Iowa Soybean Review, October 2020

October 2020

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President Jeff Jorgenson, Sidney | D7 President Elect Robb Ewoldt, Davenport | D6 Treasurer Dave Walton, Wilton | D6

October 2020 | Vol. 33, No. 1

Secretary Randy Miller, Lacona | D8 Executive Committee Jeff Frank, Auburn | D4 Board of Directors Brent Swart, Spencer | D1 Chuck White, Spencer | D1 April Hemmes, Hampton | D2 Casey Schlichting, Clear Lake | D2 Rick Juchems, Plainfield | D3 Suzanne Shirbroun, Farmersburg | D3 Marty Danzer, Carroll | D4 Tom Vincent, Perry | D5 Morey Hill, Madrid | D5 Bill Shipley, Nodaway | D7 Warren Bachman, Osceola | D8 Pat Swanson, Ottumwa | D9 Tom Adam, Harper | D9 Brent Renner, Klemme | At Large Steph Essick, Dickens | At Large Lindsay Greiner, Keota | At Large Tim Bardole, Rippey | At Large American Soybean Association Board of Directors Morey Hill, Madrid Wayne Fredericks, Osage Brian Kemp, Sibley John Heisdorffer, Keota Steph Essick, Dickens Dave Walton, Wilton United Soybean Board of Directors Lindsay Greiner, Keota Larry Marek, Riverside Tom Oswald, Cleghorn April Hemmes, Hampton Staff Credits Editor | Ann Clinton Sr. Dir., Information & Education | Aaron Putze, APR Creative Manager | Ashton Boles Photographer | Joseph L. Murphy Writer | Bethany Baratta Writer | Lauren Houska Writer | Katie Johnson Sales Director | David Larson

Iowa Soybean Review is published eight times a year by: Iowa Soybean Association 1255 SW Prairie Trail Parkway, Ankeny, Iowa 50023 (515) 251-8640 | iasoybeans.com E-mail: aclinton@iasoybeans.com For advertising information in the Iowa Soybean Review, please contact Larson Ent. LLC (515) 440-2810 or Dave@LarsonentLLC.com.

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12 Picking Up the Pieces

The USDA’s Risk Management Agency reported 57 counties in Iowa were in the path of the Aug. 10 derecho.

16

A Century of Soy

Iowans reflect on their experiences leading ASA.

22

Making Progress in Water Quality U.S. soy’s approach lifts all protein sectors.

26

Mighty Mississippi

Project to enhance soybean’s leading export region off icially kicks off.

On the Cover: Iowa has a rich history of farmer leaders. As the American Soybean Association (ASA) celebrates its 100th anniversary, the soybean industry honors the eight Iowans who have served as ASA presidents since 1920.

IOWA SOYBEAN REVIEW® | 3

Executive Insights Kirk Leeds, ISA Chief Executive Off icer kleeds@iasoybeans.com

Matter of Trade As farmers are busy with harvest, what should they know about the status of U.S. soybean trade?

The good news is that we finally have some good news. This comes on the heels of a couple years of difficult markets and disappointing numbers on the international front.

We’ve seen an uptick recently in exports led by China. Other markets are generating increased interest, including Pakistan and Bangladesh, which an Iowa Soybean Association-led delegation visited earlier this year.

What country holds the most promise for increased purchases of U.S. soybeans?

You can never forget China. Even though there are those who believe we’re too dependent on the country, it remains the world’s major driver of soybean sales and exports. Sixty percent of the world’s soybeans are purchased by China. So, you can’t move forward and think about investing resources in trade without thinking about China.

Tell us more about the opportunities in Pakistan and Bangladesh.

Those may seem like strange markets for the Iowa soybean farmer, but there’s a lot of growth opportunities in that part of the world. Egypt is also an incredibly

powerful and important story. The aquaculture and chicken industries are growing rapidly in Egypt. We’ll continue to focus on Egypt moving forward.

What role does the soybean checkoff play in developing markets for U.S. soybeans?

The soybean checkoff is incredibly important for building markets, particularly on the front end. We often talk about China. The reality is that it was soybean farmers and the soybean checkoff that went to China 25-30 years ago, long before we were selling soybeans there. We helped develop the market in China, and the people of China understand the marketplace for soybeans.

The same holds true for Pakistan, Bangladesh and Egypt. You are going to see tremendous growth in these countries, which are already home to large populations that are starting to experience economic growth.

What else does the soybean checkoff do beyond developing relationships?

It enables the soybean industry to conduct trade services. This is critical work that rarely makes headlines. For example, if there are issues with the quality of soybeans or how they’re delivered, the U.S. soybean industry is always there

immediately with people on the ground asking, ‘What do we need to do to make sure that Iowa and U.S. soybeans are their preferred choice?’

The soybean checkoff program allows America to do what no other country does.

What can Iowa farmers do to help market and sell U.S. soybeans?

First, we must produce a large supply and quality product. We can do all the market demand building we want to do, but if we don’t have a crop to sell, it doesn’t do any good. Farmers must continue doing what they’re doing – select a seed variety that gives us higher protein and oil. Harvest them in an appropriate way. Keep out things in the harvest that shouldn’t be there.

Then get the soybeans transported to a co-op or local buyer with the highest quality possible.

Second, farmers have an important job of serving as ambassadors. We have incredible opportunities in Iowa to host trade teams from all over the world.

They want to come here and see the crop. It’s important that when we take buyers and guests from other countries onto our farms, that farmers are willing, able and ready to be ambassadors for us and tell the story of high-quality soybeans and how they were grown. No one is better or more qualified to do this than the Iowa farmer.

Aaron Putze, APR, Sr. Director of Information & Education, sat down with Iowa Soybean Association CEO Kirk Leeds to discuss international trade.

