Soybean scholarship available for 2018-19 school year

FRANKENMUTH, Mich. — Soybean dollars are available to help college students in the 2018-19 school year. The Michigan Soybean Promotion Committee (MSPC) is offering scholarships to students enrolled in Michigan State University’s Crop and Soil Science (CSS) program.

Scholarship applicants must be undergraduate full-time students (12 credit hours or more) in their junior or senior year and possess a minimum 3.0 cumulative grade point average based on a 4.0 scale. Interested students can apply for the MSPC scholarships through MSU's scholarship and grant department.

MSPC is also offering a statewide scholarship for students attending other colleges or MSU students in a different program besides CSS, as long as they are going into an ag-related field and a family member pays into the soybean checkoff. This scholarship will be awarded using the same criteria as the MSU scholarships.

Apply soon, as the deadline is Feb. 21. For the statewide scholarship application, visit http://bit.ly/2j4nJPm

USDA seeks nominees for national milk promotion board

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The USDA is asking fluid milk processors and other interested parties to nominate candidates to serve on the National Fluid Milk Processor Promotion Board. The deadline for nominations is Jan. 12.

Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue will appoint eight individuals to succeed members whose terms expire on June 30, and two members to fill vacant positions with terms expiring on June 30, 2019.

The USDA will accept nominations for board representation in six geographic regions and two at-large positions. Nominees for the regional positions must be active owners or employees of a fluid milk processor. At least one at-large position must be a member of the general public.

The vacancies include Region 6 (Ohio and West Virginia), Region 8 (Illinois and Indiana) and Region 9 (Alabama, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee). Newly appointed members will serve three-year terms from July 1 through June 30, 2021. USDA will also accept nominations to fill a vacant at-large position, to serve a one-year term expiring on June 30, 2019.

To nominate an individual, submit a copy of the nomination form and a signed background form for each nominee by Jan. 12 to: Emily DeBord, Promotion, Research, and Planning Division, Dairy Program, AMS, USDA, 1400 Independence Ave., S.W., Stop 0233, Room 2958-S, Washington, D.C. 20250-0233, or via email at emily.debord@ams.usda.gov

For nominating forms and information, visit www.ams.usda.gov/rules-regulations/research-promotion/fluid-milk or call 202-720-5567.

Also, Perdue announced the appointment of six members to serve on the board. The terms for these appointees are effective immediately and expire on June 30, 2020. Newly appointed members are Randell W. Eronimous of Seattle, Wash. (Region 13) and Erin S. Sharp of Cincinnati, Ohio (at-large, processor).

Reappointed members are: Lynne M. Bohan, Lynnfield, Mass. (Region 2); Jeffrey D. Stephens, Lakeland, Fla. (Region 5); Edward L. Mullins, Carlinville, Ill. (Region 11); and Evan L. Rainwater, Boise, Idaho (Region 14).

Soy Aquaculture Alliance elects 2018 Executive Committee

(Martin mug in 6349)

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — Elections were held during the December board meeting of the Soy Aquaculture Alliance (SAA) board of directors. Serving as chair of the SAA is John Wray of Ottawa, Kan. He has previously served as both treasurer and secretary for the organization.

New to the Executive Committee and serving as vice chair for SAA is Matt Bainbridge of Ethan, S.D. Set to return to the Executive Committee in the role of treasurer is George Martin of Nebo, Ky. Also joining the Executive Committee will be Eugene Goering of Columbus, Neb., in the role of secretary.

The SAA was developed to ensure a safe supply of affordable seafood for America and an abundant supply of the highest quality soybeans and soybean ingredients for the aquaculture feed industry.

Appointments to Cattlemen’s Beef Promotion, Research Board

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue announced the appointment of 27 members to the Cattlemen’s Beef Promotion and Research Board. Twenty-five of the appointees will serve three-year terms; two will serve the remaining one-year portion of vacant positions.

Included from the Farm World region are Ryan Miller of Bardstown, Ky.; Jeffrey Isenmann of Rochester Hills, Mich., an importer; and Nicholas Brander of Wilmette, Ill., an importer (one-year term).

The Cattlemen’s Beef Promotion and Research Board is composed of 99 members, all of whom are beef producers or importers of cattle, beef or beef products. The board is authorized by the Beef Promotion and Research Act of 1985.

USDA announces national dairy board appointments

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue announced the appointment of 13 individuals, including 12 dairy producers and one importer, to serve three-year terms on the National Dairy Promotion and Research Board. Their terms end on Oct. 31, 2020.

The USDA established the 37-member board under the Dairy Production Stabilization Act of 1983. Newly appointed producers representing states in the Farm World area are:

•Region 7 (Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, and Nebraska): Alex D. Peterson, Trenton, Mo.

