Soy Forward Summer 2025

BADGER CROP NETWORK BRINGS A BUSHEL WSMB HELPS MAKE WISHH COME TRUE

CONTENTS TABLE OF

6 President’s Foreword: An adapting advocate

8 At the Capitol: WSA makes moves in Madison

2 Why I Farm: Matt Rehberg’s family life on the ranch

5 Pork power: WI soybeans are boosting meat exports

8 Wisconet helps Wisconsin growers grasp weather conditions

2 0 Passing the test: Checkoff project addresses phytophthora management

2 Watch and see: WSMB unveils goals behind new consumer campaign

2 Kevin Bork steps down after nine years on WSMB 6 John Gaska looks back on 34-year research career

0 New Badger Crop Network is one-stop shop for WI research

6 Healthy Connections: WI farmer makes most of time on WISHH 3 4

0 Between the Rows: WSA cheers EPA proposals, laments MAHA report

2 WSA’s Yield Contest is reenergized for 2025

About the Cover

The Wisconsin Soybean Marketing Board is building stronger connections within Wisconsin communities. This summer, WSMB is launching a multi-pronged consumer campaign that aims to strike a new tone in promoting checkoff value and showing soybeans are graduating to the big leagues.

Read more on page 22.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Board members from across the state represent the voices of Wisconsin soybean growers to advocate for government policies and support research that helps improve the profitability of soybean farmers.

WSA OFFICERS

Doug Rebout

Doug serves as president on WSA’s officer team, representing District 3. He raises soybeans, corn and wheat in Janesville alongside his brothers and nephews.

WSA DIRECTORS

Dr. Shawn Conley

Dr. Conley is a professor of agronomy and the soybean and small grains specialist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Shawn is WSA’s representative on the board for the University of Wisconsin’s College of Agricultural & Life Sciences.

Matt Rehberg

Matt serves as WSA vice president and represents District 3. A first-generation farmer, he raises soybeans, corn and wheat on his operation in Darien.

Dave Coggins

Dave is a recently retired banker with a lifetime of experience in both agricultural and commercial lending. He joined the WSA board in 2023 as an industry representative. Serving District 3, Dave was elected WSA treasurer in 2025.

Daniel Linse

Daniel represents District 1 and serves as WSA secretary. He grows a mix of soybeans and corn with his father on his farm in Mondovi. Along with crops, the Linses also raise turkeys.

Danny grows soybeans and corn near Columbus with his three uncles. He completed ASA’s Young Leader Program in 2024 and is an-large WSA director. Danny also works as a crop insurance agent, is involved in Astico Perseverance 4-H club and is a soil health advocate.

Katie was elected in 2024 as an industry director for WSA. She is the district sales manager for Legacy Seeds and resides in De Pere, representing District 4.

Brad is a WSA at-large director and recent graduate of ASA’s Young Leader Program. He farms in Columbus on a family dairy operation. In addition to cattle, Brad raises soybeans, corn, alfalfa and sorghum.

Katie Kaczor

Danny Brisky

Brad Sennhenn

EDITORIAL STAFF

WSA Executive Director Adam Kask akask@wisoybean.org (608) 274-7522

Managing Editor Drew Lyon drew@agmgmtsolutions.com

Art Director Alex Troska atroska@agmgmtsolutions.com

Layout Editor Katelyn Engquist kengquist@agmgmtsolutions.com

WSA DIRECTORS

Amber Soltvedt

Amber joined WSA in 2025 as the District 4 director. Amber and her husband, Zac, raise soybeans, corn and wheat in Seymour. With a lifelong passion for ag, Amber is a past ASA Young Leader and currently a NK Seeds representative working with ag retailers and growers across northern Wisconsin

ASA DIRECTORS

Jake Steffes

Jake farms in Mineral Point and serves as a WSA at-large director. He graduated from ASA’s Young Leader Program in 2023 and participated in the program’s third phase in Washington, D.C.

ADVERTISING

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Sara Stelter

Sara is WSA’s District 2 director and served as president from 2023-25. She operates a diverse farming operation that includes soybeans, corn, peas, green beans and cattle in Wautoma.

WSA STAFF

Don Lutz

Tanner is a first-generation farmer from Prairie Farm. He is an at-large director for WSA and serves on the American Soybean Association (ASA) Executive Committee. Tanner is also a 2017 graduate of ASA’s Young Leader Program.

Don farms in the Central Sands region in Scandinavia, where he grows soybeans and corn with his brother and nephew. He is an at-large director for WSA and serves on ASA’s board.

Steve Trzebiatowski

Steve is a past WSA president who currently represents District 1. He farms primarily soybeans and corn in the central Wisconsin area near Amherst.

Adam is the executive director of both WSA and the Wisconsin Soybean Marketing Board. A U.S. Army veteran, Adam has years of experience working in farm policy, market development and agronomy.

Tanner Johnson

Doug Rebout

President’s Foreword

Growing up on a Wisconsin dairy farm, I knew every morning when I awoke what was on the day’s agenda. Routine was the name of the game. Yet quite often as soon as we got in the barn to start milking, the game plan was modified on the go. I am sure this happens in occupations outside of agriculture, but I would be surprised if it occurs at the same pace. On the farm, there are so many variables that we deal with. As farmers, we grow accustomed to rolling with the punches and adapting on the fly. It’s in our nature.

Well, this spring, as tractors started rolling across our state, I had another one of those life events that threw my agenda out the window. My wife and I have a 21-year-old daughter with special needs. Anyone who has children knows that family comes first – the Wisconsin Soybean Program is also a firm believer in that notion – and if needed at home, the farm work to-do list needs to be modified, pronto.

In early April, I was receiving phone calls from wherever Natalia was at the time with reports that she was acting up and needed to be picked up. I dropped whatever I was doing to get her and assess the issue. As things got worse, we made multiple visits to the ER; some of them ended in hospital stays. There is nothing physically wrong with Natalia: Her diagnoses are causing mental health issues. Unlike most physical ailments that can be treated with high certainty, mental illness can be hit and miss with medications, and they take long periods of time to gauge their effectiveness. This is what we were dealing with the whole month of April as spring planting began. As a result, life’s shifting circumstances caused me to miss all of spring’s work. Yet the job got done. On our family farm, I am very lucky to work with two brothers and two nephews. While I was taking care of my immediate family, my farming partners took care of the operation without a hitch. I am grateful for their support!

At the farmer-driven WSA, we are also adapting on the fly – and making the most out of difficult circumstances. This spring was also a season of relentless tariff talk from Washington, D.C., and beyond. But WSA was proactive in delivering a strong pro-trade message while continuing to increase our presence in local, state and media. There’s no greater sign of our emerging impact than the Washington Post, one of our nation’s most respected newspapers, specifically requesting to speak with WSA as part of a feature on soybean export markets. We are making a difference in our industry.

While sometimes family matters keep us way from our voluntary leadership duties, everyone at the Wisconsin Soybean Program is doing their part to advocate and promote for our industry – whether connecting with community partners at Cows on the Concourse, launching a bold, new digital consumer campaign or visiting with legislators. I thank my fellow WSA directors and our partners at the Wisconsin Soybean Marketing Board for working hard for our industry, despite what life throws our way.

As your grassroots advocacy organization, WSA rises each day to push soy forward. Thank you for letting us represent you and work on your behalf!

Doug Rebout President, WSA

Policy

Procedures

WSA stays active as WI Legislature crafts budget

By Drew Lyon

In Wisconsin’s divided government, which consists of a Republican-controlled Legislature and Democratic governor, compromise can be hard to achieve, even when it wins the day.

But Doug Rebout, president of the Wisconsin Soybean Association, said he’s encouraged that legislators on both sides of the aisle usually find common ground by supporting one of the state’s leading economic drivers: agriculture.

“Generally speaking, they’re pretty good to agriculture in Madison,” Rebout said. “Our Ag Coalition works together and speaks in a united voice. To me, that’s a positive for our agriculture and farm-friendly policies.”

While lawmakers and Gov. Tony Evers’ administration work on crafting a state budget (at press time, the Legislature hadn’t passed a budget before the soft July 1 deadline), WSA and the Wisconsin Ag Coalition are pleased with ag-related legislation and ongoing priorities that are aimed at adding demand for Wisconsin ag products, increasing market access, supporting conservation programs and improve rural infrastructure.

“We’re able to work with both sides and, just like any compromise, let’s meet in the middle,” Rebout said. “That’s the name of the game.”

