(From Left to Right) ASA CEO Steve Censky, ASA First Vice President Richard Wilkins, Collin Peterson, House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member from Minnesota, ASA President Wade Cowan and ASA Chairman Ray Gaesser visit during the annual July board meeting in Washington, DC. 

This week in Washington, the American Soybean Association (ASA) held its annual Legislative Forum, exploring several issues key to soybean producers. The program featured in-depth examinations of international agricultural development, current trade issues, tax reform and tax policy, biotechnology and the potential impact of unmanned aerial systems and precision agriculture on soybean farms.

The forum kicked off with an update on tax and agricultural policy issues from Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman and Agriculture Committee member Chuck Grassley, who also updated attendees on the ongoing Washington fight over the Renewable Fuel Standard. Following Sen. Grassley, attendees to the opening lunch were treated to World Food Prize Laureate Dr. Robb Fraley, who provided a look at the challenge facing farmers, who will need to feed nine billion people by 2050. Other features of the forum included a discussion of consumer and industry messaging on biotechnology, the growing agricultural market for unmanned aerial systems, and the status of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) and panel on expanding U.S. agriculture’s role in foreign aid and agricultural development.

Following the forum on Wednesday, ASA members and forum attendees split into state and regional visit teams and held meetings with more than 125 lawmakers in the House and Senate to advance soybean farmer priorities.