option. “I suggest all farmers take a look around and see if high oleic will work for them,” Wilson said. “There are going to be a few more delivery options and maturities being added each year. For our farm, high oleic beans have put more dollars in our pockets.”
With demand for cooking oil that has a desirable fat profile, the food industry is expanding its use of high oleic soybean oil as an alternative to hydrogenated oils containing trans fats. As well as foodservice, there is demand for high oleic soybean oil in the nonfood sector, including synthetic motor oil, asphalt and other products as a renewable alternative to petroleum.
“With demand growing rapidly, planting high oleic is an excellent way to increase our bottom line,” said Wilson. “I don’t do anything differently in the growing season for high oleic soybeans than I do for commodity soybeans, which made the transition very easy.”
The B20 Club of Indiana recently announced two new organizations have joined its efforts to promote cleaner air and a lower carbon footprint through use of biodiesel fuel, a high-performance, cleaner-burning fuel that’s made from soybeans and other renewable feedstocks produced in Indiana.
NTEA – The Association for the Work Truck Industry and the Green Truck Association (GTA) join the B20 Club as supporting organizations under the affiliate members category. Affiliate members are non-profit organizations, government agencies, and other groups that promote and recognize biodiesel as a high-quality, low-carbon, and clean-burning alternative fuel source.
“We are thrilled to welcome NTEA and GTA to the B20 Club of Indiana,” said Bailey Arnold, director of Clean Air Initiatives for the American Lung Association and program lead for the B20 Club of Indiana. “These two organizations join our existing members in their commitment to reducing emissions, enhancing air quality and improving the overall health of Indiana communities.”
NTEA represents more than 2,000 companies that manufacture, distribute, install, sell, and repair commercial trucks, truck bodies, truck equipment, trailers, and accessories. GTA is a division of NTEA that serves as a voice for companies moving forward to create vocational trucks and products with a focus on sustainability.
“We’re excited to join the B20 Club’s growing lineup of supporting companies and organizations,” said Christopher Lyon, NTEA Director of Fleet Relations and GTA Fleet Liaison. “This will help us further our mission to support the work truck industry’s drive toward achieving greater sustainability,
productivity and efficiency.”
The B20 Club of Indiana is a collaboration between the American Lung Association (ALA) and the Indiana Soybean Alliance (ISA). It recognizes and supports Indiana fleets committed to using B20 and higher levels of biodiesel. Biodiesel is produced in Indiana using agricultural by-products like soybean oil, animal tallow, and distillers corn oil from ethanol production. It provides measurable health and environmental benefits to Indiana communities.
“Soybeans are a versatile crop with many uses that add value back to Indiana farmers,” said ISA Chair Jim Douglas, a farmer from Flat Rock, Ind. “As a soybean grower, I’m excited about the potential of biodiesel. It is a great product for the environment, and a great product for those who manage shipping fleets all across our country.”
B20 Club of Indiana members include Al Warren Oil Company, Altom Transport, Ball State University, the City of Fort Wayne, the City of Indianapolis, the Muncie Indiana Transit System (MITS) and Ozinga Brothers, Inc. In addition to NTEA and GTA, affiliate B20 Club of Indiana members are Clean Fuels Alliance America, Greater Indiana Clean Cities, Indigenous Energy, Marc IV Consulting and Optimus Technologies. The club also has four associate members include Casey’s, CountryMark, Louis Dreyfus Company and Chevron Renewable Energy Group.
Founded in 2021, B20 Club of Indiana members have used more than 5.8 million gallons of B20 fuel. These members are fueling 1,249 vehicles with B20, which has reduced CO2 emissions by more than 11,000 tons.
For more information about the B20 Club of Indiana, visit B20clubIndiana.org
Innovating new uses for soybeans opens new markets, which in turn builds more value.
ISA is actively working to drive commercial awareness of a new soy products including new PoreShield technology, which is a soy-based concrete durability enhancer. When applied to the roads, PoreShield uses 200 bushels of soybeans per 2-lane mile of highway joint.
See how we're protecting infrastructure with soybeans at Indianasoybean.com.
Harvest season has wrapped up for most farmers across the state. So, thankfully, some of the long nights harvesting crops and early mornings sitting at the elevators are coming to an end. For this year.
We know that harvest time can be incredibly stressful. Trying to manage the day-to-day operations on the farm, along with watching grain prices, coupled with storage issues, animals to keep fed, warm and dry, and equipment breakdowns is exhausting. Then on top of all that you have community involvement activities that don’t stop, like volunteering at church or being a parent, husband or wife. Sometimes the fear and anxiety can feel like a mountain climb you will never complete.
