The Maryland Soybean Board is pleased to announce that it has invested over $225,000 in projects to promote soybeans and their many by-products for it’s 2022 fiscal year. The board of farmer directors identified target areas of funding as Animal Agriculture, Consumer Education, Emerging Markets, and Farmer Engagement, as outlined in their strategic plan.
“Projects funded by the Maryland Soybean Board are selected by their potential value to Maryland soybean growers,” says Evan Staley, Chair of the board’s Promotion and Communication Committee. “The overall goal is to increase the profitability of these farmers.”
Projects funded in these target areas include:
- Animal Agriculture – Membership to the Animal Agriculture Alliance, sponsorship of 4-H youth livestock shows, sponsorship of Delmarva Shorebirds (thankachicken.com);
- Consumer Education – MaxCareers.Info website, “Just the Beginning…the Life of a Young Sprout” booklets, soybean education in Maryland schools, rural road safety campaign, MidAtlantic CommonGround, Grain Bin Safety Week, My Maryland Farmers website and social media campaign, Maryland Farm & Harvest television series;
- Emerging Markets – Membership to the National Biodiesel Board, Northeast state regulatory and technical biodiesel support, trailblazing brand‐new export markets for U.S. soy, soy energy exhibit;
- Farmer Engagement – Maryland Commodity Classic, LEAD Maryland Program, Soybean Leadership Academy, Tractor College, and other local sponsorships.
“For every dollar that farmers invest into the soybean checkoff, the United Soybean Board has shown that they received an estimated $12.34 in added value. The Maryland Soybean Board is proud of the investments being made to continuously add value to the industry,” Staley concludes.
In Maryland, farmers grow about a half a million acres of soybeans, producing more than 20 million bushels of beans each year. With a value of $173 million to the state’s economy, soybeans are one of Maryland’s top crops. The checkoff program is funded by farmers through an assessment of one-half of one percent of the net market value of their soybeans at the first point of sale. One-half of the checkoff funds stay in Maryland for programs; the other half is sent to the United Soybean Board.
For more information on the Maryland Soybean Board, visit www.mdsoy.com.
# # #
Danielle Farace, Executive Director
Maryland Soybean Board
Office: 443.812.4526
danielle@mdsoy.com