BIOFUELS

Just a few weeks after WSA spoke with legislators about its budget priorities during the Ag Coalition’s Ag Day at the Capitol, Reps. David Steffen (R-Howard) and Sens. Romaine Quinn (R-Birchwood) and Patrick Testin (R-Stevens Point) introduced legislation in April that, beginning in 2028, would create an income and franchise tax credit of $1.50 per gallon of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) produced in Wisconsin.

SAF is defined in the bill as aviation fuel that’s at least 90% derived from synthetic, renewable and nonpetroleum sources, including soybean oil. The credit would take advantage of Wisconsin’s robust agricultural and timber feedstocks and the state’s physical proximity to major airports in Chicago and Minneapolis-St. Paul (which has its own SAF Hub). Wisconsin is the only Midwest state without significant legislation supporting biofuels programs.

SAF contains similar properties to standard jet fuel but has a smaller carbon footprint. The fuel can also produce lower emissions while providing a boost to Wisconsin’s growing $4.2 billion biofuels industry, which employs nearly 20,000 people.

WSA, along with the American Soybean Association, continues to support state and federal

policies that can grow the SAF market and build demand for domestic feedstocks and limit imports of foreign oils.

“We’re excited about the opportunities this bill presents to our producers and Wisconsin’s ag economy,” Rebout said. “We’re hopeful this production tax credit goes through, and we can make the most of his opportunity. Let’s grow our economy here at home while improving the environment; it’s win-win.”

WSA is also advocating for infrastructure incentives for Wisconsin fuel retailers to install equipment capable of dispensing biofuels.

AGRICULTURAL ROAD IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM (ARIP)

This newly established program passed as part of the 2023-2025 budget provided $150 million in onetime funding through the Department of Transportation to create grant municipalities with posted roads and bridges to provide funding to improve outdated roads and upgrade them to non-posted construction standards. The funding, with broad bipartisan support, specifically targeted areas that will increase access to farmland and ag facilities. After funding applications far exceeded available resources, WSA is seeking an additional $150 million in ARIP funding.

“This is the kind of legislation that WSA continually advocates for on behalf of its members,” said WSA Director Sara Stelter, who served as WSA president when ARIP was first passed in 2023.

PRODUCER-LED WATERSHED GRANT PROGRAM

WSA prefers a carrot, not stick, approach. That’s why it continues to prioritize voluntarybased conservation programs. This session, WSA and the Ag Coalition support maintaining funding for DATCP’s Producer-led Watershed Protection Grant program, which includes cover crop insurance rebates and the nitrogen optimization pilot program.

WSA is also seeking legislation that would make the funding for the Producer-led Watershed Protection grant program permanent instead of a line item.

WISCONSIN INITIATIVE FOR AGRICULTURAL EXPORTS

This legislation, signed in 2021 by Gov. Evers, invests up to five million dollars over five years to increase exports of Wisconsin agricultural goods and allows DATCP flexibility to respond to market turbulence.

While most U.S. states saw their ag exports drop by 1%, Wisconsin agriculture has increased its exports by nearly 2% over the past two years. WSA and the Ag Coalition are seeking an increase in the initiative.

“Given the current uncertainties with tariffs and trade disputes with some of our most important markets, this program is more important than ever,” Rebout said. “Soybean producers are competing in a global marketplace, and we have to stay competitive.”

Rebout is doing his part to promote trade. In late July, in conjunction with the U.S. State Department and the International Institute of Wisconsin, he’s hosting a delegation representing 10 countries from Europe, North Africa and South America.

SOYFOAM

The benefits of SoyFoam, a PFAS-free firefighting foam, continue to attract goodwill across Wisconsin. WSA farmer leaders continue to educate the DNR to encourage accepting SoyFoam as a qualified product for local fire departments to purchase firefighting products that don’t contain PFAS, aka forever chemicals.

LOOKING AHEAD

After the budget is passed by lawmakers and signed by the governor, lawmakers will pause this summer. The session will resume in September to work on standalone legislation. That work will continue into March, when lawmakers will adjourn to begin campaigning for the 2026 campaign season. The 2026 election will include the 17 odd-numbered seats in the Wisconsin Senate and all 99 seats in the Wisconsin State Assembly. Gov. Evers has not signaled his intention to run for a third term.

WSA farmer leaders and their lobbying team will continue their participation in bipartisan policy conversations on behalf of the state’s over 16,000 soybean farmers.

“Our mission is to be more active legislatively and to position Wisconsin soybean farmers to be successful,” said Adam Kask, WSA executive director.

Driving home value

By Mark Askelson

In June, Wisconsin farmer Tanner Johnson provided a voice for the innovative and sustainable U.S. soy industry during the 12th annual Maghreb Roundtable held in Tunis, the capital of Tunisia.

The roundtable was a key regional event that brought together leading nutritionists, feed mill managers, farmers, quality control managers and industry decision makers across the Maghreb region of North Africa, including Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Libya and others. Johnson, who presented on his experience of sustainable cropping practices such as no-till and cover crops, attended the event on behalf of the U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC) alongside West Virginia farmer and United Soybean Board (USB) Director Nick Kercheval.

“We really drove home the value of how we farm, our sustainable farming practices, how we store our grain, and just being there to answer questions,” said Johnson, who serves on the American Soybean Association (ASA) and Wisconsin Soybean Association (WSA). “In addition to us farmers, USSEC brought in speakers from all facets of the grain handling industry, from the minute it comes off the boat to when it goes to their crush and extruding facilities.”

‘PLANTING SEEDS’

Tunisia and the Maghreb region of North Africa primarily use soy as feed for the poultry and aquaculture industry, along with some for dairy and human consumption. With a population of 12 million, Tunisia relies heavily on soy imports to meet its demand. Animal feed consumes about 2.38 mmt of soy in the country, with aquaculture using another 46,000 Mt. Whole soybeans are Tunisia’s primary imports.

Johnson reported numerous inquiries about the Trump administration’s tariff policies. Previous tariffs, he said, have had an impact on where Tunisia purchases its soy.

“I was very candid with them that we support the administration, but we have been very critical about their decision to implement tariffs,” Johnson said, “because it impacts our budgets as farmers and the long-term

WSA director promotes US Soy in North Africa

relationships we have with our customers across the world.”

Tunisia imports about 80% of their soybeans from Brazil and 20% from the United States, but those numbers were flipped prior to market turbulence, Johnson said.

“They prefer to use our soybeans because the product we are shipping them is superior,” Johnson said, “but when it comes down to dollars and cents the Brazilian soy pencils out better for them.”

While in Tunisia, Johnson toured Carthage Grain, Tunisia’s lone soybean crush facility, and the Green Label Oil (GLO) extrusion plant. Handling around 80% of all the soy consumed in Tunisia, Carthage Grain is a major part of its soy industry.

“Carthage Grain was a gracious host and did a really good job explaining the economics to what goes into the decision making of whether to import American, Canadian or Brazilian or Argentinian-origin soybeans,” said Johnson, who farms in Barron County. “And the extrusion plant was spectacular because it was hands down the largest extrusion facility I’ve ever seen. It was like the Madison Square Garden of extrusion plants.”

Johnson prioritized making connections and was rewarded with robust conversations and new relationships.

“It was very easy to fall into the ‘high-level’ conversations, and even despite language barriers, we had very productive conversations trying to learn about each other’s lifestyles and farming practices,” he said. “They were very engaged, and you could tell they were hungry for resources and information.”

While Tunisia may not be the world’s largest importer of soybeans, Johnson says every bushel of beans and every market matters toward providing a more profitable path for U.S. farmers.

“I think USSEC does a fantastic job representing U.S. soybean farmers and going the extra mile to help our customers worldwide become better at what they’re trying to do,” Johnson said. “Inversely, ASA and the United Soybean Board are investing their money wisely to plant the seeds in countries like Tunisia, because it’ll lead to some serious returns in the future.”

Live, work and play on Rehberg Ranch

By Kelsey Barchenger

Before he can even get a word in when he wakes each day, Matt Rehberg’s two-legged feathered farm animal belts out an excited good morning “cock-a-doodle-doo”maybe a little too close for comfort.

“Every morning, he comes up to the house and stares at me in the window,” said Rehberg, who serves as Wisconsin Soybean Association vice president, shaking his head with a chuckle.

Along with a rooster that his children named Nugget and a rescue dog named Honey, Rehberg has a full heart and a full plate with a wife and four kids who have settled into the farm life.

Every night we’ve got something going on,” he said. “Tonight, we’ve got bowling, wrestling and basketball all in one night.”

He might not share your typical multi-generational farm tale, but Rehberg has the rare privilege of writing his own on a clean slate.

“Sometimes you do things that are different and sometimes you do things and think, ‘If I would have been born farming I wouldn’t have made that mistake,’” Rehberg said.

