4 minute read
Using Our Voice to Protect the Family Farm
After reading through agronomy tips, organizational updates, and expert advice from the staff at ISA, here, you find yourself at the Voice for Soy, but may wonder, what IS the Voice for Soy?
In short, the Voice for Soy is a group of soy producing members called the Illinois Soybean Growers (ISG).
ISG is a voluntary member funded agriculture organization that advocates on behalf of Illinois soybean producers, providing a platform where farmers can be heard. ISG actively monitors issues, opportunities, and threats, providing producers with the most up-to-date information available. Illinois Soybean Growers works to increase the profitability of Illinois soybean farmers and protect your freedom to operate through legislative advocacy, public policy initiatives and education. From federal trade issues to supporting biodiesel, ISG actively works to make a difference in agriculture in Illinois, the U.S. and around the world.
Every day, voices from all over the country are calling, writing letters, and emailing our legislators, pushing them to pursue the latest confining regulation on agriculture, many of these regulations coming from parts of the country that have little to no agriculture or knowledge about it. It’s a constant work of effort, advocacy, and education to keep agriculture as a growing and protected sector in the American economy. We protect agriculture through consistent messaging to policy makers through staff and lobbying efforts and most importantly, lobbying efforts made by growers in the state. For example, our Voice for Soy Action center www.ilsoygrowers.com is a hub for growers to visit and take action, where we connect you with your Representatives and the latest policy action alert. This center is simple and easy to use, and requires just a few clicks to use your voice on the Hill.
Effort is important to continue the progress of agriculture, but that doesn’t mean we can’t have some fun along the way. As a member you also unlock access to many events throughout the state, from cocktail receptions, dinners, and raffles, to exclusive legislative events, plus much more. Many of these events are member-only, but provide value far beyond the $75/yearly fee. Planting and harvest season are busy, so the staff at ISA make sure to create member-accessible events in the summer and winter months when there are more days out of the field for you to attend events like these.
In this section of the magazine titled the Voice for Soy, we will update our growers across the state on how our work is supporting YOUR work in the field. We work every day to ensure that the next piece of agriculture policy actually supports you, the growers doing the work. We employ policy experts, outreach and engagement specialists to yield positive results at the state house and in D.C. Without groups like the Illinois Soybean Growers, legislators with little or no agriculture knowledge become empowered, taking away the growers' seat at the table to negotiate pro-agriculture policy or, more importantly, stop policy that would otherwise hinder your operation and profitability.
The Voice for Soy is a champion of agriculture, by growers and for growers, to continue the legacy of the family farm. As a member of ISG you will receive a member-only monthly e-newsletter which highlights policy updates and industry news, access to exclusive member events with state and federal legislators from across the state, a complimentary membership to the American Soybean Association (ASA), and much more.
As an ISG member, you're invited to a FREE private cocktail reception at the Farm Progress Show. We’re delighted to announce the chance to meet and hear from U.S. Representative Mary Miller, District 15, U.S. Representative Nikki Budzinski, District 13 and U.S. Representative Mike Bost, District 12. The cocktail reception will take place on Tuesday, August 29 5:30pm-7pm. Visit ilsoygrowers.com to learn more.
Not yet an ISG member? Visit ilsoygrowers.com or call 309.660.5492
