FROM THE BOARDROOM | Funded by the Illinois Soybean Checkoff CHAIRMAN Ron Kindred, Atlanta District 9 VICE CHAIRMAN Brad Daugherty, West Union District 14 SECRETARY Tim Scates, Carmi At-Large TREASURER Bryan Severs, Potomac District 7 ASSISTANT SECRETARY-TREASURER Dwayne Anderson, Lynn Center District 3 GOVERNMENT RELATIONS COMMITTEE CHAIR Steve Pitstick, Maple Park District 2 MARKET DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE CHAIR Brian Atteberry, Carmi District 16 SOYBEAN PRODUCTION COMMITTEE CHAIR Brady Holst, Plymouth At-Large
David Niekamp, Coatsburg | District 8 Elliott Uphoff, Shelbyville | District 10 Matt Murray, Paxton | District 11 Brock Willard, Pittsfield | District 12 Heath Houck, Nokomis | District 13 Jeff Parker, Belleville | District 15 Nick Harre, Nashville | District 17 Rick Rubenacker, McLeansboro | District 18 AT-LARGE DIRECTORS Betsey Emerick, Vandalia Jeff O'Connor, Kankakee David Wessel, Chandlerville UNITED SOYBEAN BOARD (USB) Dwayne Anderson, Lynn Center Gary Berg, St. Elmo Lynn Rohrscheib, Fairmount David Wessel, Chandlerville AMERICAN SOYBEAN ASSOCIATION (ASA) Stan Born, Mahomet Daryl Cates, Columbia Jered Hooker, Clinton Jim Martin, Pontiac Bill Raben, Ridgway Rob Shaffer, El Paso Roberta Simpson-Dolbeare, Nebo Bill Wykes, Yorkville
DIRECTORS Ryan Frieders, Waterman | District 1 Buck Hill, Grand Ridge | District 4 Mark Read, Putnam | District 5 Jim Martin, Pontiac | District 6 STAFF CREDITS Publisher | Michael Whitmer Managing Editor | Betsy Osman Staff Contributor | Olivia Key Staff Contributor | Brynna Sentel OTHER ISA STAFF Chief Executive Officer | John Lumpe Director of Operations | Dustin Scott Director of Market Development | Todd Main Director of Finance | Kati Owen Director of Government Relations & Strategy | Andrew Larson Director of Agronomy | Abigail Peterson Illinois Soybean Growers (ISG) is owner of Illinois Field & Bean, a publication for Illinois soybean farmers, designed and written to provide timely and useful industry information. Illinois Field & Bean is published by the Illinois Soybean Association, 1108 Trinity Lane, Bloomington, IL, 61704. For address corrections, contact Illinois Field & Bean at 1108 Trinity Lane, Bloomington, IL, 61704. Phone 309-663-7692. Web address: www.ilsoy.org. Email: ilsoy@ilsoy.org. Comments and statewide news articles should be sent to the above address. Advertising space reservations must be made by the first of the month preceding publication. In consideration of the acceptance of 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. FOR ADVERTISING INFORMATION Michael Whitmer Publisher Email: michael.whitmer@ilsoy.org
4 January 2024
DAVID NIEKAMP | DISTRICT 8 DIRECTOR | ILLINOIS SOYBEAN ASSOCIATION
Keeping Things Moving
As a farmer, I've witnessed firsthand the essential role that Illinois transportation infrastructure plays in efficiently exporting our soybeans. Each and every Illinois farmer relies on our state's robust transportation system to get their commodities from farm to market. Moving our crop from the farm to the world is a true team effort. The Illinois Soybean Association (ISA) is our steadfast ally, working tirelessly to keep our soybeans on the move, from our fields to the ports in the Gulf of Mexico, where they set sail for destinations around the globe. One of our biggest advantages? Rivers. Picture this: the Illinois and Ohio rivers merge with the Mississippi, creating this incredible network of loading points for barges. Our soybeans essentially have their own expressway to the Gulf ports. The efficiency of this river network ensures that soybeans can journey from our Illinois farms to the Gulf in just 11 days, on average, ready to embark on their global voyage. Then there's the railroads – about 10,000 miles of tracks weave across our state. That's our ticket to reach buyers worldwide. Shipping our soybeans via containers is a game-changer, as it allows international buyers to purchase IP and non-GM soybeans. We're not just sending our soybeans; we're sending quality straight from Illinois, which has built a prestigious reputation in the global market. But let's not forget the roads. With over 18,000 miles of highways and connections to the rivers and rails, Illinois can get its soybeans to where they need to be. Supported by approximately 8,000 bridges, this road system links farms to crucial transport points, enabling the bulk shipment of soybeans. This entire transportation network serves as our lifeline. We, as farmers, are not just contributors to a global network. We also play a pivotal role in ensuring that our soybeans reach plates and farms thousands of miles away. This is thanks to ISA and the partnerships they have fostered. These partnerships include local collaborators who help ensure the system remains up to date and the international customers who prefer to purchase soy from Illinois. As a result, we remain prepared for any challenges the future might present, ensuring that Illinois soybeans continue to have a lasting impact worldwide. It's this collective effort that instills confidence in us farmers. We are assured that our soybeans will consistently find their way to those who need them, regardless of the distance. This assurance fuels our determination, knowing that from our Illinois fields, we are nourishing and sustaining the world.