What Rehberg doesn’t consider a mistake, was dipping his toe into the pool of agriculture after graduating high school.

“For me, college was probably the turning point,” he said. “I started working for a neighbor farmer when I was in high school just as a summer job, helping out spring and fall. At that time, I thought farming was a someday thing, and as time went on, in college,I said, “Man, it would be cool to do this eventually and make it a life goal.’”

He accomplished that goal a little quicker than he anticipated, taking a job in sales at Syngenta before he took an opportunity to rent land and establish a farm of his own near Darien, Wis.

“I would say it’s been steady. When I first moved back down here, I was working a full-time job and farming and

doing custom work and finally I had the opportunity to make farming my career full-time,” Rehberg said. “I was giving up a good job and had four kids and finally my wife was the one who just said, ‘If you’re going to do it just do it. Quit complaining.’”

He took that advice, and now he and his family live on the farm, growing soybeans, wheat and corn.

“I really enjoy the business side of farming as far as going into the books and it’s a real challenge. You’re dealing with a lot of your equity,” he said. “How do you grow your crop and nurture it along, and how do you market it? How do you fund it?”

It’s a life he’s grown to love, embracing each season of farming.

“Growing a crop at the end of the year, kind of like Christmas for us is in the fall, the fruits of your labor and that’s only half of it, and it’s almost a full year later when you can do some accounting and see how you did. Some years, it’s good you can see you did good and then other years you’re like we need to make some tweaks here. The other side is flexibility, a lot of long hours but there’s also days we can go snowmobiling or camping.”

But what makes life on the farm complete is making memories with the ones he loves the most.

“We’ve got little snowmobiles and four wheelers so in the summer they’re just constantly outside, dirty and muddy,” Rehberg said. “It’s a great place to raise kids.”

What will the next generation look like on his farm? Rehberg isn’t sure, but he plans to continue giving his kids the opportunity to be involved.

“That’s one of the challenges: You build a farm or an operation and you hope to see it continue on and with four kids, you hope one of them wants to be involved, but I also understand that farming is a lifestyle career choice and if you’re not passionate about it, or enjoy it, you’re not going to want to do it,” he said. “I hope the kids eventually want to be involved, but if they don’t, that’s OK.”

Scan here to see the ‘Why I Farm’ video featuring Matt Rehberg

Amber’s Waves of Grain

CLINTON - I’m Amber, and I’m the cutest thing this farm shop has ever laid eyes on! That’s cuz I’m a German Shepherd mix. My human, Pat (Mullooly), tells me all the time.

“Oh, that’s Sheri’s German Shepherd mix! That’s her dog,” he says to friends when they visit.

He knows I’m really his dog. We do lots together on the farm. I like to run around with Ivy, but she makes me tired. She’s a Boxer-Pitbull mix and those things never know when to quit.

German Shepherds have short legs, and I need to take naps or rest in the shade. When Pat works in the shop, I sniff out vermin to keep him safe. Sometimes I find a mouse, but they usually run too fast for me to catch.

When it’s extra cold out, Mom dresses me in my cute, pink coat. It’s made specially for German Shepherd mixes like me. We get really cold easily.

I wasn’t always a farm dog. One day, my humans took me to a soybean field to smell the pods. I liked how they smelled, pungent and sharp in my long nose. I liked the musky smell of the dirt better, and the trail where the little rodent dog was running from the grass to the rows.

My humans left me that day, so I wandered around in the dirt, trying to smell my way back to them. Eventually, another human found me. He was nice. He called up Sheri and Pat, my new mom and dad, and I went home with them.

“Are you sure this is what you want, Sheri?” Dad asked when he first met me. “You wanted a German Shepherd.” And she did and now I’m theirs.

My favorite part of being a farm dog is when I snuggle on dad’s lap when he sits in his favorite chair. I like to snuggle with mom, too, but dad really likes having a German Shepherd warm his legs. I know, cuz he always lets out a faint laugh, followed by a small grin and a scratch behind the ear.

Being a cute German Shepherd has its perks!

PORK POWER

Wisconsin soy helps boost meat exports

By Sydney Harris

Wisconsinites can rest assured that the meat they eat –and the meat customers around the world eat – is fed highquality Wisconsin soy.

In a study supported by the Wisconsin Soybean Marketing Board and soy checkoff dollars, the U.S. Meat Export Federation found that pork exports accounted for 2.35 million bushels of Wisconsin soybean usage in 2024.

“There are an infinite number of uses for the soybeans we grow,” WSMB President Jonathan Gibbs said. “And in Wisconsin, one of the primary consumers of our soybeans are pigs, and USMEF’s study illustrates exactly that.”

A nonprofit trade association, USMEF works to create new opportunities and cultivate existing international markets for U.S. beef, pork and lamb. Because pork exports contributed to 13.2 percent of the value of one bushel of soybeans, which equates to $1.46, WSMB recognizes the value of investing checkoff dollars towards growing pork market export opportunities.

“The soybean industry provides critical support for USMEF’s efforts to expand global demand for U.S. pork,” said USMEF Senior Vice President of Industry Relations John Hinners. “This study helps quantify the return on that investment.”

The study also found that in 2024 the market value of pork exports to Wisconsin soybeans equals $26.09 million. And, as pork exports grow, so does the value of Wisconsin soybeans. Last year, 30.3 percent of U.S. pork and pork variety meat production was exported, marking a new record.

“It’s important we ensure that our state’s soybean farmers have not only the tools and research to succeed, but the markets, too,” Gibbs said. “So, it’s important that we do what we can to support all of our export market opportunities such as pork exports.”

FAVORABLE TRENDS AMID UNCERTAINTY

In March 2025, U.S. beef, pork and lamb exports trended higher year-over-year, according to data from USDA. Beef export value reached its highest since June 2024, while Latin American markets again fueled pork export growth. March exports of lamb muscle cuts were the largest in more than five years.

First-quarter exports were slightly below last year’s pace at 310,368 mt but increased 2% in value to $2.53 billion.

“Despite a great deal of uncertainty, global demand for U.S. beef remains robust and resilient,” said USMEF President and CEO Dan Halstrom. “Although we anticipate that China’s retaliatory tariffs and expired plant registrations will have a more drastic impact on April and May exports, the U.S. industry’s efforts to diversify markets and broaden U.S. beef’s global footprint are definitely paying dividends.”

Meating the moment

Canada, Mexico, China, Korea and Japan are the top five markets for Wisconsin agricultural products. Wisconsin is also the nation’s top exporter of prepared meats.

ON A MISSION

WSMB sets See For Yourself agenda

By Drew Lyon

In the more than three decades since the national soy checkoff program launched, growers often wonder where, when, why and how checkoff resources are directed toward funding research, creating value-added uses and increasing market access.

The Wisconsin Soybean Marketing Board (WSMB) is inviting growers from across the state to get a closer look this summer by applying to participate in WSMB’s second statewide See For Yourself (SFY) mission Aug. 12-14. The tour’s first iteration was held in August 2024 in Wisconsin and Illinois, comprising WSMB and the Wisconsin Soybean Association (WSA) leaders. This year, WSMB is inviting grower participation from beyond the board.

“We welcome the opportunity to be transparent and bring in our state’s soybean producers to join us and see for themselves how the soy checkoff is driving profitability and innovation at every turn,” WSMB Executive Director Adam Kask said.

The board is offering spots to eight active soybean farmers in Wisconsin. The delegation will also include WSMB farmer leaders, staff and University of Wisconsin researchers, including Dr. Shawn Conley. Expenses, which include two nights lodging, meals and transportation, will be provided by WSMB.

CHECKOFF CHECK IN

The tour will begin Tuesday morning, Aug. 12 at the Arlington Research Station, where Conley and colleagues Damon Smith and Rodrigo Werle will showcase the latest advancements in checkoff research.

“We work with farmers a lot,” said Conley, a WSA director. “They want to know what their checkoff dollars are being used for, so my biggest goal is showing the work and significant amount of research dollars that

farmers are supporting, and how we take very seriously the opportunity given to use these monies in a good way.”

Conley said he’s also excited to demonstrate the latest technologies in drone and sprayer technologies.

“There’s a lot of tools we’re developing in AI that we want to show growers,” he said. “Farmers like to see the cool things we’re doing with our technologies.”

The delegation will then stop by a Chippewa cranberry farm before heading to Chippewa Valley Technical College for an outdoor demonstration of SoyFoam, a soybased firefighting foam created by Wisconsin native Dave Garlie’s Cross Plains Solutions.“SoyFoam is a project our board continues to be passionate about as a value-added use that protects our first responders, and we’re seeing that momentum behind a soy-based firefighting foam spreading across the country right now,” WSMB President Jonathan Gibbs said.