And no one ever wants to talk about it. Maybe its awkward. Perhaps you don’t know what to say or how to help. Maybe you think it’s not your business. And all that could be true, but not talking about mental health struggles keeps the stigma, that people who struggle with these issues are weak or their issues aren’t that bad, alive and thriving. We want to break down that stigma. Mental health struggles are something every single person will likely face in their life, some multiple times. But there is help and support during those times.
Did you know that spring and fall account for the highest suicide rates according to the CDC? That coincidently is also the busiest and most stressful time for farmers and those involved in the agriculture industry.
If you are struggling silently, please know, there are resources available to help. As an industry, we understand how stressful and dangerous this occupation of yours is. We know how much you care about your family and your farm. We know working alongside family is never easy and that can cause a whole new level of stress. Rural healthcare providers get it.
As winter quickly approaches so does seasonal depression. Couple that with the stress of everyday farm life and you’ve got a cocktail of intrusive thoughts and anxiety.
One thing I want everyone involved in agriculture to know; you are not alone. There are others who understand these
circumstances, understand how your livelihood is up to commodity prices and volatile weather. They understand the stress and hardship of raising animals and families. You are not alone.
November highlights National Rural Health Day, and I would be remiss if I didn’t point out that mental health and physical health are both equally important. This month, check on your friends, colleagues and neighbors. Make sure ahead of the holiday season they know they are loved, supported and cared for. We are hopeful that moving forward people can discuss their mental health struggles as much and as openly as they do their physical ones.
Not sure where to start? My department has partnered with the Indiana Rural Health Association to host community suicide prevention programs, online suicide prevention train ings and business specific mental health training for employ ees, congregation members, board members and others.
For these community trainings, online trainings, and agribusiness seminars, visit isda.in.gov to learn more. If your stress, fear, worry or nervousness right now is too much to handle, call or text 988 to speak with someone today.
Help is available in many forms. From community mental health workshops to online training. We know that mental health is just as important as physical health and I encourage you to check on those you love and care for. Together, we can break down the stigma regarding mental health in rural Indiana.
BY MATT KELLER
Hundreds of Thank You notes are regularly delivered to the ISA and ICMC offices after each session.
The Glass Barn is more than just a building. It is an agricultural education initiative that goes well beyond the fun and learning during the 18day Indiana State Fair. Each year, thousands of Indiana elementary and middle school students are invited to visit the Glass Barn for in-person and virtual field trips presented by the State Fairgrounds Education Team and the Global Barns Initiative.
The Indiana Corn Marketing Council (ICMC) funds curriculum for the Journey of Corn field trip where students learn about the different types of corn that are grown in the state, the different parts of the plant, all the different ways corn is used – food, feed, fiber and fuel – and are even given the opportunity to grow five different types of corn in a glove to take home.
The Indiana Soybean Alliance (ISA) funds curriculum for a field trip called It’s All About the Genes. This is a virtual program where middle school students learn about biotechnology and how genetics play into the ways soybeans are grown in Indiana. Students discuss genetic modification, evaluate the reliability of information sources and extract DNA from soybeans to determine if they are conventional or genetically altered beans.
Stephanie DeCamp, Education Director at the Indiana State Fairgrounds and lead facilitator for the field trips is excited about the direction and interest in these programs
and couldn’t be happier with their growth.
“We have seen an incredible increase in interest for our virtual programs since they were introduced in 2014,” DeCamp said. “We have actually heard from schools as far away as California who want to participate in the It’s All About the Genes virtual program. During the 2021-22 school year, 3,500 students participated in It’s all About the Genes, and more than 4,300 students participated in the Journey of Corn program.
“We can’t say enough about the value of our partnership with ISA and ICMC and how it allows us to reach students who may not otherwise have the opportunity to learn about agriculture.”
How are these programs received by Indiana students? Hundreds of Thank You notes are regularly delivered to the ISA and ICMC offices after each session.
One from Landon, a fifth grader from New Castle, Ind., said, “I appreciate all of your hard work to make the virtual field trip fun and educational for everyone. I enjoyed learning, and the fun activity at the end of the field trip I learned that corn is an important plant or crop to a lot of farmers and people and thank you!”
Another young mind offered thanks, in part, to the efforts of the Indiana corn and soybean checkoffs.
it’s
