Checkoff vs. Non-Checkoff
By Ryan Frieders, District 1 Director and Government Relations Committee Chairman

As an Illinois farmer, every bushel of soybeans that I sell from my farm invests one half of one percent of the price into the soybean checkoff. A checkoff is, by definition, a specified amount of money collected from a group to support a mutual cause determined by said group. The soybean checkoff was founded in Illinois 60 years ago with the mission of improving farmer profitability, expanding research, sharing information and protecting farmers’ freedom to operate.

The checkoff, paired with investments by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, is opening foreign markets for trade and expanding the sale of our soybeans around the globe. Amazingly, two out of three rows of soybeans grown in Illinois are sold in the global market. As the highest-volume producer of U.S. soybeans for several years, Illinois literally feeds the world.

Over the years, millions of dollars have been invested to increase the productivity and nutrient content of the soybean varieties we grow today. Soybean yields and nutrient value as a feedstock have improved dramatically. Throughout the year, there are many ways the Illinois Soybean Association (ISA) shares information with farmers. ILSoy.org is full of tools, such as agronomic advice, educator resources, the Fast 5 Weekly Update, Illinois Field & Bean magazine and the Bean There Blog, which are always available, free of charge.

There is another partner of ISA that works tirelessly to promote agriculture, Illinois Soybean Growers (ISG), with its state and federal Political Action Committees (PACs). There is one huge difference between the Growers and the Association, and that is how they receive and spend money. ISG is 100 percent funded by voluntary membership dues, sponsorships and donations. ISG advocates for Illinois farmers directly in Springfield and Washington, D.C. Their top priority is making sure farmers can successfully grow and sell soybeans without unnecessary or harmful government rules and regulations.

By sending farmer leaders to the Hill in D.C. and the Capitol in Springfield, ISG works to educate legislators, government officials and policymakers on the challenges farmers face. There are over 12 million people living in Illinois, but only 43,000 of them are soybean farmers. By becoming an ISG member, your voice is not only louder but more powerful.

ISG hosts the Voice for Soy voter advocacy site to simplify contacting the people who represent you. This makes it easy for them to know when an important issue in agriculture is being discussed. It allows you to share your perspective on current legislation in real time. ISG also brings together industry partners through the Soy Partner Pledge program. Aligning the entire agriculture industry to support soy and its over $5 billion market is important to your farm’s bottom line and our state’s economy. In addition to having an exceptional staff ready to answer any question you may have, ISG keeps you current on policy and its impact on what you do through the Policy Blog on ILSoy.org.