On Aug. 13, growers will tour Alsum Farms & Produce in Cambria. That afternoon, WSMB will visit another promising checkoff investment, the DeLong Co.’ Agricultural Maritime Export Facility at Port Milwaukee. The terminal is estimated to increase exports through Port Milwaukee by as much as 400,000 metric tons per year. Kask, who’s toured the facility multiple times, said WSMB continues to search for new international markets for the state’s soybean farmers, who export around 60% of their commodity.

“Diversifying our markets, promoting new uses and sponsoring some of the nation’s most advanced soybean research – those are all core priorities our farmers are depending on to improve their bottom line,” he said.

Following an afternoon visit to a Wisconsin farm, growers will stay in the Madison area the night of Aug. 13. The SFY mission will conclude Aug. 14 with a plot tour at Arlington Research Station. Interested SFY applicants can find more information and apply by July 22 at wisoybean.org/wsmb/.

THE wisconsin soybean marketing board presents

MISSION: IMPODSIBLE

WISCONSIN

The Wisconsin Soybean Marketing Board is hosting our second annual See For Yourself Mission this summer for a closer look at checkoff projects in action.

Join WSMB staff, grower leaders and researchers for a free, three-day tour Aug. 12-14 covering Wisconsin soy checkoff investments, from new uses to growing markets to on-farm research.

Apply by July 22 at wisoybean.org/wsmb/ or by scanning the QR code.

Wisconet helps Wisconsin growers grasp weather conditions

By Sydney Harris

A significant portion of a Wisconsin soybean grower’s life is dictated by the weather.

“Do I need to pull an all-nighter in the planter to beat tomorrow’s rain?”

“What’s the speed and direction of the wind? Can I spray?”

“Is the temperature going to drop below freezing tonight?”

While some may sense the impending rain when their knee starts aching, the Wisconsin Environmental Mesonet (Wisconet) is swooping in to provide growers across the state with high-quality weather data.

“I can get weather information on my phone anytime that I want, but with Wisconet I can get updated information every five to 10 minutes from a variety of locations across Wisconsin,” Wisconet Director Chris Kucharik said.

Wisconet’s story began in the mid 1980s when Bill Bland, a faculty member in the University of WisconsinMadison Department of Soil Science, initiated a smaller network of weather stations, which peaked at around a dozen in the mid-1990s. During the late 1990s and early 2000s, funding became problematic, and the stations were reduced to the Arlington and Hancock stations.

In 2021, a Wisconet revival began when Kucharik took the reins and worked alongside past UW-Madison Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Education Steve Ackerman to secure funding for a network expansion.

“Around 2021, Steve Ackerman helped me get a foot in the door with the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF) and WARF eventually asked me to submit a proposal, which led to an infrastructure grant for Wisconet,” Kucharik said. “Then, in January 2023, UW-Madison became part of a three-state agricultural appropriations effort and with the help of Senator (Tammy) Baldwin’s office secured Rural Partnerships Institute funding through the USDA to help support the build of the environmental mesonet in Wisconsin.”

CRUCIAL INFORMATION

The Arlington and Hancock Research Stations are home to the two longest-running Wisconet stations and have provided data since 1985. Today, there are 61 Wisconet stations, each providing more than a dozen

measurements every five minutes. Meteorological measurements include temperature, wind speed and direction, solar radiation, dew point and barometric pressure, among others.

Atmospheric weather can have farmers looking at the sky and wondering, “Why?” But they also must heed the soil conditions. Just because it’s a beautiful 75-degree spring day doesn’t mean the soil is above 50 degrees and conducive to germination quite yet. Luckily, Wisconet has farmers covered.

“We’re also adding a suite of soil environmental data on temperature and moisture down to three feet below the surface, which you can’t get anywhere on your phone,” Kucharik said. “That information is crucial to farming.”

The future of Wisconet is bright. By the end of summer 2025, the network plans to expand to 80 weather stations across the state and aims to continue developing decision support tools from the raw data to aid growers.

“If you’re worried about insects or disease, you can track the growing degree days associated with the biological development of those things,” Kucharik said. “Or you can use the data to help understand plant development. And as time goes on, we’re working on an animal thermal comfort index with colleagues in the Department of Animal and Dairy Science which will help the dairy industry understand what their animals are facing in terms of the temperature and combined effects

UW-Madison researcher Damon Smith (right) visits with attendees at the 2025 Wisconsin Corn•Soy Expo.

of humidity on their health.”

As Wisconet continues to broaden its services, the more growers who use it, the better.

“We want people to be using this data so that we can track what region of the state people are downloading the data from and how they’re using it,” Kucharik said. “That’s important for us as we continue to seek long-term sustained funding. We need to be able to demonstrate its impact.”

Farmers can’t control the weather but with Wisconet, they can equip themselves with the information needed to mitigate adverse effects, and in some cases, use the weather to their advantage. To visit the refreshed Wisconet website, visit wisconet.wisc.edu/.

SMART CHECKOFF SUPPORT

The Wisconsin Soybean Marketing Board is investing soy checkoff funds toward supporting linking Wisconet with checkoff research. Earlier this year, the Board approved a new project to integrate additional disease and insect pest models, along with cover crop termination tools with the Wisconsin Mesonet Weather Network. Damon Smith, a professor with the University

of Wisconsin-Madison, said the project aims to be a onestop shop for Wisconsin soybean pest and agronomic management practices and recommendations based on forecasts. Funds were released in April, and Smith and his programming team are currently compiling data and conducting research and model reviews.

“A lot of states don’t have something like Wisconet,” Smitt said. “It’s helping to improve all these different weather data sources, so those of us who build models like this can build more accurate models. That’s a real value for me as a researcher.”

Smith, reached by phone on a rainy day in Madison, commended Wisconsin grower leaders for their financial support and vision.

“The soybean models that we have now wouldn’t exist without funding from (WSMB),” he said. “They took a chance on me when I was a young assistant professor, and we’ve gotten funding for them to actually get our first smartphone app (Sporecaster). They pretty much financed that whole venture to get it up and running, and they’ve been very forward-thinking in helping support us to get these tools up and running. They had the foresight a decade ago to see that this was the future of ag technology.”

PASSING THE TEST

WSMB-FUNDED PROJECT ADDRESSES PHYTOPHTHORA MANAGEMENT

By Bailey Grubish

People tend to be creatures of habit, but what happens when the same old same old stops working?

That’s what University of Wisconsin-Madison researcher Dr. Damon Smith is trying to discover with his work on the Phytophthora Management Project.

“The project came about because we had some consultants and farmers telling us that they were planting varieties which had previously been known to be resistant (to Phytophthora) and the soybean plant appeared to be susceptible to the pathogen,” Smith said.

This is just one project the Wisconsin Soybean Marketing Board (WSMB) has invested in. Every year, WSMB utilizes checkoff funds to support research projects in various areas from pests, disease or weed management, breeding to improve resistance, solving the soybean quality conundrum and more areas.

“As leaders in the soybean industry, investing checkoff funds in research is one way we can help our fellow soybean growers,” WSMB President Jonathan Gibbs said. “Through checkoff research, we’re able to provide unbiased information for the growers that they asked for. We’re soybean farmers working for soybean farmers.”

Smith said the support of WSMB is appreciated and that they wouldn’t have made it this far without checkoff funding.

THE PROJECT: LET’S BREAK IT DOWN

Phytophthora is a soilborne disease found in soybeans. A well-known tool to fight this pathogen is a single gene of resistance, Rps1K, in the soybean variety. However, the downside of single gene resistance is that if it’s used repeatedly, the pathogen will adapt.

This is where necessary change must happen.

Smith started his research in a familiar place, one already funded by the Wisconsin soybean checkoff.

The soybean cyst nematode testing project is a free tool that farmers around Wisconsin can utilize by sending in a soil sample that is tested for the disease.

Leveraging this program, Smith said they use the same soil samples after the initial testing to then test for the presence or absence of both Phytophthora and the related group Phythium. As a group these are called water molds because they usually favor excessively wet soils, standing water or soils that are not well drained.

“It’s a good way for us to get a wide swath of soil samples from across the state and be able to look at what’s actually out there,” Smith said. “We did this over 2022 and 2023, with 378 soil samples from 39 counties in the state. That’s pretty good coverage of the soybean production area.”

The Phytophthora Management Project also collected plant samples from farmers and researchers.

Using isolates from both the soil samples and the soybean plants, Smith conducted an assay, which is a test of the sample to determine the type of pathogen. Smith then used genetic markers through a pathotyping assay, a specific test to determine the single genes at work in the isolates.

Out of all the samples collected, 33 different species of water mold were found.

