2005 Year in Review

Soybean Update

Source: Illinois Soybean Association; Illinois Soybean Checkoff Board; 1605 Commerce Parkway; Bloomington, Illinois 61704; (309) 663-7692 telephone; (309) 663-6981 fax, www.ilsoy.org

Three Days in DC - Illinois soybean producer leaders were in Washington, D.C. last week as part of the American Soybean Association (ASA) summer meeting and to meet with lawmakers on key legislation that is currently – and quickly -- moving through the legislative process. Illinois’ representatives met with Illinois legislators to urge them to support and pass the Energy Bill, the reauthorization of the Water Resource Development Act (WRDA) and the Central American-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA). They also discussed the upcoming Farm Bill and encouraged lawmakers to make certain that soybean title programs are treated equitably when budget cuts are considered. In part because of efforts by the Illinois leadership, the WRDA passed the House on Thursday by a resounding 406-14 vote. Amendments offered to strike and slow down the lock improvement portion of the bill were solidly defeated. The bill now heads for the full Senate and likely will be considered before the August recess.

Shimkus Appointed to Energy Bill Conference - Illinois Congressman John Shimkus, who has long been an advocate for biodiesel was appointed last week to serve as a conferee on the Energy Bill. The conferees met for the first time last Thursday and will meet again this Tuesday. Other Illinois legislators reviewing and debating certain subsets of the bill are Congresswoman Biggert and Congressman Costello.

ASA in DC - During its summer meeting last week in Washington, D.C. the American Soybean Association (ASA) membership met to discuss policy and hear from U.S. Trade Ambassador Allen Johnson and USDA Deputy Secretary Chuck Conner. The ASA also elected officers for the coming year. Randy DeSutter, Woodhull, Ill. was elected to serve as one of four Vice-Presidents. ASA leadership also appointed Illinois soybean farmer Phil Bradshaw of Griggsville to serve on the World Initiative for Soy in Human Health (WISHH) board of directors. Bradshaw, who also serves on the Illinois Soybean Checkoff Board as Asst.

Secretary/Treasurer and on the United Soybean Board, will serve WISHH as its Treasurer. WISHH was recently organized and recognized as a 501(c)3 charitable organization. ASA also hosted its 3rd Annual Congressional Soyfoods Luncheon that was attended by more than 400.

Rust Found on Commercial Soybean Field in Alabama - Asian Soybean Rust was observed in a 60-acre commercial soybean field in Baldwin County, Alabama last week. The field is approximately one mile northeast of the two soybean sentinel plots that were observed to have rust in late June. That older of those two fields is now at 100 percent disease incidence; the younger field is at 75 percent incidence. According to local officials, the disease on the commercial field is estimated to cover 20 percent of the field, but represents low disease severity. The field is thought to be at the R4-R5 stage. Other scouted fields within ten miles of positive fields have shown no signs of rust. Producers can access up-to-the-hour reports on Asian Soybean Rust occurrences and movement on several web sites, including Soybean Rust Information Site

Sixteen out of 19 Congressmen Need a Call From You - The Senate included the biodiesel tax incentive in their version of the Energy Bill. The House did not. That’s why it’s critical for soybean farmers to call their Congressman to urge them to sign on as a co-sponsor for H.R. 2498. This proposed legislation is an independent bill from the Congress that calls for extending the federal biodiesel tax incentive to 2010. As more and more co-sponsors are added to this bill, it will demonstrate to the Energy Bill Conference Committee, which is currently reconciling differences between the Senate and House versions of the Energy Bill, that there is significant support for the tax incentive extension. Tell your Representative to ask the Speaker of the House (Illinois’ Dennis Hastert) to adopt the biodiesel provisions that are vital to the final conference report on the Energy Bill. As of Friday, July 22 only three of Illinois 19 Congressmen have signed on as co-sponsors: Jerry Costello, Ray LaHood and John Shimkus. Your Congressman’s phone number is accessible at Office of the Clerk.

Hurricane Dennis Pushes Spores Around - Hurricane Dennis is being implicated in spreading Asian Soybean Rust spores northward as Rust was spotted and confirmed in two new locations. The disease has now been found in Alabama and Mississippi and is spreading into new counties in Florida and Georgia. The new spores have been found on sentinel plots, underscoring the importance of the sentinel plots that act as early indicators of the disease’s spread. All of the locations are still relatively far south, but northward enough to prompt southern soybean growers to begin preventative treatment for the disease. Officials in Tennessee are still waiting for results of USDA testing of five spores found on July 15 that resembled rust spores.

2005 Midwest Soybean Conference Convenes this Week - Soybean growers from around the upper Midwest are expected to meet in Des Moines on Wednesday and Thursday for the 10th Annual Midwest Soybean Conference. The Conference is being held at the Sheraton Inn in West Des Moines, Iowa. Producers can register on-site for the two days for $75 per producer and spouse plus children (8 to 18) at $50. The conference will provide insights into future trends that will affect the soybean industry and begins at 8:00 a.m. Wednesday morning with the General Session – “Drivers of Change and their Impact on Soybean Producers.” More information is available on the Conference manager’s (Iowa Soybean Association) web site at Iowa Soybean Association

by  Editor, theCity1.com
August 2, 2005