4 | OCTOBER 2020 | IASOYBEANS.COM

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Policy Update Michael Dolch, ISA Director of Public Affairs, MDolch@iasoybeans.com

Driven To Deliver

O

ne year ago, I wrote a column titled, Push the Fight. The realistic yet optimistic and up-tempo message talked about the uncertain 2019 growing season giving way to a difficult fall harvest, leaving folks with more questions than answers. We bobbed and weaved through a laundry list of critical issues requiring congressional action before year’s end. Fast forward to today and the year 2020, which has provided just as many, if not more, challenges at the farm gate – most of which are out of your control. With harvest underway, no shortage of issues facing American agriculture, and an important presidential election less than 30 days away, there’s reason to proceed with cautious optimism and a “back-tothe-basics” approach.

With the economic hardships lingering and farmers still feeling the effects of trade imbalances and severe weather, it’s increasingly important to raise awareness among policymakers about how public policies impact farmers and the agriculture industry.

Over the last year, the Iowa Soybean Association (ISA) hasn’t backed down from any battle in the policy arena. In fact, ISA’s board of directors and Advocate members are motivated and have stepped up

6 | OCTOBER 2020 | IASOYBEANS.COM

all across the state to protect the critical biodiesel market, recover lost biodiesel demand, and secure a second round of Market Facilitation Program payments and two rounds of direct aid through the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program.

To continue making a positive difference and increase ISA’s effectiveness on behalf of soybean farmers, we need champion advocates like you. We need farmers around the state to stand up for policies in their district and communities. Whether you are already involved or just getting started, you can raise your voice to influence policies impacting agriculture and the soybean business.

Since most legislators make it a high priority to keep in touch with their constituents, here are several “back-to-the-basics” recommendations to put a face on an issue and share your story: • Become familiar with important policy issues as an Advocate member and sign up to receive ISA issues updates and action alerts; • Find your elected officials at each level of government by visiting a helpful resources like www.legis. iowa.gov/legislators/find; • Engage your legislators through

a simple phone call, email, social media post or handwritten letter – remember to briefly introduce yourself, make “the ask” and make it personal; • Visit your legislators face-to-face if possible, either in their office, over coffee or at an in-district meeting or event; • Open your farm to a virtual or in-person tour, and invite a policymaker and/or their staff to visit; and of course, • Urge friends, ISA farmer members and others in your community to get involved and take action.

As a constituent, you carry a lot of power with your elected officials.

Let’s be honest, they work on your behalf. If it’s your first time meeting with an elected official or you’re unsure where to start, don’t worry, you don’t have to go it alone. ISA is here to help. Reach out to us for ideas and opportunities to join the effort in a unified and coordinated way. Just like raising crops or livestock are year-round activities, continuous, year-round advocacy makes all the difference here in Iowa and in Washington, D.C. Until next time, be good, be safe, and have a bountiful harvest!

Full-Circle Return

HERE’S HOW THE SOY CHECKOFF WORKS. The national soy checkoff was created as part of the 1990 Farm Bill. The Act & Order that created the soy checkoff requires that all soybean farmers pay into the soy checkoff at the first point of purchase. These funds are then used for promotion, research and education at both the state and national level.

S TO ELEVATORS, PROCESS N A E ORS B ELL &D S EA RS E LER M R S A F 1/2 of 1% of the total selling price collected per the national soybean act & order

0.5%

Half goes to the state checkoff for investment in areas that are a priority for that state.

PROMOTION

RESEARCH

EDUCATION

Half goes to the national checkoff for investment in USB’s* long-range strategic plan.

ROI TO THE FA RMER by 73 volunteer soybean farmers, the United Soybean Board * Led (USB) invests and leverages soy checkoff dollars to MAXIMIZE PROFIT OPPORTUNITIES for all U.S. soybean farmers.

unitedsoybean.org IOWA SOYBEAN REVIEW® | 7

Activate or Validate Your Membership Your investment in the soybean checkoff powers the Iowa Soybean Association. Farmer membership is available to you at no additional cost. We customize your membership to meet your needs, sending you the information and providing the resources you need to make farming decisions that keep you competitive.

Put our expertise and services to work for you — validate your membership today at iasoybeans.com/join.

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INVESTING IN NEW MARKETS FOR U.S. SOY

From promoting the profitability of using high-quality soybean meal in India to training animal producers on nutrition in Colombia, the soy checkoff is working behind the scenes to develop more market opportunities for U.S. soy. We’re looking inside the bean, beyond the bushel and around the world to keep preference for U.S. soy strong. And it’s helping make a valuable impact for soybean farmers like you.

See more ways the soy checkoff is maximizing profit opportunities for soybean farmers at unitedsoybean.org

Brought to you by the soy checkoff. ©2018 United Soybean Board. Our Soy Checkoff and the Our Soy Checkoff mark are trademarks of United Soybean Board. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.

IOWA SOYBEAN REVIEW® | 9

Iowa Soybean Association Directors Elected The Iowa Soybean Association (ISA) board of directors recently elected executive committee officers to serve the association.

Jeff Jorgenson of Sidney accepted the role of President.

Joining him on the executive committee are: Robb Ewoldt, Davenport, president-elect; Dave Walton, Wilton, treasurer; Randy Miller, Lacona, secretary; and Jeff Frank, Auburn, at-large.

Jorgenson welcomed the state soybean leaders to their posts as he begins his presidency.

“This team of leaders is experienced, dedicated and passionate about the soybean industry and driven to deliver for the association,” he says.

“A new year offers new opportunities to serve in the best interests of soybean farmers throughout the state.”

ISA directors also elected Jorgenson to serve as a director on the board of the American Soybean Association (ASA). Continuing to represent Iowa soybean farmers on the ASA board are Walton, Morey Hill of Madrid, Steph Essick of Dickens, Wayne Fredericks of

Osage and Brian Kemp of Sibley.

“It’s our privilege to be stewards of farmers’ checkoff dollars,” Jorgenson says.

“Leadership is never more important than in tumultuous times, and I look forward to leading with this team of farmers.”

Iowa Soybean Association directors elected to serve on the executive committee (from left) Jeff Frank, Robb Ewoldt, Jeff Jorgenson, Dave Walton and Randy Miller.

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IOWA SOYBEAN REVIEW® | 11

Picking Up the Pieces

12 | OCTOBER 2020 | IASOYBEANS.COM

The USDA’s Risk Management Agency reported 57 counties in Iowa were in the path of the Aug. 10 derecho, which stretched 770 miles from southern South Dakota to western Ohio.

