American Soybean Association facts for kids

The American Soybean Association (ASA) is a group that helps American soybean farmers. It has about 21,000 members who grow soybeans across the United States. The ASA works to make sure that farmers' voices are heard when new rules are made.

Caleb Ragland is the current President of the ASA. A past leader, Stephen Censky, worked for the ASA for many years. He even served as the United States Deputy Secretary of Agriculture before returning to lead the ASA again in 2020.

The ASA's main goal is to help shape rules and laws that affect soybean farming. They hold a big meeting every year where members decide what issues are most important. The ASA also talks to leaders in the U.S. government to share farmers' ideas.

Helping Soybean Farmers

The American Soybean Association works hard to support farmers. They focus on important topics like new farming technologies and protecting crops. Their aim is to help farmers grow more soybeans and keep their farms healthy.

New Soy Varieties

The ASA generally supports new types of GM soy. GM stands for "genetically modified." This means scientists have made small changes to the plant's genes. The ASA believes these new soy varieties can help farmers grow more food. They also think GM soy can have better nutrition. The ASA wants these new types of soy to have their own special rules.

Protecting Soybeans from Weeds

Farmers sometimes use special sprays called herbicides to kill weeds. Weeds can harm soybean crops. One important herbicide is called dicamba. However, sometimes dicamba can drift to other fields and harm nearby plants.

The ASA knows that farmers need to be good neighbors. So, they have helped fund research to stop dicamba from drifting. Many universities across the U.S. are working on this problem. This research helps farmers use dicamba safely. It is important because some weeds have become resistant to other sprays. This means those sprays no longer work. The ASA even supports stricter rules for using dicamba. This helps make sure farmers can keep using it in the future without harming others.

ASA Programs for Young Farmers

The ASA also has programs to help young people learn about farming. These programs help new farmers connect with others and learn important skills.

DuPont Young Leaders Program

The DuPont Young Leaders program started in 1984. It brings together young farmers from the U.S. and Canada. They get to meet other farmers and leaders from different states and regions. This program helps them learn about farming and how to lead. It also helps them build connections that can help their farms grow.