Your team at the Illinois Soybean Association (ISA) is always thinking about marketing the pile of soybeans from our most recent harvest and about ways to support you as you plant seeds for the crop to come. But we are also planning for years beyond the harvest of 2025. Our motivation for this forward thinking is simple—support young and beginning soybean farmers so they’re ready to lead Illinois agriculture forward.

Whether you’re a young farmer looking to build your operation or an experienced farmer eager to mentor the next generation, ISA provides the tools and opportunities to create a strong, resilient soybean-farming community.

Empowering Young Leaders

Soybean farming is driven by ideas, energy and innovation, often directly from our farmers, both young and more experienced. There is no age limit for those who step up to drive advances for the Illinois soybean community. Consistent strides toward continuous improvement for years to come depend on our ability to attract and support young people as soybean farmers.

In this issue, you’ll hear more about our new LEAD Program (Leadership, Education, Advocacy, Development), which is designed to foster leadership across all stages of a farmer’s journey. It also connects individuals new to the agriculture industry with seasoned advocates and retired professionals. Participants engage in interactive learning, networking and travel opportunities, gain a comprehensive understanding of the soybean supply chain and build the skills needed to step into a leadership role.

Through our 20 Under 40 program, we recognize younger Illinois farmers who are already making an impact. By showcasing their stories, we encourage other young farmers to step forward and contribute their unique perspectives and innovations to our industry.

Our “IL Soy Envoy” program also connects young farmers directly with experienced mentors, agronomists and industry experts. This mentorship helps young farmers navigate challenges and stay informed about best practices, emerging trends and new technologies.

Advocacy and Market Development

To secure a resilient future, young farmers need effective advocacy and market opportunities. ISA equips them with the skills to influence policy through Illinois Soybean Growers (ISG) advocacy programs. They learn how to engage with policymakers, address regulatory challenges and represent farming interests effectively at local, state and national levels.

Additionally, our market development initiatives open new opportunities for soybean products, both domestically and globally. By expanding markets and developing new opportunities, ISA helps ensure young farmers can build sustainable and profitable businesses well into the future. These efforts include trade missions, export promotions and exploration of new uses for soybeans—such as biodiesel, animal feed and industrial products. This helps young farmers diversify their market streams.

Education and Practical Training

Learning opportunities for young and beginning farmers don’t stop at advocacy and economics. ISA’s hands-on educational programs offer practical knowledge to boost productivity and sustainability. From on-farm research projects to agronomic training, farmers — young and experienced — discover strategies that enhance yields, profitability and environmental stewardship.

Our industry and university connections help young farmers implement conservation practices such as cover cropping, reduced tillage and nutrient management. These practices benefit both their operation and the land’s future health and productivity.

Today’s farming is more technology-driven than ever. ISA also helps young farmers leverage innovations through our Soy Innovation Center. Whether they are adopting precision agriculture tools, biotechnology solutions or data-driven farming practices, they deserve the latest knowledge to succeed. ISA delivers that information year-round. Training workshops on topics such as drone technology, GPS-guided machinery and data analytics enable young farmers to optimize their resources and decision-making processes.

Building a Legacy Together

National statistics suggest the average age of a farmer has been steadily increasing over the past few decades. The most recent ag census data show farmers’ average age is nearly 60. At ISA, we are passionate about ensuring a younger generation of farmers can enter the business, successfully, through the support of a community that bridges generations and offers a balance of inherited tradition and forward-thinking innovation.

So whether you have a lot to learn, or a lot of expertise to give, this is the place where you belong.