Approximately 5.6 million acres of soybeans and 8.2 million acres of corn in those 57 Iowa counties may have been impacted by the storm.

Based on satellite imagery and Storm Prediction Center preliminary storm reports, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship believes 36 counties in Iowa were hardest hit by the derecho. Within those 36 counties, the storm likely had the greatest impact on 2.5 million acres of soybeans and 3.57 million acres of corn. Additionally, 57 million bushels of commercial grain storage capacity in Iowa was destroyed or seriously damaged. Similar damage was made to on-farm grain storage capacity.

IOWA SOYBEAN REVIEWÂŽ | 13

SOY CENTENNIAL The American Soybean Association celebrates 100 years of representing U.S. soybean growers

BY LAUREN HOUSKA

M

eeting the demands of a growing world population is no small feat. Soybean farmers know that from firsthand experience. So does the organization that has supported them for 100 years, the American Soybean Association (ASA).

Planting the Seeds The seeds of ASA were planted in September 1920, when 1,000 farmers and researchers gathered at Soyland Farms in Indiana. After discussing the many opportunities growing soybeans afforded farmers, there was a consensus that a dedicated organization was needed to help promote and develop soybean production and utilization in the U.S. And so, the National Soybean Growers’ Association was founded.

Just five years later, the organization had grown, prompting its leaders to adopt a constitution and bylaws and rebrand as American

14 | OCTOBER 2020 | IASOYBEANS.COM

Soybean Association. It also adopted the measure to require membership fees to begin funding the efforts of maintaining satisfactory markets and eventually tackling 1931, the first major export of U.S. soybeans saw 2 million bushels exported to Europe. By 1937, sufficient amounts of soybeans were being raised and made available in commercial markets to justify the inauguration of trading in future soybean contracts by the Chicago Board of Trade — the first crop to be added in a very long time.

Taking Root in Iowa While the seeds of ASA were planted in Indiana, the roots of the organization took hold in Iowa.

The “little bean” was threatening to challenge “King Corn” for acreage. In 1940, the farmer leaders determined the organization needed full-time management.

ASA hired George Strayer, a

29-year-old Iowa soybean farmer, as executive secretary and the first paid employee. This effectively made Hudson, Iowa, the headquarters of ASA. The organization also established a formal board of directors that year.

Farmers involved in the organization went to work expanding awareness and markets for soybeans.

Throughout the 1940s, they realized financing ASA solely through membership dues would not reliably support the broad scope of important activities the association needed to perform.

A voluntary nationwide investment program was launched in 1948, asking growers to invest one-fifth of one cent per bushel from the sale of their crop that year. Elevators were asked to sign an agreement with ASA to collect the money at the time of purchase and remit it to ASA. This program eventually led to the establishment of state soybean checkoff programs.

Though many things have changed over the years, one thing has not — ASA is an organization founded by farmers for farmers.

Growing Markets and Uses The organization continued to grow, hitting new milestones along the way. ASA opened its first international office in Japan in 1956.

ASA worked diligently to develop international markets and was recognized with the “Billion Dollar Export” award by U.S. Secretary of Agriculture in 1966. Just two years later, and with a decade of work developing international markets under its belt, more than half of the U.S. soybean crop for that marketing year was exported.

While Minnesota was the first to organize a state soybean association in 1962, Iowa was not far behind. The Iowa Soybean Promotion Board was created (re-organized into the Iowa Soybean Association) two years later.

Harvesting Checkoff Dollars After nearly 40 years of officing in Iowa, ASA moved to its “world” headquarters in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1989. At the same time, ASA began efforts to achieve a national soybean checkoff program. The Soybean Promotion, Research, and

Consumer Information Act of 1991 was authorized by Congress as part of the 1990 Farm Bill and collections began.

One-half of one percent of the market price per bushel of soybeans sold are collected at the point of sale. The proceeds are split equally between state soybean checkoff and the national checkoff. A new farmer-led entity, the United Soybean Board, was created by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to oversee the investment of these dollars in non-policy-related areas.

With the soybean checkoff secured, ASA focused on supporting domestic and international policy issues. Today, ASA has 26 affiliated state associations representing 30 soybean-producing states and more than 300,000 soybean farmers.

Celebrating a Century On August 4, 2020, ASA’s past and current leaders gathered at the association’s birthplace to celebrate.

ISA member Ray Gaesser of Corning attended the celebration held at the Fouts brothers’ Soyland farm in Camden, Indiana. It allowed

him to reflect on his time serving as ASA president from 2013-2014 while also looking to the future.

“You’re not only making a difference for your fellow farmers, you’re making a difference for your family, too,” he says of being involved in ASA. “As you influence policies, you’re impacting things that have a direct impact on your farm and livelihood.”

Though many things have changed over the years, Gaesser says one thing has not — ASA is an organization founded by farmers for farmers. Looking ahead, he says there will always be public policy work that needs attention.

“That is really the charge of ASA,” he says. “The organization does policy work that helps farmers and protects them from legislation that may be detrimental to how we care for the land or our ability to operate. That work will always be important.”

Contact Lauren Houska at lhouska@iasoybeans.com.

The American Soybean Association contributed to this report.

IOWA SOYBEAN REVIEW® | 15

A CENTURY OF SOY Iowans reflect on their experiences leading ASA

BY BETHANY BARATTA

Eight Iowans have led the American Soybean Association (ASA) as president since the organization’s beginning in 1920. The Iowa Soybean Association celebrates the contributions of E.S. Dyas, Howard Roach and Merlyn Groot, now deceased.

Marlyn Jorgensen, Ron Heck, John Hoffman, Ray Gaesser and John Heisdorffer reflect on their experiences as presidents of ASA.

MARLYN JORGENSEN, GARRISON ASA president, 1989-1990

16 | OCTOBER 2020 | IASOYBEANS.COM

What were the biggest priorities for the American Soybean Association during your term?

