American Soybean Association (ASA) President Alan Kemper has confirmed the U.S. soybean grower leaders for ASA’s World Initiative for Soy in Human Health (WISHH) Program in 2011-2012. WISHH program Committee Members reelected David Iverson of South Dakota as chair, Andy Welden of Michigan as vice chair, Barb Overlie of Minnesota as secretary, and Pat Dumoulin of Illinois as treasurer.

In addition to the officer team, Kemper also confirmed extensions for WISHH Program Committee Members: Ken Bartlett, North Carolina; Dan Farney, Illinois; Scott Fritz, Indiana; C.W. Gaffner, Illinois; Jared Hagert, North Dakota; Lucas Heinen, Kansas; John Heisdorffer, Iowa; Monica McCranie, South Dakota; Darrel McGriff, Indiana; Jack Trumbo, Kentucky; Randy Van Kooten, Iowa, and Bill Wykes, Illinois.

"Through WISHH, these soybean leaders are blazing trails to new markets for the U.S. soybean industry," Kemper said. "Developing countries are driving protein demand as the global population grows. Raising low-income consumers out of poverty is the most important factor in future global demand for food, and WISHH has the strategic plan to help them at the same time we expand the U.S. soy market."

"Fifty years of U.S. soy market development have shown that helping people understand how to use soy for nutrition, both for human health and for livestock production, increases worldwide demand for U.S. soy," said WISHH Executive Director Jim Hershey.

The potential appetite for protein is projected to increase by 75 percent by 2025 compared to 2001, according to research from the National Soybean Research Laboratory.

Since U.S. soybean farmers founded WISHH in 2000, WISHH has worked in 23 countries to improve diets, as well as encourage growth of food industries. The WISHH program is managed from ASA’s world headquarters in Saint Louis. For more information, visit www.wishh.org.

Video interviews by WISHH Program Committee Members are available at www.youtube.com/user/WISHHSoybeans.