Farmer leaders and representatives of the United Soybean Board (USB) and the American Soybean Association (ASA) are already looking toward 2017 and deciding how to be the most effective with low soybean prices.

Minnesota Soybean Research and Promotion Council (MSR&PC) Chair Keith Schrader, Lincoln County farmer and national ASA director Joel Schreurs, along with Minnesota Soybean CEO Tom Slunecka attended the United States Soybean Export Council (USSEC) – United Export Strategy (UES) meeting on Jan. 19-20. This is an annual meeting to review the upcoming fiscal year budget, gain insight from participants and recommend specific funding for programs that work to promote soybeans and soybean meal across the world.

“We attend these meetings to make sure the priorities of UES ties in with some of the programs Minnesota has funded and supported,” Schrader said. “Because of the declining soybean prices and less checkoff resources, we have to be more strategic and effective with our budget and where the money goes at the national level.”

Because Schreurs is a national ASA director, he currently stands as the Minnesota voting representative.

“Giving input on these dollars is vital to the effectiveness of Minnesota’s checkoff dollars, as a portion of the state checkoff goes to USB,” Slunecka said. “We are here pushing for as much support as possible to support the development of international markets that can be reached by Minnesota soybeans and soybean meal.”