Heisdorffer: “Getting the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) signed. Later, the trade war between China and the U.S. began, so we spent a lot of time and attention on trying to mend the trade war. As a farmer, you normally try to hit a problem head on and fix it, but fixing something like trade isn’t that simple.”

Gaesser: “We pushed to pass the 2012 Farm Bill, which was passed in late January 2014. We urged that Price Loss Coverage (PLC) and Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) were part of the farm bill to let farmers make their own decisions about what coverage option would work best for them.

Building the relationships between ASA, the United Soybean Board and the U.S. Soy Export Coalition

(USSEC) was also critical as we continued efforts to build trade relationships all over the world.”

Jorgensen: “Establishing a national soybean checkoff and getting soybeans recognized as a federal crop, which created a floor for soybean prices. Coming off the Farm Crisis, there was a lot of unrest in the ag community because of high interest rates. I lost my best friend and neighbor during the Farm Crisis to suicide, so it was personally important to me that we got soybeans recognized in the federal loan program.”

Heck: “In 2002, soybeans were recognized as a program crop for the first time, reaching equal status with wheat, rice and corn in farm programs. In 2003, WTO (World Trade Organization) negotiations

JOHN HOFFMAN, WATERLOO ASA president, 2007-2008

were a very big deal.

Along with the freedom to farm and increasing yields, we had to sell more products overseas.

Most of the years were spent getting better trade agreements for soybeans.

Other priorities included allowing soy milk to be offered in schools and passage of the first biodiesel tax incentive.”

E.S. DYAS, AMES ASA president 1935-1936

Hoffman: “The 2008 Farm Bill was top of mind during the 16 months I served as president.

Specifically, ASA was supportive of the risk management tools the farm bill provided. The 2008 Farm Bill provided funding for the Foreign Market Development the Market Access programs.

International marketing was also important to the organization, with ASA international marketing the precursor to USSEC.”

HOWARD ROACH, PLAINFIELD ASA president 1944-1946

MERLYN GROOT, MANSON ASA president 1978-1979

IOWA SOYBEAN REVIEW® | 17

What was your most memorable takeaway or event from your term?

Heisdorffer: “Two events stick out in my mind. The first was being on stage and shaking President Donald Trump’s hand during the signing of the 2018 Farm Bill. The second was having my family at Commodity Classic with me in Anaheim, California, during my presidency.”

Gaesser:“It was great building connections with not only people in the state, but also in the nation. The experience also opened my eyes to how the soybean industry works through policy, research, market development and educational efforts to expand U.S. soy’s reach globally.”

Jorgensen: “A good part of the presidency was traveling to see different soybean-growing states and speaking at annual meetings.

I made a ton of new friends, many of whom I still see to this day.”

national level you meet people who really care about soybeans. As president you meet people internationally, and you realize that soybeans are more than just a crop, they are part of a worldwide culture.”

Hoffman: “We had worked for more than a year talking about extension of the biodiesel tax incentive but couldn’t get our foot in the door to talk to Mark Prater, who was then chief tax counsel for the U.S. Senate Finance Committee. Having a personal connection with Sen. Charles Grassley, a neighbor and chair of the Senate Finance Committee, I called his local office to ask for that opportunity.

By the end of the day, an appointment was set up to have a conversation with Prater, and we eventually secured the extension of the biodiesel tax incentive.”

Heck: “The realization that the worldwide soybean family is a real thing. You see that from the beginning by being involved in the county and state levels, and at the

How did serving as ASA president help you grow as a farmer?

Heisdorffer: “I grew as a leader. Being ASA president helped me see how leadership really works and how respected the position is. It made me think about how everyone working together can accomplish something that no farmer can accomplish on their own.”

Gaesser: “Being away from the farm, I really appreciated the team I had at home and how they stepped up to make sure things got done properly all year.

In turn, this allowed the team at home to build as we invested in the next generation.”

Jorgensen: “It made me a better businessman because I was dealing also with ASA budgets.

I learned how to evaluate risks/ rewards more effectively.”

Heck: “You see so much, do so much and meet so many great people. It gives you a broader viewpoint and makes life wider and better.”

Hoffman: “It developed my perspective of how critically important ASA is to soybean farmers in Iowa and across the country.”

RAY GAESSER, CORNING ASA president, 2013-2014

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JOHN HEISDORFFER, KEOTA

RON HECK, PERRY

ASA president, 2017-2018

ASA president, 2003-2004

Why was having Iowa’s voice heard important?

Heck: “During my time as president, there were three Iowans in key positions: Sen. Grassley was the ranking member of senate finance committee, Allen Johnson was the chief agriculture negotiator for the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, and Sen. Harkin, was chair of the senate ag committee. From my viewpoint, we were able to get these priorities accomplished because we had those important state connections.”

Heisdorffer: “Being a top soybean-producing state, we were a leader. As Iowans, for example, we were asked for input about

the Market Facilitation Program, and we were thrilled that most of what we suggested was actually used as framework for the program.”

Gaesser: “ISA has been so forward-thinking in the areas of water quality, conservation and environmental stewardship, so people looked up to ISA for those values and experiences. It was great sharing not only what we were doing, but to also expand those ideas nationally.”

Jorgensen: “Iowa is a leader in soybean production, and proved to be focused on the bigger

picture, especially during discussions regarding how the checkoff would be collected. It took a lot of statesmanship not only from Iowans, but also from folks from the south to bring it all together.”

Hoffman: “ISA is very progressive. We’re also ahead of the curve in environmental programming and understanding policy because agriculture is an economic driver in the state. I think that gave us a leg up when it came to developing solutions on the national level.”

Contact Bethany Baratta at bbaratta@ iasoybeans.com.

IOWA SOYBEAN REVIEW® | 19

Leading the Way in Water Quality National award highlights dedication to collaboration

BY KATIE JAMES

T

here may not be an “I” in team, but soybean farmers who are making strides in water quality know there is an “I” in collaboration.

Iowa Soybean Association (ISA) was recognized for this collaboration by receiving a 2020 U.S. Water Prize. It was presented earlier this year by the U.S. Water Alliance, an organization that promotes awareness of all areas of water management including business, manufacturing, agriculture and municipalities.

