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The Farmers' Market
The Farmers' Market
Last year, Illinois farmers produced over 775 million bushels of soybeans and led the nation in soybean production for the eighth consecutive year. Some may see the miles of soybean fields that grow across our state and wonder, what could they possibly be doing with all these soybeans? But as farmers, we know how and why our soybeans are used in many ways all over the map.
The Market Development Committee at the Illinois Soybean Association (ISA) has a firm understanding of the opportunities for soy, and we are committed to increasing the value of soybeans both in the U.S. and around the world.
The ISA Market Development staff has recently tripled in size and will be using their additional manpower to expand their outreach and grow more opportunities for Illinois soybean farmers in new markets, both international and domestic.
With this new growth, Fiscal Year 2024 is gearing up to be a busy and exciting year for the ISA Market Development Committee, and as the newly elected Committee Chairman, I’m looking forward to seeing our extensive list of projects play out over the next year.
The central focus for the committee will be the development of a Soy Innovation Center, which is a new initiative for ISA, and will support the development and commercialization of soy-based products on an industrial scale.
Similarly, ISA recently announced the launch of the Sustainably Soy Certification Program, which recognizes organizations, construction firms, and executives for utilizing sustainable soy-based products in their infrastructure projects, as a growing number of soy-based products are becoming available to those seeking to improve the sustainability of infrastructure investments.
The Market Development Committee will also be continuing work with Airable Research Lab, whose primary focus is to create innovative, sustainable solutions in product development through soy-based materials. By consolidating our resources, Airable and ISA can accelerate innovation and extend our outreach to new stakeholders, putting more soy-based products into the market and capitalizing on the rapid trend toward a green economy.
One of the goals of ISA is to increase the adoption of biodiesel and expand its use on the farm. To do so, ISA will continue to work with the American Lung Association (ALA) to increase the awareness, acceptance and adoption of B11, B20+, renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) through the B20 Club. Along with this, ISA will be the presenting sponsor of the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) football playoffs and championship game to promote the benefits of utilizing biodiesel.
ISA will also continue to provide support to the animal agriculture industry, as livestock, poultry and aquaculture consume the majority of soybean meal produced in the U.S., making these markets our largest global customer. ISA proudly partners with several animal agriculture organizations, like the Illinois Pork Producers Association (IPPA), the Illinois Beef Association (IBA), and the Illinois Milk Producers Association (IMPA) to continue promoting soy as a high–quality protein for livestock.
This is just a glimpse into the countless initiatives the ISA Market Development Committee is taking on in the new fiscal year, and as these projects are put into place, you can be sure that your checkoff dollars are working toward securing and growing the value of your soybeans.
