This harvest, U.S. soybean farmers will spend countless hours in the fields gathering a portion of the food and feed for the rest of the world. Seeing that tank on the combine fill up quickly with high-yield soybeans and pushing the button on the master control lever to pour part of a season’s worth of work into the bin is sure to bring a smile to any farmer’s face.   

While farmers are taking to the fields, armed with the latest reports, technology and most of all, eager determination—the World Soy Foundation (WSF) is kicking off a new year of the Acre Challenge and is looking to partner with all those farmers “pushing the button” as they harvest their acres. The campaign’s slogan “Push the Button. Give Your Acre. Be Part of the Solution.” relates back to their deep roots in agriculture. The Foundation was founded by farmer leaders that believed in the power of their soybean crop to be part of a solution to relieving world hunger and malnutrition.

Those farmers posed a challenge to their fellow growers through the Acre Challenge. They challenged other growers to give the value of just one of their acre of soybeans and be part of the group of U.S. soybean farmers helping to alleviate hunger around the world. The fiscal year and one of the WSF’s most successful Challenge campaigns in their history just ended. Nearly 570 U.S. soybean farmers from 31 states accepted the Challenge and helped them raise approximately 101 percent of their $100,000 goal.

The WSF would like to specifically recognize Iowa, the top supporting state of the 2013-2014 Challenge. The generosity of 70 farmers raised over $16,605 to help the WSF continue reducing malnutrition through the power of soy! It is not without farmers like the Iowa farmers that WSF can continue addressing one of the gravest issues of our world today.

While farmers look to their next planting season in the coming months, the WSF is also planning for this year’s Acre Challenge and kicking off with their “Push the Button” campaign. The campaign urges farmers to consider joining the WSF and the Acre Challenge during their harvest. As that button is pushed to pour out acres and acres of soybeans, the value of just one of those acres could make a world of difference to a hungry, malnourished child in countries across the world like Guatemala, Honduras or South Africa. Click HERE to watch a video on the campaign and the WSF.

“Farmers and industry together, as partners, can help feed young hungry kids around the world by introducing soy and soy protein into their diets through the work of the WSF,” said Scott Fritz, WSF Board Chair and Indiana grower. “A young child lacking protein in the formative years can never recover and helping kids develop healthily is something we can all feel and understand.”

So, during this harvest, consider the campaign’s motto and “be a part of the solution” to reducing malnutrition and hunger—push the button for the WSF and share the value of an acre. Click HERE to check out an infographic, “Hunger vs. the Power of Soy,” to learn how the value of an acre is more than just dollars and cents.

To “push the button,” simply calculate the value of an acre of soybeans in your operation (yield multiplied by price), or visit www.worldsoyfoundation.org/supportus/donate to give securely online. A check can also be mailed to: World Soy Foundation; 12125 Woodcrest Executive Drive, Suite 100; St. Louis, MO 63141.