The alliance encourages the One Water concept – a holistic way of thinking about water as a resource that

20 | OCTOBER 2020 | IASOYBEANS.COM

connects everyone.

Awarding seven prestigious prizes each year for those displaying exemplary efforts toward water stewardship, the U.S. Water Alliance selected ISA as the non-profit winner.

“We really weren’t expecting this,” says Roger Wolf, ISA director of innovation and integrated solutions, for ISA’s Research Center for Farming Innovation. “But it shows that ISA is recognized as an organization helping farmers address water quality issues on their farms and within their communities.”

Wolf says ISA’s “watershed approach”

is what makes the organization stand out. Wolf and the team within ISA’s Research Center for Farming Innovation bring science and data to the forefront through agronomy research, data analytics and water monitoring.

“Mix all those pieces together and it’s really helping farmers embrace how changes on their farm are good for them in terms of production and also for folks downstream and throughout their watershed,” says Wolf.

Water monitoring plays a critical role in how ISA targets specific watershed areas. Samples are collected and tested for nutrients using an accredited water

quality testing lab. ISA hosts one of the only labs in Iowa certified by the Department of Natural Resources with authority from the Environmental Protection Agency.

Tony Seeman, an ISA water quality scientist, says the lab was born from the desire to increase sampling. When the new ISA office was constructed in 2010, the lab became ready-touse one year later.

“Our primary goal with the lab is to run water samples, and evaluate and put resources toward the areas with the biggest issues,” says Seeman.

A large part of Seeman’s time is in the field, working with partners on watershed projects. And when Seeman is not in the field, he’s in the lab recording data from samples collected from around Iowa.

“Everyone thinks they have the answers, but without data, you don’t,” Seeman Seeman says. “I always tell farmers, ‘you can’t manage what you don’t measure.’”

ISA’s lab measures for nitrates, phosphate, chloride and sulfates. It’s also certified to test for fluoride and E.coli bacteria. The lab can detect these pollutants and compute results in about one day.

Water sampling also offers farmers concrete proof that conservation efforts like cover crops and reduced tillage make an impact. And for farmers within project areas, such as the Middle Cedar Partnership Project and the Raccoon and Boone River watersheds, lab results show how they stack up against their neighbors in terms of the quality of the water leaving their land.

“A lot of it is education and engagement,” Seeman says. “We need farmers who are engaged and want to make an impact on improving water quality.”

Part of an integrated approach,

Seeman says, water sampling is giving producers a look at what’s leaving their fields. This information helps them discover if they’re losing excess nutrients. Improving water quality is one of many goals, along with increasing yields and improving profitability.

For Wolf, the U.S. Water Prize is evidence that working together with landowners, farmers and partners while sticking to an integrated approach leads to real results.

“ISA is in a rare space within the One Water realm,” Wolf says. “We are out there engaging with farmers in a way they can benefit from and trust. Working collaboratively helps us approach the topic of water quality holistically.

We aren’t in the business of just flag waving.”

The U.S. Water Alliance says collaboration is a primary reason ISA

was recognized. Citing ISA’s ability to work with both agricultural and urban stakeholders, the alliance says this collaborative mentality is at the core of the One Water concept and cleaner water.

Wolf considers the future and how ISA, soybean farmers and partners can increase the number of conservation practices across Iowa’s landscape, even during turbulent years.

The next 20 years promise continued attention on water quality and agriculture’s role within it, Wolf predicts. Iowa’s large number of rivers, lakes and excess waters have many cities calling for a push in tourism.

More people using Iowa’s waterways means increaed attention or how natural resources are being managed.

“We have a lot of work left to do, and the next generation is figuring it out,” Wolf says. “We’re not there yet.”

Contact Katie James at kjames@iasoybeans.com.

Edge of field conservation practices like bioreactors and saturated buffers have proven to remove significant amounts of nitrates leaving fields. ISA is recognized as an organization helping farmers address water quality issues in the state.

IOWA SOYBEAN REVIEW® | 21

Making Progress

in Water Quality

ISA experts help guide farmer’s path to cleaner water

BY BETHANY BARATTA

F

rom a window in his rural Lake City home, Mark Schleisman can see the North Raccoon River. It’s not only a tributary feeding the Mississippi River, but a place where his kids enjoy fishing. It’s an extension of the landscape that Schleisman has worked decades protecting using various soil and water conservation efforts.

He knows the cover crops, bioreactors, grass waterways and filter strips are benefitting water quality.

One sign is the quality of fish his children catch.

“When I was a kid, the water quality was not very good in the river,” Schleisman says. “We fished for catfish

Corey McKinney, a conservationist with the Iowa Soybean Association, checks water levels in a newly installed saturated buffer along Rock Creek near Osage.

22 | OCTOBER 2020 | IASOYBEANS.COM

and got mostly carp. Now, my kids catch bass and walleye – nice game fish out of the water.”

He sees the water quality improve through the various testing he’s been involved with through the Iowa Soybean Association (ISA). Cover crops sequester nutrients on his fields, keeping valuable inputs there for the next crop.

Tile monitoring through ISA validates progress made in water quality.

“I really appreciate ISA doing this monitoring because it puts a real number behind the practice,” he says.

A strategic approach Long before the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy was implemented, ISA was working with farmers to reduce nutrient loading in Iowa’s streams and rivers. ISA recognizes the role the agriculture industry has in positively affecting water quality for downstream partners.

“Farmers in watersheds have the first opportunity to influence what stays on the farm and what’s released,” says Roger Wolf, director of innovation and integrated solutions for ISA’s Research Center for Farming Innovation.

Workers install a bioreactor in the Rock Creek Watershed near Osage.

He says a suite of practices can change the flow of water. Each practice – whether within a field or edge-offield – can be a “barrier to the impact of the raindrop,” he says.

The Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy, which ISA provided technical expertise in coordinationRoger with the Wolf Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, and Iowa State University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, has heightened the discussion of water quality since it was released in May 2013.

The Iowa plan was developed in response to the 2008 Gulf Hypoxia Plan, which called for the states bordering the Mississippi River to reduce the amount of nitrogen and phosphorus reaching the gulf by at least 45%.

