WASHINGTON, Oct. 8, 2014 - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced the appointment of 19 members and three alternate members to the United Soybean Board.
Appointed Soybean Board members are as follows: Angela M. Dee, Aliceville, Alabama; Robert L. Stobaugh, Atkins, Arkansas; Dwain L. Ford, Kinmundy, Illinois; Michael A. Beard, Frankfort, Indiana; Larry K. Marek, Riverside, Iowa; Thomas E. Oswald, Cleghorn, Iowa; Craig M. Gigstad, Valley Falls, Kansas; Keith N. Tapp, Sebree, Kentucky; Belinda L. Burrier, Union Bridge, Maryland; Herbert N. Miller, Niles, Michigan; Scott G. Singlestad, Waseca, Minnesota; James D. Sneed, Senatobia, Mississippi; George L. Rone, Portageville, Missouri; Mike G. Korth, Randolph, Nebraska; Daniel J. Corcoran, Piketon, Ohio; Ellie W. Green, Lynchburg, South Carolina; Robert J. Metz, Peever, South Dakota; David E. Nichols, Ridgely, Tennessee; and Thomas P. Rotello, Navasota, Texas.
The alternate members appointed are: Richard J. Stern, Jr., Cream Ridge, New Jersey (Eastern Region); Scotty J. Herriman, South Coffreyville, Oklahoma; and Fitzhugh L. Bethea, Dillon, South Carolina.
The 70-member board is authorized by the Soybean Promotion, Research and Consumer Information Act. The Secretary selected the appointees from soybean producers nominated by Qualified State Soybean Boards. All appointees will serve 3-year terms beginning December 2014.
Research and promotion programs are industry-funded, authorized by Congress, and date back to 1966, when Congress passed the Cotton Research and Promotion Act. Since then, Congress has authorized the establishment of 22 research and promotion boards. They empower farmers and ranchers to leverage their own resources to develop new markets, strengthen existing markets, and conduct important research and promotion activities. AMS provides oversight, paid for by industry assessments, which ensures fiscal responsibility, program efficiency and fair treatment of participating stakeholders. For information on the United Soybean Board, please contact James Brow by phone at (202) 720-0633, or e-mail: James.Brow@ams.usda.gov.
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