4 minute read
Sowing the Seeds of Soy Innovation
As farmers are in the fields planting the seeds for this year’s harvest, ISA is also planting seeds—not in the soil, but in the form of strategic thinking about projects that promise to yield significant benefits for our soybean farmers and the soybean industry.
Farmers have carefully selected the right seeds for their fields, considering factors such as soil type, weather patterns and disease resistance. The farmer leaders and staff at ISA are also methodically reviewing project proposals while keeping in mind several factors, including potential impact, alignment with our strategic plan, potential return on checkoff investment and the needs of our farmer community.
ISA’s mission, vision and values are clear, and so are the organization's Strategic Focus areas: Market Development, Soybean Production and Government Relations. As the largest farm organization in Illinois representing soybean farmers, our goal remains to uphold the interests of Illinois soybean producers through promotion, advocacy, research and education.
We strive to be a market leader in sustainable soybean production and profitability, increasing demand and advocacy. We focus on market development, promoting Illinois soy as the preferred choice for U.S. and global customers. As the No. 1 soybean-producing state, we are committed to building partnerships to augment ISA’s agronomic research and education programs, creating opportunities for Illinois soybean farmers to increase on-farm profitability and manage crop production risks. We fund holistic research projects that offer the potential to leverage data in new dimensions, respond to global challenges in modern agriculture and provide the most hopeful return for Illinois soybean farmers.
Current Endeavors and Innovations
At the forefront of our innovative efforts is the Soy Innovation Center, a hub dedicated to discovering new uses for soy that can expand markets and applications. This initiative, led by Director of Market Development Todd Main, is a testament to our commitment to sustainability and value-added products derived from soy.
In the area of field research, the ISA Soybean Production Team, headed up by Abigail Peterson, CCA, is actively engaged across the board, and particularly in the ongoing battle against Soybean Cyst Nematode (SCN). Our relentless pursuit of new tools and strategies is aimed at protecting soybean yields from this pervasive threat.
The drive for cleaner energy has never been stronger, and ISA is at the helm with our continued work on biodiesel. Under the leadership of Andrew Larson, Director of Government Relations & Strategy, we successfully advocated for the B20 tax incentives law, ensuring that biodiesel remains a competitive and environmentally friendly option for energy. Because ISA understands the importance of sustainable products and practices, our team is also working to ensure that soy is leading the charge in the development of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). Our efforts are geared toward making soy-derived SAF a viable, sustainable option for the aviation industry, which has strong demand in our own backyard.
Nurturing Our Projects
Selecting the right projects is just the beginning. Just as our farmers nurture their crops throughout the growing season, we must also nurture numerous collaborative initiatives. To continue feeding Illinois innovation, we must focus on improving what works but also think a bit outside the box. And just as our farmers look forward to harvest, we look forward to seeing the fruits of our projects, such as those successful projects outlined above.
Each successful project brings us one step closer to our goal of continuous advancement of the Illinois soybean industry. This is true whether the ISA team is at work on a marketing initiative that opens up a new audience to the potential of Illinois soy, or research projects that lead to new production innovations. And it applies to educational programs that help our farmers improve their practices, as well.
For just as planting is more than placing seeds in soil, planning comes with a higher calling of sowing the future with strategic intent. We must cultivate a landscape where innovation thrives and prosperity takes root. As someone who rarely looks back and prefers instead to keep my eyes on what’s ahead, I can’t help but imagine the bountiful harvest to come.