“The key of the nutrient reduction strategy is to crack the nut on capturing big reductions in nutrient losses,” Wolf says.

Various practices and tools are helping the state achieve the goals set in the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy. ISA Conservationist Corey McKinney helps farmers determine which tools are most appropriate for their farms.

“I’m here for the farmer,” McKinney says. “We talk through the goals of the farm, look at where a practice could make the most sense and work at getting those practices implemented.”

A further evaluation of Schleisman’s farm, for example, determined that additional bioreactors could be constructed to filter water before reaching the Mississippi River. As a result, three bioreactors will be implemented this year.

Schleisman is also excited about a water recycling project being engineered for his farm. With technical assistance from Chris Hay, ISA senior manager of production

systems innovation, Schleisman will recycle water that flows from his fields by storing it for irrigation when rainfall is scarce.

“We’re taking tile water that potentially has unused nutrients in it and reapplying those back onto the field to raise a crop, rather than losing those nutrients downstream,” Schleisman says.

Sometimes, adding a project isn’t the right fit for the farm or the farmer, McKinney says. Farmers can then rely on ISA’s agronomy and analytical experts to make the most out of every acre through improved cropping systems and analytical tools.

The integrated approach to water quality is key to reaching the “audacious” goals of the strategy, Wolf says.

“Using this integrated approach within ISA’s Research Center for Farming Innovation, we’re bringing together on-farm research along with agronomic and analytical data to build soil health and improve water quality,” Wolf says.

There are efforts underway to transition from demonstration-sized projects to those that encompass several counties.

“For us to be really successful in achieving these big goals set in the reduction strategy, we’re going to have to get a lot more acres under these strategy-approved practices,” Wolf says.

As ISA has done for the past several decades, it stands ready to help farmers understand and implement tools to help them be better stewards of their fields and water.

“There are a lot of tools in the conservation toolbox,” McKinney says. “Finding the best tools to accomplish the goal can be daunting, but that’s where the expertise of ISA comes in. We’re here to help.”

Contact Bethany Baratta at bbaratta@iasoybeans.com.

IOWA SOYBEAN REVIEW® | 23

Raising Awareness

in Water Quality

Clean Water in Iowa Starts Here

BY SEAN MCMAHON

T

he Iowa Agriculture Water Alliance is thrilled to partner with the Iowa Soybean Association (ISA), Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS), and WHO and WMT Radio on the Clean Water in Iowa Starts Here campaign. It aims to raise awareness of the roles all Iowans can play in improving water quality.

One feature of the initiative are live broadcast remotes originating from farms throughout Iowa.

I was pleased to be back on Bill and Nancy Couser’s farm near

Nevada for the third stop on the campaign. It was a beautiful day in mid-August to launch the brand new $33 million Iowa Systems Approach to Conservation Drainage project along with our partners at IDALS and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).

The Couser farm is an exemplary model for conservation practices. From the site where we broadcast the show — at the headwaters of both Indian Creek and the West Branch of Indian Creek — we can gaze down an ample

200-foot grass buffer to a beautiful, restored stretch of meandering creek.

Also within our view is dense timber teeming with birdlife, four saturated buffers and bioreactors, and a sevenacre patch of native prairie. As Bob Quinn of The Big Show observed, we could also see an ethanol plant, view several wind turbines and hear a nearby train. And of course, we could see where the Cousers have implemented cover crops, no till, other forms of reduced tillage, drainage water management and innovative nutrient

Sean McMahon, Executive Director of the Iowa Agriculture Water Alliance, visits with Bob Quinn during an WHO Big Show interview about Clean Water in Iowa Starts Here.

24 | OCTOBER 2020 | IASOYBEANS.COM

stewardship practices, including a recent biological product designed to increase the amount of nitrogen available to the corn crop.

The Cousers are also measuring water quality. They have broken their farm down into four quadrants, each drained by different tile lines, to better understand how different management systems are impacting nitrogen and phosphorus levels.

The Cousers aren’t done yet.

They’re also planning on installing two more bioreactors on their ‘AGvocacy Learning Farm.’

The Couser farm was very fitting to kick-off the new water quality campaign, because the Cousers are already taking a systems approach to agricultural productivity, profitability and water quality. We look forward to working with additional producers in north-central and central Iowa to adopt this systems approach.

Building off concepts developed

by Dr. Mike Castellano and colleagues at Iowa State University, the Iowa Agriculture Water Alliance will help farmers better understand the interactions among subsurface agricultural drainage, in-field management practices and agricultural productivity and profitability. We’ll also seek to better integrate infield management practices with edge-of-field conservation drainage practices. This approach will help farmers improve their bottom line, boost yields, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve water quality.

As farmers are considering upgrading their subsurface drainage, it is a great time to plan and design conservation drainage practices like drainage water management, saturated buffers, bioreactors or even wetlands.

Drainage water management can help farmers in years like the one we’re having right now, with a fairly wet spring followed by a very dry summer. Drainage control structures installed on tile lines can hold water back for the crops, enabling farmers to get a yield bump from those systems.

Brock Hansen, a farmer from Baxter, collects a water sample from a field tile. Hansen works with the Iowa Soybean Association to monitor water quality on his farm.

The Iowa Systems Approach to Conservation Drainage project is made possible by a $10 million grant from USDA-NRCS through the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP), which we are matching with $23 million in nonfederal partner contributions.

The RCPP, first authorized in the 2014 Farm Bill, will target federal financial assistance to priority watersheds and landscapes and usher in a new era of public-private partnerships. In Iowa, we have done just that. This new RCPP includes 16 public and private sector partners. In 2016, IAWA and IDALS collaborated on the Midwest Agriculture Water Quality Partnership (MAWQP) RCPP. MAWQP has 48 partners, mostly from the private sector, and has helped improve conservation on more than 3.5 million acres. This includes helping pay for the bioreactors and saturated buffers the Cousers installed on their farm last year.

