(SALISBURY, MARYLAND) – September 10, 2019 – Soybean researchers seeking funding from the Maryland Soybean Board for new soybean research projects to be conducted during the 2020 growing season are asked to submit a “pre-proposal” by Oct. 15.

“The pre-proposal process gives us the opportunity to greenlight projects that are aligned with our priorities, and to encourage researchers to further develop ones that might need more work,” says Brian Johnson, chairman of the MSB Research Committee and Somerset County, Md., farmer. “It also allows researchers to ‘test the waters’ with new ideas without having to go through the effort of completing a full proposal.”

Pre-proposals must be submitted using the application form available at www.mdsoy.com/research.

Researchers are required to keep their summary statements to “two to three sentences” and should not attach additional pages.

Researchers who plan to submit proposals to continue previously funded research are not required to submit a pre-proposal.

Researchers will be notified of their selection to submit full proposals during the first week of November.

The Maryland Soybean Board administers soybean checkoff funds for soybean research, marketing and education programs in the state. It is funded by farmers through an assessment of one-half of one percent of the net market value of soybeans at their 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.

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 more than $175 million to the state’s economy, soybeans are one of Maryland’s top crops. For more information on the Maryland Soybean Board, visit www.mdsoy.com.

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For More Information:
Susanne Zilberfarb, Executive Director, Maryland Soybean Board
Office: 410.430.2613
susanne@mdsoy.com