Advertisement

Laurie Isley of Palmyra elected to United Soybean Board executive committee

ST. CHARLES, Mo. — A Lenawee County soybean farmer has been elected as a director on the United Soybean Board.

Laurie Isley
Laurie Isley

Laurie Isley of Palmyra was elected along with eight others to serve on the Executive Committee during the USB's Dec. 7 meeting in St. Charles, Missouri, a news release from the USB said. Isley will serve as the chair of the USB's Communication and Education Committee.

The United Soybean Board’s 77 volunteer farmers work on behalf of all U.S. soybean farmers to achieve maximum value for their soy checkoff investments, the release said. These volunteers create value by investing in research, education and promotion with the vision to deliver sustainable soy solutions across the three priority areas of infrastructure and connectivity, health and nutrition, and innovation and technology. As stipulated in the federal Soybean Promotion, Research and Consumer Information Act, the Agricultural Marketing Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture has oversight responsibilities for USB and the soy checkoff.

ADVERTISEMENT

Isley also is a director on the Michigan Soybean Committee. She represents District 3 on the MSC, which includes Lenawee, Monroe, Wayne, Washtenaw and Livingston counties.

Farmers of the USB also elected Meagan Kaiser of Missouri as 2023 chair.

“During my tenure at United Soybean Board, I’m proudest of our achievements in engagement for infrastructure investments,” Kaiser said in the release. “As we’ve seen production and transportation challenges brought on by drought this past growing season, farmers’ investments to the checkoff are more critical than ever in enhancing resilience on the farm, building preference for U.S. Soy and providing a reliable supply to our customers. I’m impressed with the strategic direction of our board, and I look forward to working as a collaborative leader alongside our farmer-leaders who represent more than 30 states.”

Kaiser previously served as chair of the USB's Strategic Plan Task Force and oversaw a nearly 20-member committee that created the current strategic plan that prioritizes sustainable soy solutions for global and domestic customers while ensuring value and profitability for U.S. soybean farmers, the release said.

Kaiser previously served as vice chair, leading the Value Alignment Committee in addition to serving as treasurer and in various other appointments within the organization.

“Meagan’s commitment to USB bodes well for what’s ahead under her leadership to make 2023 a memorable year for the checkoff,” USB CEO Polly Ruhland said in the release.

Also recognized at USB’s december meeting is the new Tom Oswald Legacy Award to honor an individual, organization or group that has left an indelible mark on the soybean industry, the release said. The award honors the late Tom Oswald, who served on the executive committee and as chair of the Audit & Evaluation Committee. Nominations are open online and will close on Jan. 10, 2023. Farmer-leaders will announce the award recipient in March 2023 at Commodity Classic in Orlando, Florida.

“Tom would ask questions that made you think — questions that you had maybe thought about but just didn’t want to speak up,” USB Past Chair Ralph Lott said in the release. “And Meagan, as our new Chair, shares a very similar outlook in challenging the status quo and bringing big ideas that accomplish real results for our soybean farmers.”

This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: Laurie Isley elected to United Soybean Board executive committee