The best thing about the Kentucky Soybean Board is its people.

This organization is fortunate to have a number of dedicated, involved farmer-leaders who volunteer their time to further the best interests of all soybean growers – with Kentucky soy at the forefront of those efforts.

Those farmer-leaders are tasked with a big job: investing Kentucky’s portion of the soybean checkoff.

Did you know that the farmer-created soybean checkoff generates, according to a third-party study, $12.34 in added value for every dollar invested?

The national soy checkoff has been hard at work, increasing inclusion rates for soy and soy components in everything from animal feed and asphalt to tires, shoe treads, chainsaw oil and more.

At the state level, the farmer-leaders of the Kentucky Soybean Board invest the commonwealth’s portion of the checkoff into research, education, promotion, and building demand, both domestically and internationally.

The Kentucky Soybean Promotion Board is appointed for a two-year period.

The 2023-2025 Kentucky Soybean Board members include American Soybean Association Director Jeff King of Corydon, Kentucky Farm Bureau appointee Glenn Howell of Fulton, Kentucky Department of Agriculture appointee Andrea Williford of Clinton, United Soybean Board Director Ryan Bivens of Hodgenville, Kentucky Soybean Association appointees Jonathan Reynolds of Clinton, Clay Wells of Clay, and Adam Hendricks of Russellville, American Soybean Association Director Caleb Ragland of Magnolia, Kentucky Soybean Association appointee Allen Pace of LaCenter.

Seated are American Soybean Association Director Fred L. Sipes of Ekron, United Soybean Board Directors Barry Alexander of Cadiz, and Brent Gatton of Bremen, and, standing Kentucky Farm Bureau appointee Larry Thomas of Elizabethtown.

At their meeting on July 24, the members of the board elected Barry Alexander as Chairman for 2023-2024. Fred L. Sipes was elected Vice-Chairman, and Brent Gatton was elected Secretary/Treasurer.

The Board thanked Larry Thomas for his two years of service as Chairman of the organization.

In addition to officer elections, the board reviewed proposals from national and international partners and made appropriate investments to continue increasing demand for renewable, sustainable U.S. Soy.

To learn more about the work of the Kentucky Soybean Board, visit KySoy.org.