Four Indiana farmers begin service on state's soybean checkoff board

Four Indiana farmers begin service on state’s soybean checkoff board

BY DAVE BLOWER JR.

Jason Misiniec

Larry Rusch

Jenna Scott

Mark Wenning

Four newly elected board members began their service on the Indiana Soybean Alliance’s Board of Directors, while a handful of directors were selected as executive officers during two days of meetings in late 2022. Earlier in the year, four incumbents and four newcomers earned election to the state’s soybean checkoff board.

Two new board members filled each of the seats in Districts 2 and 3, and incumbent board members returned to service in both Districts 1 and 4.

“Congratulations to the new board members,” said ISA CEO Courtney Kingery. “We’re looking forward to their expertise and contributions to the board.”

Four 2022 board directors are moving on to other adventures this year. In District 2, which is in northeastern Indiana, incumbents Matthew Chapman of Springport, Ind., and Elaine Gillis of Dunkirk, Ind., completed three, three-year terms each. In District 3, which is in southwestern Indiana, Oaktown, Ind., farmer Craig Williams finished his nine years in office, and Oaktown, Ind., farmer Andrew Miller did not seek re-election.

“We want to congratulate the new board members, but first we’d like to sincerely thank those directors who completed their terms on the board in December,” Kingery added. “Thank you to Craig Williams, Andrew Miller, Matt Chapman and Elaine Gillis for your dedication and commitment to the board all these years. I have learned so much from you -- thank you for the counsel and wisdom you’ve shared with me and Indiana’s farmers.”

Scott, Wenning in District 2

The new directors in District 2 are Jenna Scott and Mark Wenning. District 2 includes Adams, Allen, Blackford, DeKalb, Delaware, Grant, Henry, Huntington, Jay, LaGrange, Madison, Noble, Randolph, Steuben, Wayne, Wells and Whitley counties.

Scott, a full-time farmer, produces soybeans, corn, hemp and vegetable transplants in a partnership with her father, Greg Cox, near Muncie, Ind. She is a 2006 Purdue University graduate. Scott and her husband, Doug, are raising two children.

Wenning, also a full-time farmer, grows soybeans and corn on his Henry County farm near Cambridge City, Ind. He studied ag economics and agricultural systems management at Purdue University where he graduated in 2012.

Chapman and Gillis are continuing their service for Indiana farmers. Gillis has been named as a director to the American Soybean Association (ASA) board, and she starts her threeyear term this year. Chapman is starting his first, threeyear term as a board member of the United Soybean Board (USB).

Gillis has been farming with her husband, Craig, since 1999 on their farm that covers Blackford, Delaware and Jay counties. They produce soybeans and corn. Chapman has grown soybeans, corn and wheat on his Henry County farm since 2004. He also raises hogs.

Misiniec, Rusch in District 3

Winning the District 3 race were Jason Misiniec and Larry Rusch. District 3 includes the counties of Clay, Daviess, Dubois, Fountain, Gibson, Greene, Knox, Martin, Montgomery, Owen, Parke, Pike, Posey, Putnam, Spencer, Sullivan, Tippecanoe, Vanderburgh, Vermillion, Vigo, Warren and Warrick.

Misiniec grows soybeans, seed soybeans, white corn and wheat on his farm near Bicknell, Ind., in Knox, Daviess, Greene and Sullivan counties. A full-time farmer, he also owns a small, show pig operation and operates JAM Feeds. He and his wife, Heather, have two children. Rusch, a full-time farmer, grows soybeans and corn on his farm near Vincennes, Ind. He began farming in 1991. He earned degrees from Vincennes University and Western Kentucky University. Rusch and his wife, Jerri, have three children.

Like Chapman and Gillis, Williams isn’t ending service, either. During his years serving District 3, Williams was frequently Indiana’s representative to ASA’s World Initiative for Soy in Human Health, or WISHH. This organization works to encourage the use of soy products and proteins in developing countries around the world. In 2022, Williams was elected as Secretary on the WISHH executive committee.

Williams has represented District 3 since 2013. He has grown soybeans, corn and melons on his family farm in rural Knox and Sullivan counties since 1995. Williams earned an associate’s degree from Vincennes University in 1989, and he earned his bachelor’s degree from Purdue University in 1993.

Incumbents return to Districts 1, 4

In District 1, Bremen, Ind., farmer Joe Stoller were re-elected. He won a second term on the ISA board. He operates J.R. Stoller Farms in Marshall and Elkhart counties, growing soybeans and commercial corn. District 1 includes Benton, Carroll, Cass, Clinton, Elkhart, Fulton, Howard, Jasper, Kosciusko, LaPorte, Lake, Marshall, Miami, Newton, Porter, Pulaski, St. Joseph, Starke, Tipton, Wabash and White counties.

In District 4, Seymour, Ind., farmer Kevin Burbrink and Greensburg, Ind., farmer Mike Koehne were re-elected. Burbrink won a second term. A full-time farmer since 1973, he grows soybeans, corn, wheat on his farm and has also grown popcorn, tomatoes, green beans and cucumbers for pickles. Koehne earned a third ISA board election. He grows corn, hay and raises cattle. A first-generation farmer, he started in 1992, and he also owns a farm drainage business.

District 4 counties are Bartholomew, Boone, Brown, Clark, Crawford, Dearborn, Decatur, Fayette, Floyd, Franklin, Hamilton, Hancock, Harrison, Hendricks, Jackson, Jefferson, Jennings, Johnson, Lawrence, Marion, Monroe, Morgan, Ohio, Orange, Perry, Ripley, Rush, Scott, Shelby, Switzerland, Union and Washington.

New executive officers elected

The elected officers of ISA’s Executive Committee include, from left, M&P Chair Keevin Lemenager, Monrovia, Ind.; Secretary Joe Stoller, Bremen, Ind.; Chair Mike Koehne, Greensburg, Ind.; Treasurer C.J. Chalfant, Hartford City, Ind.; and Vice Chair Kevin Cox, Brazil, Ind.

Part of the business during the December ISA board meetings was the process of selecting its leadership. Koehne was elected as the board chair by his peers. He takes over for Jim Douglas, who has served as the board’s leader for the past year. Koehne has served in many roles during his six years on the board, including two years as the chair of ISA’s Membership & Policy Committee (M&P).

Kevin Cox, a farmer from Brazil, Ind., was elected as vice chair. The new secretary is Stoller; and entering his second year as treasurer, is Hartford City, Ind., farmer C.J. Chalfant.

The board also selected three committee chairs. Monrovia, Ind., farmer Keevin Lemenager will lead the M&P Committee; LaGrange, Ind., farmer Carey McKibben will lead the Market Development Committee; and Denise Scarborough of LaCrosse, Ind., will lead the Sustainability and Value Creation Committee for a second year.

“Between the young farmers just joining our board and the veteran board members who are returning, we have a really good group to lead this organization,” Koehne said. “I’m excited for this next year. I’m excited for the things we’re going to accomplish in the next 12 months.”