State and national soybean growers and staff gathered in Orlando this week for ASA’s inaugural Soybean Leadership Academy—a training program to build leadership skills and a stronger voice for U.S. soy and agriculture.

Soybean Leadership Academy is designed to enhance collaboration between state affiliate and national soybean organizations and foster interaction among senior soybean leadership and newer board members, creating strong peer and networking opportunities. The new program is a combination of two premier soybean leadership training programs—Soybean Leadership College and the Soy Leadership Forum.

Participants spent the week in sessions on ag economics, advocacy, feeding the future, navigating shared values, in addition to an interactive session on board roles and responsibilities and a presentation by the United Soybean Board (USB).

The training will close with grower and CEO panel including ASA President Bill Gordon, USB Chairman Jim Carroll and USSEC Chairman Derek Haigwood.

ASA thanks Soybean Leadership Academy sponsors who made this program possible: BASF; Bayer; Farm Credit Council; FMC; REG; United Soybean Board; Delaware Soybean Board; Illinois Soybean Association; Indiana Soybean Alliance; Iowa Soybean Association; Kansas Soybean Commission; Kentucky Soybean Board; Maryland Soybean Board; Michigan Soybean Promotion Committee; Minnesota Soybean Research and Promotion Council; Missouri Soybean Merchandising Council; Nebraska Soybean Board; North Carolina Soybean Producers Association; North Dakota Soybean Council; Ohio Soybean Council; South Dakota Soybean Research and Promotion Council; South Dakota Soybean Association; Tennessee Soybean Promotion Board; Virginia Soybean Board and Wisconsin Soybean Association.