•Region 9 (Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia): Gregory A. Gibson, Bruceton Mills, W.Va.

•Region 10 (Alabama, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia): John M. Larson, Okeechobee, Fla.

Indiana Corn, Soy groups choose their 2018 leadership

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — The Indiana Corn Growers Assoc. board elected a new leadership team at its meeting in December, including DeKalb County farmer Sarah Delbecq as president.

Other ICGA members elected to the ICGA executive committee include: Vice President Mike Beard of Frankfort, Treasurer Christian Rosen of Urbana and Secretary Ronnie Mohr of Greenfield.

The Indiana Corn Marketing Council (ICMC) board welcomed four new voting directors and elected a new officer team, too. Mike Beard of Frankfort was elected as president of the checkoff organization.

Other members elected to the executive committee include: Josh Miller of Anderson as vice president; Sarah Delbecq of Auburn as secretary; Paul Hodgen of Roachdale as treasurer; Jacob Walker of Waterloo as demand committee chair; and Kelly Whiteman Snipes of Rochester as supply committee chair.

ICMC is led by 17 farmer-directors who are elected by Indiana corn farmers. In 2017, the following board members were selected to serve a three-year term:

•Jacob Walker from Wabash was reelected to represent District 3, which includes LaGrange, Steuben, Noble, DeKalb, Whitley, Allen, Huntington, Wells and Adams counties.

•Adam Howell from Middletown was appointed by the board to represent District 6, which includes Blackford, Jay, Delaware, Henry, Randolph, Wayne, Fayette and Union counties.

•John Adam Jr. from Sellersburg was appointed by the board to represent District 9, which includes Franklin, Jennings, Jefferson, Ripley, Dearborn, Ohio, Clark, Switzerland and Scott counties.

•Tim Gauck from Greensburg was elected to serve as an at-large director representing the entire state of Indiana.

•Denny Maple from Greentown was reelected to serve as an at-large director representing the entire state of Indiana.

•Matt Brandyberry of West Lafayette was appointed by Purdue University’s Interim Dean of Agriculture Karen Plaut to represent the second largest farm organization, Farmers Union.

In addition, three ex-officio directors were appointed to the ICMC board. Tim Baumgart, Ohio Valley Region commercial manager for Consolidated Grain and Barge, will begin his first term as first purchaser ex-officio. State Sen. Mark Stoops and Rep. Joe Taylor III join the ICMC board to represent the Indiana General Assembly.

Finally, the Indiana Soybean Alliance (ISA) welcomed new farmer-directors and elected a new officer team at its December board meeting. Tom Griffiths of Kendallville was reelected as chair of the ISA director board.

Others elected to the executive committee include: Joe Tuholski of Mill Creek as vice chair; Anngie Steinbarger of Edinburgh as secretary; David Rodibaugh of Rensselaer as treasurer; Jim Douglas of Flat Rock as grain marketing and utilization committee chair; Elaine Gillis of Dunkirk as marketing and communications committee chair; and Phil Ramsey of Shelbyville as membership and policy committee chair.

This year, ISA welcomed five new members to the board and four members returned for another three-year term.

•In District 1, Denise Scarborough of LaCrosse was elected to the board, and Joe Tuholski of Mill Creek will continue to serve for a third term. District 1 includes Benton, Carroll, Cass, Clinton, Elkhart, Fulton, Howard, Jasper, Kosciusko, LaPorte, Lake, Marshall, Miami, Newton, Porter, Pulaski, St. Joseph, Starke, Tipton, Wabash and White counties.

•In District 2, CJ Chalfant of Harford City was elected to the board and John Emmert of Ligonier will continue to serve his second term. District 2 includes Adams, Allen, Blackford, DeKalb, Delaware, Grant, Henry, Huntington, Jay, LaGrange, Madison, Noble, Randolph, Steuben, Wayne, Wells and Whitley counties.

•Derika Lynam-Spaetti of Evansville, Mark Legan of Coatesville and Gary McDaniel of Boonville were selected to represent District 3, which includes Clay, Daviess, Dubois, Fountain, Gibson, Greene, Knox, Martin, Montgomery, Owen, Parke, Pike, Posey, Putnam, Spencer, Sullivan, Tippecanoe, Vanderburgh, Vermillion, Vigo, Warren and Warrick counties.

•In District 4, Anngie Steinbarger of Edinburgh and Jim Douglas of Flat Rock were reelected to each serve a second term. This includes Bartholomew, Boone, Brown, Clark, Crawford, Dearborn, Decatur, Fayette, Floyd, Franklin, Hamilton, Hancock, Harrison, Hendricks, Jackson, Jefferson, Jennings, Johnson, Lawrence, Marion, Monroe, Morgan, Ohio, Orange, Perry, Ripley, Rush, Scott, Shelby, Switzerland, Union and Washington.