Welcome to the Pennsylvania Soybean Board
The Pennsylvania Soybean Board (PSB) consists of a farmer-driven board responsible for managing Pennsylvania’s share of funds received from the national soy checkoff program.
The soy checkoff helps ensure a strong and profitable future for soybean farmers. Through the checkoff, each farmer contributes one-half of 1 percent of the price of each bushel, which elevators and processors collect at the first point of sale. The checkoff uses the funds for activities to improve the profit potential for all U.S. soybean farmers.
PSB primarily focuses on soybean research, marketing and education to support the profitability of Pennsylvania soybean farmers and the soy industry.
Whereas PSB administers soybean checkoff activities related to research, education and market development, the American Soybean Association is the organization that focuses on public policy and regulatory issues, which, by law, the checkoff cannot do. The checkoff is expressly prohibited from influencing public and regulatory policy in the United States.
Pennsylvania Soybean Board Mission Statement
Adopted February 5, 2020
As trusted soybean farmers, we provide stewardship of the Pennsylvania soybean checkoff dollars.
Strategic Plan
A new strategic plan that charts the future course of the Pennsylvania Soybean Board was adopted by the farmer/leaders of the Board at its February 2020 meeting. The strategic plan will guide the Board as it considers checkoff-funded research priorities, educational opportunities, outreach and other projects.
Strategic Objectives
1, Preserve and advance animal agriculture, the largest consumer of soybean meal
2. Promote biofuels and bioheat through partnering opportunities
3. Identify and promote sustainable practices that provide ROI
4. Drive new innovations to increase the value of soy
5. Increase the understanding of soy
Our internal priorities for meeting these objections will be accomplished through education, future focus, partnering and collaboration, and stewardship.
Our road map for determining how to invest checkoff dollars will be determined by:
1. Addressing key needs of all our audiences and stakeholders
2. Exploring “outside the box” — new varieties, uses and markets, ag and food issues, and reaching the next generation
3. Seeking out new opportunities, collaborating with other state checkoffs and farming organizations
4. Practices for economic and ecological sustainability, success planning
Soybean Request for Referendum to Begin May 2024
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will conduct the Soybean Request for Referendum May 6 through May 31, 2024, in county Farm Service Agency (FSA) offices.
The Soybean Promotion, Research and Consumer Information Act requires USDA to conduct a Request for Referendum every five years to determine if producers want to vote on continuation of the Soybean Checkoff Program. The last Request for Referendum was conducted in 2019.
Individual producers and other producer entities may request a referendum at the county FSA office where their administrative farm records are maintained. Producers who do not participate in FSA programs may request a referendum through the county FSA office where they own or rent land.
To be eligible to participate, producers must certify and provide documentation that they produced soybeans and paid an assessment(s) on their soybeans during the period of January 1, 2022, through December 31, 2023. Producers may obtain Form LP–51–1, Soybean Promotion and Research Order Request for Referendum, by postal mail, fax or in person from their FSA county office. The form will be available on the United Soybean Board page of the AMS website, from May 6, 2024, to May 31, 2024.
Completed forms and supporting documentation must be returned to the appropriate county FSA office by fax or in person no later than close of business May 31, 2024. Mailed forms must be postmarked by midnight May 31, 2024, and received in the county FSA office by close of business, June 7, 2024.