Most were pathogens of the Pythium group, and some were related to Phytophthora. Smith said Pythium pathogens are under attributed to damage in soybean fields.

“What’s interesting is the last time anybody had pathotyped the Phytophthora groups was about 20 years ago,” Smith said. “At that time, they said, this particular gene should be a good gene to use in fields because the way the population was at that time was pretty sensitive to that gene.”

The results collected through this project showed Phytophthora can easily overcome the Rps1k gene, which was a concern already, and some other RPS genes deployed in common commercial soybean varieties.

According to Smith, the new gene, Rps3a, should probably be deployed in varieties now.

RECOMMENDATIONS

• Choose the right soybean variety that has the Rps3a gene or multi-gene resistance

• Use fungicide seed treatments that are effective against water mold pathogens or cultural management practice

• Improve field drainage

“What we would like to do is wait now a few years before we collect more soil samples to see if there was a shift,” Smith said. “We’re going to continue trying to characterize that population to see if we can learn anything more about the actual species. Then we’ve started, not only in Wisconsin, but across the North Central Region, doing some uniform seed treatment trials specifically to address the Pythium problem.”

‘USEFUL RESOURCE’

The soybean cyst nematode project utilized for this research is another Wisconsin soybean checkofffunded project.

With the ability to use the soil samples in other projects – along with soybean cyst nematode research – this program stretches past its intentions to assist with further research.

Smith and University of Wisconsin-Madison researcher Dr. Shawn Conley used this program for a sudden death syndrome project several years ago as well.

“I think that’s the other key piece, is that it’s a critical program, and something that’s a really useful resource for the soybean farmers here in the state,” Smith said.

WSMB unveils goals behind new consumer campaign

By Doug Monson

We’ve all at least entertained the idea of a high school reunion, but there’s never been one that packs a punch like this one. Adults grooving in hand-sewn soybean pods on a high school gym dance floor at a soybean class reunion would likely conjure a double take.

That strobe-lit image of those mature dancing beans is exactly what the Wisconsin Soybean Marketing Board (WSMB) hopes resonates with those who see it.

“We really want to grab the attention of people in Wisconsin,” WSMB President Jonathan Gibbs said. “What resonates with farmers doesn’t necessarily resonate with consumers. Let’s just say we thought outside of the pod on this one.”

Dressing children and adults in soybean costumes for a commercial about soybeans is definitely one way of thinking outside the pod. He said the hope for the Marketing Board is a memorable commercial that drives home the different products made from soybeans.

“We did some homework on this one,” WSMB Executive Director Adam Kask said. “Through our research, we saw an opportunity to talk to younger Wisconsinites.”

The research, conducted by Clutch Performance, found that respondents viewed Wisconsin farmers with a favorable attitude (81% were positive or very positive).

But a deeper dive showed 18-24-year-olds were more neutral about their opinions of farmers and agriculture. No demographic realized the number of soy-based products (over 1,000 in total) available on the market.

“We’re pretty proud of the soy firefighting foam and soy-based tires,” Gibbs said. “It’s fine to pat ourselves on the back, but we want these products to benefit our neighbors across the state. We felt driving awareness with this campaign was a good first step.”

ALL GROWN UP

Non-farmers across Wisconsin began seeing streaming commercials in June. The digital approach will tackle streaming serves, pre-roll (ads before a video on a website), short cuts for social media, as well as streaming audio, digital display ads (think websites and mobile apps and games) and a mix of traditional marketing.

“With the younger demographic being heavily involved in digital media, it only made sense to target the places they live and follow them around in that realm,” said Drew Lyon, Interim Director of Communications for WSMB.

Besides driving traffic to wisoybean.org where nonfarmers can learn about the different soy-based products, the campaign will ask a pivotal question: What will your soybeans grow up to be?

Continued on page 24

SUMMER AWARENESS

While much of WSMB’s efforts will center around the consumer campaign and its digital efforts, the Marketing Board is also looking at steering awareness toward the state’s fire departments.

“We’re really working on education and awareness,” Kask said. “There are some things at the state level that the Wisconsin Soybean Association is working on, but the soy checkoff is focused on driving awareness around the many benefits of SoyFoam.”

Those benefits start with being free of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), more commonly known as forever chemicals, as well as being fluorine free. As part of its efforts, WSMB is mailing special boxes to the professional fire departments in the state, where one lucky department will win a pallet of SoyFoam.

“We’re fortunate that the certification testing is being done here in Wisconsin,” Gibbs said. “We have a great relationship with Dave Garlie and Cross Plains Solutions, the creators of SoyFoam. Dave has been actively talking with all departments throughout the state.”

With its layered efforts, WSMB’s consumer campaign is set out to blaze the trail that connects two community backbones and extinguish any doubt about the myriad uses of soybeans in the state.

QR code to commercial

By showcasing their many uses, the little beans become a big hit at the Soybean Class Reunion.

SoyFoam and your soy checkoff are changing the game.

JOHN OF ALL TRADES

Gaska hangs up wrenches after 34-year career

By Doug Monson

On Aug. 1, 2007, Dr. Shawn Conley knew he’d like John Gaska.

Conley, the newly coined soybean agronomist, and Gaska, the wily University of Wisconsin Extension veteran, had plenty of road time together on a drive to and from the Spooner Research Station.

“Unfortunately for John, fortunately for me, he was basically stuck in the car for 10 hours that day and was forced to chat with me,” Conley said. “He made the mistake during that time of saying, ‘Whatever you dream up, I can do.’ And that has come back to haunt him many times.”

THE FIRST CRAZY IDEA

Not one to shy away from an idea, Conley’s first request was basically a planter, but not just any planter.

“I said I need a planter to do XYZ, and I’m not spending more than $50,000 on that,” Conley said. “John, using his engineering skills, went into his CAD, a design program, drew up an idea and built the planter from scratch. We can alter our row spacing, we can do infurrow work, we can do no-till. You name it, this planter can effectively do it.”

Mark Kendall, a UW student who works closely with Conley, has spent some time working on the planter.

“That’s our Gaska planter,” he said while making adjustments before planting soybeans this spring at the Arlington Research Station. “It’s a one-of-a-kind planter. You won’t find another around like it.”

ENGINEERING A TRADE SHOW

The UW Extension Research Project has a unique history with Wisconsin soybean and corn growers that goes beyond the fields.

“The research project that I’m on now, we were part of the initial Corn•Soy Expo,” Gaska said. “In the 1980s, my boss, the corn agronomist and a couple other people put on the first Expo.”

The Wisconsin Corn•Soy Expo, now managed by the Wisconsin Soybean Association, the Wisconsin Corn Growers Association and Wisconsin Pork Association, has grown into an annual winter destination, with nearly 1,300 in attendance in 2025. And through it all, UW Extension and its grad students have played a central role in disseminating research to the farmers in attendance.

“We’ve always been part of it because it did start out as an Extension event that we put on, and we’ve carried it through all these years,” Gaska said. “We’ve always been instrumental in planning it and then being part of the actual show.”

Gaska’s involvement with the show is a little more complex than he lets on. While UW Extension provided the educational content and handled the audio and video needs of the show, as the associations came on board, there was less UW Extension planning needed for the show.

“When there was an opening for the trade show manager, I volunteered to take over that part of it,” he said. “I wanted to stay with the show if we could, because I have this legacy, this history with the show, and I felt that it was a good fit to be able to contribute to that.”

Gaska engineered his last trade show floor map in February, but his efforts never went unnoticed.

Continued on page 28

John Gaska published nearly 40 research projects that are available at researchgate.net

DR. COMMA

In life, there are idea people and there are people who bring ideas to life. Conley, the idea generator, and Gaska, the maestro of Conley’s improbable ideas, paired well together.

Gaska, who was a grad student at UW-River Falls in the late 1980s, started with UW Extension in 1991 after a nearly three-year stint in the Peace Corps. He graduated from River Falls with a Bachelor of Science in Ag Engineering Technology.

For all his knowledge and education in engineering, it’s a different skill Conley loves about Gaska.

“I affectionately call John ‘Dr. Comma,’” he said.

Conley’s process is simple: Write until he is about 80 percent done and send it out to the “internet trolls” to tell him what’s wrong and fix his grammar.

“John is my grammar checker before it goes out to the internet,” he said. “He’s a huge fan of commas, and I don’t use any, so he puts all my commas in for me.”

WHAT COMES NEXT

Gaska is looking forward to retirement, but he plans to stay busy.

“I have an 86-year-old mother that needs some help,” he said. “I’m also interested in food and agriculture, and I’ll be volunteering with some organizations like food pantries and such that have to do with the distribution of food.”

