The Board of Directors of the American Soybean Association (ASA) has confirmed Ron Heck, from Perry, Iowa, as President, and Dwain Ford of Kinmundy, Ill., as Chairman. Board members also elected Neal Bredehoeft from Alma, Mo., to serve as First Vice President, an office that places Bredehoeft in line to be ASA President next year. Also elected were Corwin Fee from Knoxville, Iowa, as Secretary, and Rick Ostlie from Northwood, N.D., as Treasurer. Four Vice Presidents were elected: Bob Metz from Browns Valley, Minn., Johnny Dodson from Dyersburg, Tenn., Darryl Brinkmann from Carlyle, Ill., and Gary Joachim from Claremont, Minn. These soybean producer-leaders form the nine-member ASA Executive Committee. Elections were held during ASA’s summer Board of Director’s meeting in Saint Louis.

"U.S. soybean producers must be competitive in the global marketplace," said new ASA President Ron Heck. "It is in our country’s best interest that the United States negotiate trade agreements favorable to U.S. agriculture, guard against unfair and illegal trade practices that disadvantage U.S producers, and appropriate funding for lock and dam improvements along the Mississippi and Illinois Rivers to modernize our transportation infrastructure."

New First Vice President Neal Bredehoeft said, "U.S. soybean farmers benefit greatly from the work of the American Soybean Association. My priorities include communicating the importance of a strong domestic livestock industry, passage of a tax incentive for biodiesel, and improving market access for biotech-enhanced crops."

Following the elections, committee assignments were announced. The Public Affairs Committee Chairman is Neal Bredehoeft. Committee members are Dan Beenken (IA), Lorraine Birschbach (WI), Darryl Brinkmann (IL), Marc Curtis (MS), Johnny Dodson (TN), Scott Fritz (IN), Ed Hegland (MN), Doug Hartz (AR), Joe Layton (Mid-Atlantic), Liam McCreery (Canada), Bob Metz (SD), Barb Overlie (MN), Bart Ruth (NE), Ward Shaw (NC), Curt Sindergard (IA), Joe Steiner (OH), and Carl Weets (TX).

Corwin Fee was appointed Chairman of the Trade Policy & International Affairs Committee. Western World and Middle East Sub-Chair is David Hand (OH) and Vice Chair is Dennis Friest (IA), with committee members Dwain Ford (IL), Roger Hadley (IN), Glen Janssen (IA), and Charles Skalsky (VA). Asia Sub-Chair is Bob Rikli (NE), and Vice Chair is Ron Gibson (MO), with committee members Dennis Jaeger (SD), Brad Mathson (WI), Rick Ostlie (ND), and Bill Wiley (KS).

The Membership Services & Corporate Relations committee Chairman is Gary Joachim, with Tony Anderson (OH), Greg Leonard (OK), Charles Cannatella (LA), John Cooper (AR), Roger Dale (MN), Randy DeSutter (IL), M.D. Floyd (SC), Gary Langel (IA), Jack Trumbo (KY), Joseph Mills (AL), John Hoffman (IA), Bart Waller (GA/FL), and Andy Welden (MI) serving as committee members.

Rick Ostlie was appointed Chairman of the Finance Committee, with Tony Anderson (OH), Bart Ruth (NE), M.D. Floyd (SC), Dennis Friest (IA), Doug Hartz (AR), and Joe Layton (Mid-Atlantic) serving as committee members.

The Board welcomed five new members who are Ed Hegland (MN), Liam McCreery (Canada), Joe Steiner (OH), Jack Trumbo (KY), and Andy Welden (MI). ASA also recognized retiring Directors Ken Bee (Canada), Pete Crawford (MI), Bill Foell (IA), Brian Hansen (MN), and Jim Long (KY) for their years of service.