To determine the policy direction for the American Soybean Association (ASA), 130 soybean farmers from all across the United States assembled during the sixth annual Commodity Classic Convention and Trade Show that was held in San Antonio, Texas. Participants included board members, voting delegates and other members of the ASA who were on hand to review and amend the document that will guide the ASA for the next year as it pursues initiatives designed to improve soybean farmer profitability.

Noteworthy among these modifications are 2002 Farm Bill issues, support for agricultural research, expanded biodiesel initiatives, and for the first time, a resolution addressing the need for affordable broadband Internet access to the farm.

2002 Farm Bill

ASA supports making soybeans eligible for production flexibility contracts or similar payments in the 2002 Farm Bill. Soybeans are grown on 28 percent of the cropland in this country, and soybeans represent the highest value U.S. agricultural export. ASA believes soybeans should be included in any type of production flexibility contract that may be adopted in the new Farm Bill.

The soybean marketing loan should be a major soybean program component and be maintained at a minimum of $5.26 per bushel. The soybean marketing loan program has provided a critical safety net for producers in recent years during times of historically low prices. The current soybean loan rate formula, which was established under the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform (FAIR) Act of 1996, uses a 5-year "Olympic" average price that disregards the highest and lowest years. The floor was set at $4.92 and the cap was set at $5.26. The prevailing rate for crop years 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000 was $5.26.

Research

ASA supports the efforts of the national Council on Food and Agricultural Research (C-FAR). The goal of C-FAR is to double Federal funding of food, agricultural and natural resources research and education programs over the next 5 years to a total of $5 billion.

The current level of research funding at the United States Department of Agriculture is about $2.1 billion, and it is estimated that there is about another $300 to $400 million of research at other Federal agencies that deal with agriculture.

Biodiesel

Delegates also modified several resolutions pertaining to biodiesel. ASA supports the testing and promotion of biofuels made with soybean oil to help bring biodiesel fuel and biodiesel blends, and biodiesel additives to the marketplace. ASA supports the efforts of individual states to enact biodiesel or biodiesel blend requirements within their state.

ASA supports and endorses the inclusion of soybeans and soybean-based product applications and blends of such products in the development and implementation of any potential alternative fuel policy programs.

ASA encourages legislation that supports biodiesel and biodiesel blends with respect to all federal and state energy programs, and ASA strongly urges that all State and Federal diesel vehicles use a biodiesel fuel or a biodiesel blend.

ASA recommends that low-blend biodiesel be accepted as a national energy policy in order to promote domestic renewable energy resources, protect engine warranties and service life as a result of improved lubricity and provide non-toxic fuel source activities.

Telecommunications

ASA believes that universal access to the Internet is important to the quality of life in rural America and to strong and competitive farming operations. Therefore, ASA will urge Federal and State governments to develop programs that will encourage private businesses and cooperatives to bring broadband access to farms at affordable rates.

The 2000-2001 edition of ASA’s Resolutions will be published on the Association’s web site as soon as it is available. ASA is the policy advocate of the US soybean farmer. Its mission is to improve US soybean farmer profitability.