Conley isn’t surprised Gaska will stay busy in retirement. Conley commends Gaska’s work with Food for Kidz, which uses soy as part of a meal package sent to children around the world. He says Gaska has other philanthropic activities to keep him busy.

“My hopes for John in retirement are many. First of all, I hope he keeps his cell phone handy and doesn’t change his number, so when I have a problem in the field, I can call him,” Conley said.

All jokes aside, Conley knows the future is bright for Gaska.

“Whatever John sets himself up to do, he is going to do at 150 percent, and he will excel and be awesome.”

SCAN THE QR CODE TO VIEW JOHN GASKA’S REITREMENT VIDEO

Real demand. Better prices. New opportunity.

Farmers are no strangers to market fluctuations and tight margins. However, in today’s uncertain economic climate, clean fuels — like biodiesel, renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel — present a growing domestic market for soybean oil, offering potential to enhance profitability and support rural economies. As soybean farmer Ryan Pederson says, “Years ago, we used to say we were feeding the world. Today, we’re helping fuel it too.”

CLEAN FUELS ENHANCE SOYBEAN VALUE

In 2025, clean fuels are projected to use 13.6 billion pounds of soybean oil, driving demand that can bolster prices. Economic analyses indicate that this demand supports an average of 10% more value per bushel. Clean fuels create a consistent, domestic market that helps farmers capture more of the added value often lost when whole beans are exported. “Any opportunity we can have to process raw commodities within our nation, and use it within our nation, it is going to add value and give us resilience and financial security going forward,” Pederson says.

EXPANDING CRUSH CAPACITY STRENGTHENS LOCAL MARKETS

The growing demand for clean fuels is contributing to a 30% increase in U.S. soybean crush capacity, leading to more processors competing for your crop and keeping more value close to the farm. “A few years ago, nearly all the soybeans in North Dakota had to be shipped to the coast for export,” Pederson says. “Then we built two soybean crush plants to feed the growing biofuels market.” This expansion provides farmers with more options, from shorter hauls to stronger basis, enhancing marketing flexibility and resilience against export market uncertainties.

CLEAN FUELS PERFORM FOR RURAL ECONOMIES

Beyond individual farms, clean fuels are delivering for rural communities. A recent study shows the U.S. clean fuels industry contributed $42.4 billion in economic activity in 2024, supported 107,400 jobs, and paid $6 billion in annual wages. In Wisconsin alone, the industry supported 1,200 jobs and contributed over $66.5 million in wages, highlighting the local impact of this national success story.

As demand grows, those returns will scale — benefiting farmers, processors, and the regions they call home. The study, conducted by GlobalData, also analyzes a near-future capacity scenario of 7.4 billion gallons, based on publicly announced investments in new or expanded facilities. At that level, the industry could support 145,700 jobs and contribute $60.25 billion annually to the U.S. economy.

Even during this challenging time for farmers, clean fuels add value to soybeans and provide domestic opportunities in the face of an unpredictable export market. Clean fuels are well-positioned to continue their growth trajectory. That means more demand, stronger prices, and a more resilient future for soybean farmers and rural communities alike.

Learn how clean fuels support your bottom line and your community at cleanfuels.org.

‘Real value’ New Badger Crop Network is one-stop shop for WI research

By Bailey Grubish

The Badger, Wisconsin’s state animal, is now the face of a new website dedicated to Wisconsin production research, with this spring’s launch of the new Badger Crop Network.

With funds from the Wisconsin Soybean Marketing Board (WSMB) and the Wisconsin Corn Promotion Board (WCPB), four researchers through the University of Wisconsin-Madison have a new home for their research content and findings.

“We’re very grateful to the board for sponsoring us,” UW-Madison associate professor and extension cropping systems weed scientist Rodrigo Werle said. “This is a need that stakeholders saw, having us all in the same place. We’ve been talking about this for years. You have to have good websites. I think this strengthens our extension presence and our ability to deliver high quality information. I think this is a huge win-win for us, but also for our stakeholders.”

Werle, Damon Smith, a UW-Madison associate professor and extension specialist, UW-Madison Small Grain Specialist Shawn Conley and UW-Madison Assistant Professor Harkirat Kaur each contribute research and work to the Badger Crop Network website.

“We thought it would be a really good idea to join forces and have a one-stop shop for farmers to be able to come in and see all the information that we’re doing related to soybeans, corn and small grains for the state of Wisconsin and beyond,” Conley said.

Each researcher previously used their own resources to share research information, but with the Badger Crop Network it brings all the information to one central location.

Badger Crop Network will highlight information from each researcher in a familiar format through blog posts, social media posts and sharing of research papers and content on pages of the website.

“As a board, we want to offer the best tools and resources for our Wisconsin growers,” WSMB President Jonathan Gibbs said. “Funding the new Badger Crop Network website with checkoff resources is another way we are supporting the growers and researchers with a collaborative and resourceful tool.”

Research reports and information from Conley, Smith, Kaur and Werle are also available on the new website for easy access, including WSMB and WCPB checkoff supported research.

“All of the results of our resistance screening efforts, results from our herbicide evaluation research trials, research related to seeing spray technologies and also research related to integrated weed management, we’re going to either have it as blog posts or, as you know, like formal research reports here in the new website,” Werle said.

With the familiar comes new features on Badger Crop Network.

NEW LOOK

Greeted by the fresh Badger Crop Network logo and scrolling trending news bar, users can expect to find exactly what they are looking for.

While staples are great for the website and users, two new features Smith highlighted on the website are the Crop Protection Network tool for crop disease forecasting and the Wisconsin disease forecasting tool.

“Now we’ve got all the various disease models consolidated into one tool,” Smith said. “The Wisconsincentric tool is interesting because it does some of the other things that the Crop Protection Network version does, but it also adds the new Wisconsin data layer on top. Folks can either get their disease forecast they want for a particular Wisconsin station, or they can get a site specific or GPS specific. Those are both brand new and now on the website, and I think they’ll be important for folks, especially as we get into the season.”

These tools are found under the resources tab in the menu where other new and familiar tools are found.

Another addition for users is the ease of subscribing to the new Badger Bushel Bulletin e-newsletter, which will highlight a selection of stories from the new website that has content from all four researchers. The electronic publication allows researchers to share agronomic information in a timely fashion.

“I really like the ease of subscribing to the electronic newsletter, I think that’s something which was missing,” Kaur said.

BADGER BUSHEL BULLETIN

The branding on the electronic newsletter will follow in line with the new Badger Crop Network website.

If you see a badger in your email, it’s not a yieldrobber but rather a new source of corn, soybean and small grain information specified for Wisconsin and the Midwest.

“It’s helped us put together a collective and unified message that goes out to farmers so they’re not having to wade through multiple emails and sources of information,” Conley said.

The weekly Badger Bushel Bulletin will highlight content from all four researchers found on the Badger Crop Network.

Along with the new electronic newsletter, some of the familiar newsletters these researchers run will still go out. The Badger Crop Doc and Cool Bean will still send information separately to subscribers for an additional resource.

Badger Crop Network is a new source of collaborated information in one place for agriculture professionals’ convenience. No more apps for the phone, no more checking multiple websites. Just one website chock full of information.

The creation of the website and electronic newsletter to go with it has allowed researchers to consolidate their work and complement each other’s work in one place. Smith commented that the real value is that growers and industry professionals can get all the information quicker.

“I don’t think there’s anything else in the country like this,” Conley said. “I think this is probably the only one that I know of where you have come together as a team to build something together, to be able to get this information out.”

Parting words

“Perhaps I just got lucky”: In his first year of participating, Kevin Bork won the 2017 Yield Contest with 91.49 bushels per acre.

By Sydney Harris

All good things must come to an end.

After nearly a decade serving Wisconsin’s soybean growers on the Wisconsin Soybean Marketing Board (WSMB), Kevin Bork, representing District 3, is taking a step back from the wide world of soybeans and bringing it all back home to Adams County.

“When I started on the board, I didn’t know what I was getting into and it was definitely a little bit out of my comfort zone,” Bork said. “But it’s been a really awesome experience.”

They say that it’s not what you know, it’s who you know. Approached by a farmer in the area who was ready to retire from the Board, Bork’s WSMB journey began because of who he knew despite his limited knowledge of WSMB and the soy checkoff.

“I always had a good relationship with him, as far as asking questions about crops and different things,” said Bork, who farms near Grand Marsh. “He had a ton of knowledge, and I tried to soak up as much as I could. It took a little while to find where I fit in on the board and everything, but it’s been amazing.”

Fortunately for Wisconsin’s soybean industry, Bork had a solid support system around him to encourage him when he doubted whether WSMB was the right fit.