I had the privilege of announcing

some ‘breaking news’ on The Big Show. The NRCS had just selected the MAWQP for renewal and would be providing an additional $10 million for the project. These new dollars will benefit farmers in priority watersheds, such as the North Raccoon, South Skunk and Cedar Rivers. The additional funding will help MAWQP expand from a $50 million project ($11 million from USDA and $39 million from non-federal partners) to a $100 million project ($21 million from USDA and $79 million from nonfederal partners). MAWQP is now the biggest RCPP project in the nation.

It’s a special day when you get to announce $20 million in new grants for Iowa’s farmers to improve water quality! I’d like to thank NRCS, IDALS, ISA and the dozens of IAWA’s private sector partners who make these projects possible.

McMahon serves as Executive Director of the Iowa Agriculture Water Alliance.

IOWA SOYBEAN REVIEW® | 25

Mighty Mississippi Project to enhance soybean’s leading export region officially kicks off

BY MIKE STEENHOEK, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, SOY TRANSPORTATION COALITION

O

n July 31, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the State of Louisiana hosted a signing ceremony in New Orleans to officially kick off an important infrastructure project for Iowa soybean farmers and the broader economy – deepening the lower Mississippi River. Governor John Bel Edwards (D-LA) and Major General Diana Holland (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – Mississippi Valley Division Commander)

26 | OCTOBER 2020 | IASOYBEANS.COM

presided over the ceremony.

The 256-mile stretch of the Mississippi River from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to the Gulf of Mexico accounts for 60% of U.S. soybean exports and 59% of corn exports – by far the leading export region for both commodities. Soybean farmers and a large number of Mississippi River stakeholders have been promoting the deepening of the lower river shipping channel.

In 2018, the Soy Transportation Coalition (STC) published research highlighting the economic benefits to soybean farmers of deepening the lower Mississippi River from 45 feet to 50 feet. In 2019, the United Soybean Board (USB) announced a $2 million allocation to offset the planning, design and research costs of the project. The American Soybean Association, STC, Iowa Soybean Association and other

“A deeper river will allow both larger ships to be utilized and current ships being used to be loaded with more revenue-producing freight.”

— Mike Steenhoek

state soybean associations actively promoted the project to the Trump Administration and congressional and state leaders. This collaborative effort from national and state soybean farmer organizations proved invaluable in helping the project receive necessary funding and approval.

“The soybean industry made for a great case study and reason to deepen the Mississippi River,” says Edwards.

“Once this project is complete, the deepening of the Mississippi River will improve the global imports and exports of goods, and in turn, improve jobs, businesses and the quality of life for thousands of Louisianans and others who depend on the Mississippi River. I am grateful for our partnership and the commitment of time and money from

the farming leaders of the USB, STC and countless others who have made this project possible.”

The overall project is estimated to cost $245 million and will occur in three phases. The actual work on the first phase of the project – deepening the river from Venice, Louisiana, to the Gulf of Mexico – is expected to be complete by fall 2021.

STC research concludes that shipping costs for soybeans from Mississippi Gulf export terminals would decline 13 cents per bushel ($5 per metric ton) once the lower Mississippi River is dredged to 50 feet A deeper river will allow both larger ships to be utilized and current ships being used to be loaded with more revenue-producing freight.

Average vessel loads will increase from 2.4 million bushels of soybeans (66,000 metric tons) to 2.9 million bushels (78,000 metric tons) – a 21% increase or 500,000 bushels.

Research also identifies the impact on interior basis – the difference between the local price a farmer receives and the market value established by the Chicago Board of Trade – for soybeans in 31 states if the lower Mississippi River shipping channel is dredged.

It is well established that farmers located in closer proximity to the nation’s inland waterways and barge transportation enjoy a positive or less negative basis verses soybeans grown in areas further removed. As a rule, the less costly and more efficient the supply chain is subsequent to farmers delivering their soybeans, the higher value a farmer will receive for the bushels of soybeans produced.

Contact Mike Steenhoek at msteenhoek@iasoybeans.com.

IOWA SOYBEAN REVIEW® | 27

Spotlight Event highlights reliability of U.S. soy

BY BETHANY BARATTA

28 | OCTOBER 2020 | IASOYBEANS.COM

on Soy R

ich, fertile fields and a large geography in which to grow, transport and export soybeans makes the U.S. an ideal supplier of soy to the rest of the world.

Two oceans allow U.S. exports to reach foreign markets. Six, Class 1 railroads and fleets of trucks allow for efficient transportation of soybeans from fields and cooperatives to markets.

“I’m really proud when we load these barges,” says Iowa Soybean Association (ISA) board member Robb Ewoldt, in remarks to 1,000 customers from 69 countries during the virtual U.S. Soy Global Trade Exchange and Specialty Grains Conference.

Living four miles from the river, the terminal to the Mississippi River is a key link between Ewoldt’s farm and customers around the world.

Investments in infrastructure are critical to maintaining relationships with customers around the globe.

A $2 million checkoff investment into the research, planning, analysis and design helped launch a key infrastructure project. The Mississippi River Deepening Project will dredge the lower Mississippi River from 45 feet to 50 feet. A deeper river will allow both larger ships and current vessels to be loaded with more revenue-producing freight, according

to the Soy Transportation Coalition.

It will also support soybean prices for U.S. farmers due to intermodal competition.

This is an important investment as 60% of U.S. soybean exports are shipped from ports along the lower Mississippi River.

Completion of the dredging project, slated for 2024, means a 10- to 12-cent basis improvement for Ewoldt, who farms near Davenport.

“Ninety percent of our production goes out on a barge,” Ewoldt says. “We realize this is a world market now, and we want to grow the best crop we can because we know that in 20 minutes from this field we could be at a barge terminal loading it.”

Opportunity Springs From Chaos Uffe Ostegaard, president for shipping company Hapag-Lloyd’s North American operations, says the COVID-19 pandemic has created disruptions in the supply chain. But from chaos comes opportunity to improve.

“We’re working toward quality in the supply chain,” Ostegaard says.

“We have a very good integrated supply chain in terms of capacity, frequency, reliability and cost compared to a lot of other markets, and we see the U.S. as being a very good place to work from.”

