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Mar 13, 2014
Photo Credit: Screenshot from RFD
In Washington this week, more than 100 soybean farmers, including the 43 members of ASA’s board of directors met to discuss the policy victories and challenges facing the soybean industry in the near and long terms.
In meetings that stretched from Monday through today, representatives from the 26 state and regional ASA affiliates, as well as Canada spoke with their lawmakers on critical soybean industry issues, including the recently passed farm bill, the Renewable Fuel Standard, waterways bills now in conference, trade, regulatory, biotechnology, sustainability and aquaculture.
ASA leadership also met with USTR, USDA, EPA, and with all four leadership offices on the House and Senate Agriculture Committees.
During the meeting’s Wednesday General Session, ASA Michigan Director Matt Stutzman presented the association’s Soy Champion Award to Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.). That session also featured a talk with Amanda Urbanek of USDA’s National Appeals Division, as well as a discussion of big data and data stewardship issues with Farm Bureau’s Mary Kay Thatcher.
The board will next meet in Washington in July for ASA’s annual Legislative Forum.