“I told my wife, ‘Man, I feel like I’m really not bringing much to the table, and I just feel over my head. These guys are so intelligent,’ Bork said. “And she told me to give it some time and let it soak in and I’m sure glad that I listened to her and stuck with it.”

Bork’s fellow directors are happy that he persisted, too.

“Everything Kevin does is very thoughtful and well intentioned, so it’s been a joy to serve with him,” WSMB President Jonathan Gibbs said. “It’s been very enjoyable to work with him, and he cares a lot about Wisconsin agriculture.”

Kevin Bork steps down after nine years of checkoff leadership

‘BLESSED’ TO SERVE SOY FARMERS

Tasked with wisely directing Wisconsin soybean checkoff investments, WSMB is the elected board of soybean farmers who help guide investments in new uses, new and existing markets, research, promotion and education to increase farmer profitability. Every winter, the board carefully reviews and selects projects to fund for the coming year with the entire state in mind. During meetings, Bork carefully considered how projects would affect growers in District 3.

“We don’t just rubber stamp every proposal that someone sends in,” Bork said. “There’s a lot of discussion that goes into each one of them and that’s the really interesting part because everybody participates and brings a different viewpoint.”

Bork wishes soybean farmers across Wisconsin could witness how seriously growers take the responsibility of investing checkoff dollars. According to the latest research from the United Soybean Board, Wisconsin growers earn an estimated $12.30 in return value for every dollar invested into the checkoff.

“I see different articles, whether it’s on Facebook or different sites, and farmers are saying that they’re not satisfied, and they think the checkoff isn’t worth it,” Bork said. “I just wish those people would take time and come to one of our meetings, which are open to the public, to see what goes on behind the scenes. Everybody works as hard as they can.”

Unfortunately, there isn’t a genie in a bottle waiting to grant all of Wisconsin’s soybean wishes. It takes assiduous individuals, volunteering their time and tirelessly working to find solutions to the problems that growers face every day. Luckily, the farmers serving on WSMB are up to the task and understand the gravity of their role, which impressed Bork from the get-go.

“The people on the board are not only top-notch farmers but also businesspeople,” Bork said. “They think outside the box and do everything they can to promote soybeans, whether it’s marketing the beans or researching new uses. They’re just top notch. I’ll miss being around them.”

Bork’s peers know better than anyone the sacrifice it takes to be a WSMB director. Gibbs didn’t hesitate to highlight Bork’s three terms of commitment, including his participation last year in WSMB’s inaugural See for Yourself mission.

“We appreciate the time and commitment he’s given to the board and the farmers in the state,” Gibbs said. “Being a servant leader isn’t meant to be a lifelong commitment, and we wish him the best in whatever life brings him next.”

The sun is setting on Bork’s tenure on the WSMB board but he’s not going far – he’ll still see his fellow soybean leaders at the Wisconsin Corn•Soy Expo. Nevertheless, it’s a bittersweet transition.

“I’m at a loss for words,” Bork said. “I’m going to miss working with the other directors and really trying to improve the demand for soybeans. I feel blessed to have been a part of the Marketing Board.”

Kevin Bork looks over research proposals during a WSMB meeting in 2023.

WSMB holding 2025 elections

WSMB is on the hunt for its next leaders. The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) will conduct the WSMB election from July 10-Aug. 15, 2025, in the following districts:

• District 3 (currently held by Kevin Bork): Adams, Crawford, Grant, Juneau, La Crosse, Monroe, Richland, Sauk and Vernon counties

• District 4 (currently held by President Jonathan Gibbs): Columbia, Dodge, Fond du Lac, Green Lake, Marquette, Waushara and Winnebago counties

• District 5 (currently held by Patrick Mullooly): Dane, Green, Iowa, Lafayette and Rock counties

Elected growers will serve three-year terms beginning Sept. 1, 2025.

NCSRP: A SHOT IN THE ARM FOR ADVANCING INSECT MANAGEMENT

PICTURE OF HEALTH

Soybean farmers during the last century faced few insect problems. Pests were isolated challenges, requiring only local management assistance. But as invasive insects arrived and native insects expanded ranges the last 20 years, a new approach was needed to tackle first spider mites and bean leaf beetles and then stink bugs, Japanese beetles, soybean aphid and more.

RESCUE SQUAD

The insect control picture changed in 2000, as the soybean aphid required a crisis management team to address it.

The North Central Soybean Research Program (NCSRP) stepped in to help fund and study aphids with entomologists from across the multi-state area. That set the stage for developing economic treatment thresholds, scouting techniques, cultural control strategies and proven integrated pest management (IPM) practices to manage aphid infestations.

RAPID RESPONSE

URGENT CARE SPECIALISTS

Extension and land grant entomologists working with NCSRP today deal with exceedingly complex issues. Public-private partnerships NCSRP has been able to coordinate have paid off in such recent successes as soybean aphid-resistant variety development, managing insecticide resistance and calculating economic thresholds amid multiple moving parts.

New technology breathes life into insect management. Researchers used innovative technology to sequence the aphid genome, fine-tune problem-solving and devise strategies to delay resistance among aphid populations. Most recently, technology and teamwork provided rapid response when the new, invasive soybean gall midge began to expand and cause yield damage. Teamwork currently helps NCSRP researchers to document pollinator species in soybeans, including the role of honeybees to augment soybean self-pollination and give yields a boost.

SURGICAL PRECISION

Future technology will make scouting easier with apps and drones that can identify problem sites. But the real key will be problem-solving where NCSRP-funded researchers already excel. Climate change has expanded the range of pests, so old problems have taken on new relevance. Real-time alerts about pest pressure and dispersal direction and stemming insecticide overapplications are on the horizon with the forward-thinking NCSRP entomology team at work.

HEALTHY CONNECTIONS

WI farmer makes most out of time with WISHH

By Mark Askelson

Building new markets takes time, resources – and a whole lot of passion for soybeans. It takes boots on the ground, breaking through barriers, building trust and overcoming obstacles. In the world of soybeans, that’s where WISHH (the World Initiative for Soy in Human Health) comes into play for establishing and developing new soybean markets into hopefully one day becoming a stable trade partner.

WISHH is a program of the American Soybean Association that works to develop agricultural value chains to create trade and long-term demand for U.S. Soy through health, nutrition and food security.

“We’re at that intersection between trade development and food security, which makes us unique from other organizations,” said Gena Perry, executive director for WISHH.

WISHH was founded roughly a quarter-century ago by visionary soybean farmers who were looking to diversify their trade partners and create future customers. Thirdgeneration soybean farmer Tony Mellenthin from western Wisconsin served on WISHH as a liaison for United Soybean Board (USB). Mellenthin became involved with WISHH because of his interest in market development and wanted to learn the best way to sell to new customers, many of which have never used soy, let alone U.S. soy.

“The first step is learning where we can provide assistance, which often starts with technical assistance and education, such as teaching why soy pellets provide better protein in their aquaculture,” Mellenthin said. “You really begin to see your ROI when that lightbulb goes off and they start implementing what you’re teaching them.”

Eventually, the hope is to see widespread use and commercialization of U.S. Soy in those countries from feed providers and soy-purchasers, leading to them becoming regular trade partners. But Mellenthin notes that it takes time and a lot of patience to develop a new market.

“It’s a long process, there’s no doubt about that, because you’re entering markets that aren’t just facing a protein deficit, there are also financing and security needs as well,” said Mellenthin. “U.S. Soy was in China for 14 years before we ever sold a bushel of beans to them, but we had that market intelligence to know it was a future market and to be patient because we believed in the potential.”

QUALITY COUNTS

WISHH often targets countries to work with that are facing a protein deficit, either in their own diet or in the diet of the foods they eat, such as poultry, livestock or aquaculture. Most of the countries are in Asia, Africa

and Latin America. In February, Mellenthin helped lead a WISHH delegation to Guatemala on a trade mission where he moderated a panel on innovations in protein and saw first-hand how U.S. soybean farmers and the soy checkoff are improving lives in emerging markets.

“We were in a school that took soybeans and produced their own soymilk out of it, which was also a form of income for those families,” Mellenthin said. “We saw a lot of examples of how people were using U.S. Soy to really improve their livelihood, and that’s a win-win. We’re selling more U.S. Soy and improving the lives of people who are using it.”

One of the biggest challenges for WISHH as it tries to make inroads in emerging markets is the price sensitivity: U.S. Soy often comes at a premium compared to other markets.

“We have to be really creative and innovative when it comes to finding investors and connecting our partners with the resources they need to be successful,” Perry said. “Another challenge we face is finding exporters who are willing to learn how to work with these developing and emerging markets and also teaching our buyers how our purchasing processes work.”