The company is working to improve the speed and overall quality of its shipments.

A new online tool connects customers to more proactive information on container shipments.

Peter Friedmann, executive director of the Agriculture Transportation Coalition, predicts ocean freight rates to remain stable. He notes that investments in infrastructure are vital to soy export success.

“We must deliver our superior products to foreign markets affordably and dependably,” Friedmann says. “Otherwise foreign buyers will find another source somewhere else in the world.”

Gene Seroka, executive director of the Port of Los Angeles, is a proponent for enhanced communications, which will better line up trucking, rail and container shipments for faster, more efficient delivery.

(Continued on page 30)

IOWA SOYBEAN REVIEW® | 29

(Continued from page 29)

Count on U.S. No matter the delivery method, customers can count on U.S. soybean farmers for all of their soy needs, says Ted McKinney, U.S. Under Secretary of Agriculture for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs. He highlights four main areas in which U.S. soybeans are superior: • Composition: “The types of soybeans we produce here are second to none around the world, and we’re always chasing that better bean,” McKinney says. Exceptional composition, whether for livestock, aquatics or food processing, is evident in U.S.grown soy.

• Consistent supply: Customers around the globe need a reliable and consistent supply of

soybeans, and you can count on the U.S. to deliver.

• Sustainably produced: Technology has reduced our need to walk beans, as McKinney did growing up on the family farm near Tipton, Indiana. “For areas around the world where sustainability has become very important, even paramount, you can count on it, and we can prove it with U.S. soybeans,” McKinney says.

• Innovation beyond the bushel: “We’re

not stopping now with the presumption that soybeans are just for livestock and aquatics,” McKinney says. “It goes way, way beyond that.”

Though COVID-19 halted opportunities to travel to

international customers, Ewoldt remains committed to raising GMO and non-GMO soybeans for customers around the world.

“I’ve been down to the Gulf and watched ships being loaded for customers around the world,” Ewoldt says. “I think it’s just amazing that the beans I’m growing this season will be in Japan next year being turned into protein for the Japanese people. It’s a feeling that’s hard to explain to someone else but knowing that you’re feeding a country, such as Japan, is really a neat thing.”

He says he can hardly wait to welcome international customers again on his farm.

“If you ever have the opportunity to come to Iowa, our door is always ope, and we welcome the opportunity to meet you and stand in this very field and talk about soybeans.”

Contact Bethany Baratta at bbaratta@iasoybeans.com.

“I think it’s just amazing that the beans I’m growing this season will be in Japan next year being turned into protein for the Japanese people.”

— Robb Ewoldt

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The Last Word Editor’s Notes by Ann Clinton aclinton@iasoybeans.com

The Farm Truck His truck, his dash, the county on his tag The songs on his radio, the stickers on his glass From four-bys to two-bys, it’s true you can’t judge A book by its cover, but you can judge a country boy by his truck.

–Truck by Hardy

I

first heard this song on my teenage daughter’s playlist and it made me laugh out loud. The sentiment is just so true … no matter the age of the country boy, his pickup can tell you a lot about him.

My dad has a truck he calls “Old Red.” It’s a Chevrolet. He’s been pretty loyal to the brand over the years. Well, except for that time in 1988 when he didn’t like the new Chevy body style. In protest, he bought a Ford and drove it until the wheels fell off. “He really showed them,” my mother muses.

“Old Red” is iconic to my family’s farm. It’s hard not to think of my dad without picturing him in that truck.

From planting to harvest, that truck has done some serious work.

In the 53 years since they’ve been married, there have been many “Old Reds.” I recently asked them about all their farm pickups and it was fun to listen to them reminisce.

Each pickup was driven until it was long past its prime, and only then did they reluctantly start memories in another version.

As a mother of girls who are seemingly too old to be my own, I’m

humored by their interest in teenage boys who drive rusted-out pickup trucks. It’s a right of passage, and they will, in their own time, be able to pass more educated judgments of character beyond modes of transportation. But at this point, it’s a generalized love affair.

These teenage boys, who were you not THAT many years ago, will grow up to be the next generation of Carhartt-wearing farmers. They will be listening to their country music as they inevitably raise the highest yielding soybeans the fields have ever seen. They will tackle the environmental challenges confronting agriculture, and accept leadership positions that will propel our industry forward. Just like their truck-driving, forefathers before them.

In this issue, you read about the American Soybean Association (ASA) celebrating its 100th anniversary. What’s truly remarkable, however, is that eight Iowa farmers have served as president of the national organization since its conception in 1920. Those farmers served on your behalf, advancing issues and

legislation that has fundamentally advanced the agricultural industry.

That’s pretty cool.

In the article entitled, “A Century of Soy,” Iowa Soybean Review staff interviewed five ASA past-presidents from our state. From farm bills and trade agreements to tax incentives and global expansion, these leaders reflected on so many lessons from the past. Regretfully, however, I didn’t think to ask them how many miles were on their trucks. Maybe I’ll do a follow-up article.

My boss has been on me to start a Letters to the Editor section in this magazine for a while now.

In the past, I’ve savored the notes you’ve sent as little treasures of insight meant especially for me.

Truthfully, I don’t think I can hold off on it any longer without making him seriously question my listening skills. So, I’m creating a new page and I need your wisdom.

Send me a note about your truck.

Your first truck. Your last truck.

Your good truck. Your work truck.

Whatever truck. There’s a story behind each one, so I’m throwing you a softball here. If you’ve ever enjoyed my column and you want me to remain in good standing at my place of employment, I’m gonna need to hear about it.

Stay safe, my friends. I look forward to talking to you soon.

IOWA SOYBEAN REVIEW® | 31

AT THE HEART OF IT. EVERY FARMER HAS THEIR REASON FOR WHY THEY DO WHAT THEY DO. FOR ME, IT’S FAITH, FAMILY, AND FARMING. I CARE ABOUT HONORING GOD AND FULFILLING HIS PURPOSE IN MY LIFE, IN MY FAMILY, AND IN THE BUSINESS OF FARMING AND AGRICULTURE.

SCOTT BECK, PRESIDENT