The Board of Directors of the American Soybean Association (ASA) has confirmed Bart Ruth from Rising City, Neb., as President and Tony Anderson from Mount Sterling, Ohio, as Chairman. Board members also elected Dwain Ford from Kinmundy, Ill., to serve as First Vice President, an office that places Ford in line to be ASA President next year.
Also elected were Greg Leonard from Afton, Okla., as Secretary, and Rick Ostlie from Northwood, N.D., as Treasurer. Four Vice Presidents were elected: Ron Heck from Perry, Iowa; Doug Hartz from Stuttgart, Ark.; Corwin Fee from Knoxville, Iowa; and Neal Bredehoeft, from Alma, Mo.
“This is a time of great opportunity for U.S. soybean farmers,” said new ASA President, Bart Ruth. “ASA is well positioned to lead the way on many important issues and policies in Washington, D.C., that will affect the profitability of soybean producers. I am proud to be a part of this exemplary organization.”
New First Vice President Dwain Ford said, “I look forward to serving the American Soybean Association and U.S. soybean growers. ASA has many dedicated people working at the state and national levels and I am pleased to be a part of an organization that represents the interests of soybean farmers so diligently.”
Following the elections, committee assignments were announced. The Public Affairs Committee Chairman is Dwain Ford. Committee members are Tony Anderson (OH), Darryl Brinkmann (IL), Pete Crawford (MI), Marc Curtis (MS), Johnny Dodson (TN), Bill Foell (IA), Roger Hadley (IN), Doug Hartz (AR), Ron Heck (IA), Greg Leonard (OK), Bob Metz (SD), Brian Hanson (MN), Rick Ostlie (ND), Ward Shaw (NC) and Ken Bee (Canada).
Corwin Fee was appointed Chairman of the Trade Policy Committee, with Gary Langel (IA) as Sub-Chair/Asia, Scott Fritz (IN) as Sub-Chair/EU, and Gary Joachim as Sub-Chair/Latin America. Other committee members are Dennis Friest (IA), David Hand (OH), Brad Mathson (WI), Bob Rikli (NE), Dennis Jaeger (SD), Ron Gibson (MO), Charles Skalsky (VA), Carl Weets (TX), and Bill Wiley (KS).
The Membership Services & Corporate Relations committee Chairman is Neal Bredehoeft, with Lorraine Birschbach (WI), Roger Dale (MN), Randy DeSutter (IL.), M.D. Floyd (SC), Glenn Janssen (IA), Jim Long (KY), Herb Smith (MI), LaVance Herring (LA), Joseph Mills (AL), John Cooper (AR) and Bart Waller (GA) serving as committee members.
Rick Ostlie was appointed Chairman of the Finance & Administrative Services Committee, with Bart Ruth (NE), Randy DeSutter (IL), M.D. Floyd (SC), Brian Hanson (MN), Doug Hartz (AR), and Dennis Friest (IA) serving as committee members.
Three new members to the Board are Roger Dale (MN), John Cooper (AR) and Ken Bee (Canada). ASA also recognized the following retiring Directors for their years of service: Mike Yost (MN), John R. McClendon (AR) and Tom Lassaline (Canada).
ASA/Bayer Soybean Radio Newsline reports can now be heard on SoyGrowers.com. The reports provide comments from ASA leaders and other industry representatives about current issues and topics of interest to soybean farmers. A new report is available every week and past reports are being archived on SoyGrowers.com so they can still be heard at a later time.
To access the Soybean Radio Newsline on www.SoyGrowers.com, go to the “Media Center” on the navigation bar then click on “Soy Radio Newsline” and click on the keyword in the description for the report topic.