According to Mellenthin, one of the biggest selling points for U.S. Soy when trying to break into new markets is the unmatched quality compared to their less

expensive competitors.

“First and foremost, it’s the quality, which is much higher than what’s grown in South America, and our soybeans store much better, especially when you need to handle and store it in more heated climates,” Mellenthin said. “Also, the whole nutrition bundle, when you take into account the protein, essential amino acids and all that, our U.S. Soy has a superior edge over our competitors.”

After three years as the USB liaison for WISHH, Mellenthin has moved into a new role as USB’s Export Work Group lead. Steve Wilkens, secretary/treasurer for the Wisconsin Soybean Marketing Board, is now representing Wisconsin on the WISHH board of directors.

What Mellenthin enjoyed the most about his time with WISHH was knowing that he could have a global impact helping meet the protein needs of those across the world but also helping support the local ag economy back home.

His enthusiasm matches WISSH’s mission.

“As a U.S. soybean grower, that makes me feel great knowing that I’m helping populations around the world who are in need but ultimately knowing that the revenue is coming back to the farm,” he said. “I’m filling a need not only for protein throughout the world, but a need for me to grow sustainably.”

WSMB Secretary/Treasurer Steve Wilkens (front) is taking on a new role on the WISHH Committee.

a safe and abundant food supply, and the tools that are being discussed in the MAHA report are vital to making sure the food supply is abundant and safe.”

The Wisconsin Soybean Association (WSA) and American Soybean Association (ASA) strongly rebuke the May 2025 Make America Healthy Again Commission report for being brazenly unscientific and damaging to consumer confidence in America’s safe, reliable food system. Should the Trump administration act on the report – which was drafted entirely behind closed doors and without farmer input – it will harm U.S. farmers, increase food costs for consumers and worsen health outcomes for all Americans. ASA calls on President Trump to step in and correct the Commission’s deeply misguided report.

The MAHA report contains recommendations that are not at all grounded in science and seem to advance the agenda of food elitists and activist groups that have long sought to undermine U.S. agriculture. MAHA’s misleading report suggests that glyphosate, atrazine and other pesticides essential to farmers are potential contributors to health ailments.

The report may also undermine national security. If domestic manufacturers exit the market due to increased and unfounded liability created by the report, the U.S. will be almost entirely reliant on China – which currently produces more than 80% of the world’s glyphosate – for continued supplies of this essential agricultural tool.

“We’re talking about farmers’ livelihoods, which means we’re also talking about food security and national security,” said Wisconsin farmer Tanner Johnson, who sits on ASA’s executive and regulatory committees. “We grow

ASA is also disturbed by the report implying seed oils are contributors to reduced human health. Significant research conducted over decades shows that plantbased oils are low in saturated fats and can improve health outcomes. In addition, a third-party economic study released in April and conducted on behalf of ASA and the United Soybean Board found that removing seed oils from the food supply could increase consumer costs for edible fats and oils by as much as 42%.

The Executive Order creating the MAHA Commission directs that a second report provide policy recommendations based on the first report’s findings. Farmers are imploring the president to create a process for public input for any follow-up reports.

“This all hits very close to home for the U.S. farmer,” said Johnson. “Our message is really clear: We’re asking President Trump to maintain his relationship with farmers and bring his friends, the American farmer, into the fold when having these delicate conversations. We hope common sense will prevail.”

MAHA report hits 'close to home'

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released its long-awaited renewable volume obligation proposal for 2026 and 2027, which included historic increases in biomass-based diesel volumes and recommendations to strengthen domestic markets for U.S. soybean farmers.

The proposed rule makes significant increases in volume requirements for biomass-based diesel, from 3.35 billion gallons in 2025 to 5.61 billion gallons in 2026, or a 67% increase. If finalized, this proposal would jumpstart a biofuel industry that has largely been crippled by weak Renewable Identification Numbers (RIN) credit values.

“I think it’s exciting and we have to advocate for our needs. When we get good news, we’ve got to be appreciative of that – and we are,” said Wisconsin farmer and ASA Director Don Lutz. “We have to take advantage of the opportunities that biofuels present, and the EPA listened to our concerns.”

Additionally, EPA proposed a new concept to discount the RIN credit value for foreign finished fuel and fuels produced using foreign feedstocks. As soybean farmers struggle to maintain biofuel feedstock market share amid the rapidly growing flood of cheap, foreign feedstocks like used cooking oil, this proposal would once again give U.S. agriculture a competitive edge in the biofuel value chain.

The proposal now enters a period of stakeholder engagement and feedback.

“Anything that helps us sell more soybeans and increase our prices domestically so we’re not so reliant on international markets is a great thing,” said Doug Rebout, president of the Wisconsin Soybean Association.

The latest edition of SoyStats highlights Wisconsin’s growing economic impact on agriculture.

Published by ASA, SoyStats is the go-to guide for planting, yield and production data, along with annual crush, meal and oil reports. Because of its valuable insight to the U.S. soybean industry, the Wisconsin Soybean Marketing Board (WSMB) sponsors the annual publication.

“SoyStats gives producers timely economic, export and production information, which is why it continues to be important to invest soybean checkoff dollars into the project,” WSMB Executive Director Adam Kask said. “It’s always exciting when we get the new booklet in the mail.”

According to the 2025 SoyStats, which covers the 2023/24 marketing year, Wisconsin soybean farmers produced 101.8 million bushels of soybeans (ranking 14 among 29 soy-producing states) with an average yield of 48 bushels per acre (13th in the nation). In total, the U.S. planted 87.1 million acres of soybeans, an increase from 83.6 million in 2023. Wisconsin claimed 2.15 million of those soybean acres.

Economically, the Wisconsin soybean industry was responsible for 28.3 percent of the total principal crops in the state, valuing at $1.3 billion.

“Soybeans are a major economic factor in Wisconsin and account for a large acreage,” Kask said. “The SoyStats facts and figures reinforce that the ‘miracle bean’ is an important industry in our state.”

To view the digital version, visit soystats.com.

RAISING THE STAKES

WSA’s Yield Contest rolls out 2025 details

Did you know?

The 2024 Yield Contest saw record participation and a 20% increase from 2023.

By Sydney Harris

While Wisconsin soybean farmers raced to plant their 2025 crop, they also had their eyes on earning bragging rights through participation in the Wisconsin Soybean Association’s 2025 Soybean Yield Contest.

For over 15 years, the contest has encourages the development of innovative management practices. The contest highlights the importance of using sound agricultural practices in Wisconsin soybean production systems and features growers’ dedication toward improving their operations.

“Fundamentally, the Wisconsin Soybean Yield Contest allows growers to showcase the practices that they’re applying on their farm that maximize yield and profitability,” said WSA Director Shawn Conley, a professor in the agronomy department at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Any soybean production system can enter the contest. Two winners will be selected from each of the four geographical divisions in the state. Divisions are based on long-term county soybean yield averages. Additional awards in the contest include the Planting Green Award, New Contestant Award and WI 100 Bushel Soybean Club. To enter the contest, entry forms must be completed and returned on or before Aug. 31, 2025. Yield Contest winners will be recognized at the 2026 Wisconsin Corn•Soy Expo.

“Any farmer should enter the contest; there are opportunities for those that have been in it for a long time and have continued tweaking their production practices. We also have a category for someone that’s new to the contest and for farmers that are really focusing on conservation practices,” Conley said. “There’s plenty of room in the tent for everyone to join and participate because it’s great to learn from your fellow farmers and be recognized for what you’re doing on your farm.”

Supported by the Wisconsin Soybean Marketing Board and Wisconsin soybean checkoff dollars, the yield contest is marking 15 years of commemorating Wisconsin soybean management practices this year.

“Wisconsin’s soybean growers are diligent stewards of the land and savvy businesspeople,” said WSA Executive Director Adam Kask. “WSA’s 2025 Soybean Yield Contest spotlights how these two attributes come together on farms across the state to produce superior quality soybean crops.”

WSA wants to know – does your operation have that big bean energy? Prove it by entering the 2025 Soybean Yield Contest. Visit wisoybean.org for more information and to download the rules and entry form. Interested producers can also visit coolbean.info to download contest forms.

“You can’t win if you don’t enter,” Conley said. “It’s an opportunity to have fun, learn and grow.”

BIG BEAN ENERGY

Do you have that big bean energy?

Prove it by entering the 2025 Wisconsin Soybean Yield Contest. Submit your entries by August 31!

There is a relentless spirit that unites us all in agriculture - a conviction we can dream big and that together, we become unstoppable.

As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.

Proverbs 27:17 NIV