2006: Year in Review

In its ongoing efforts to educate growers about Asian soybean rust disease, ASA, in cooperation with U.S. Department of Agriculture, hosted a series of five rust education meetings. About 450 participants attended the meetings entitled "Beyond 2005-Preparing for Rust is a Must." Everyone who attended the meetings received a free Soybean Rust Wheel Chart that details soybean plant growth stages and treatment effectiveness at different growth stages.

ASA members raised nearly $45,000 in the first annual Soy Social and Auction, which ASA organized to benefit SoyPAC. SoyPAC resources will be used to support congressional candidates that have routinely championed soybean priorities in Congress.

Members of Congress and their staffs got a taste of why soyfoods are playing an increasing role in healthy diets at ASA’s fourth annual Congressional Soyfoods Lunch on Capitol Hill. By hosting the annual Congressional Soyfoods Lunch on Capitol Hill, ASA helps to increase awareness among policymakers and other government officials of soyfoods and their benefits.

With high petroleum prices prompting Congress to consider another energy bill, ASA outlined its biodiesel legislative priorities for Congress to consider. Specifically, ASA asked Congress to include in any energy package legislation: 1. Extending the volumetric biodiesel tax incentive; 2. Extending small agri-biodiesel producer credit; and 3. Authoring and funding a CCC Biodiesel program. By taking these actions, ASA estimates on-road diesel supplies could be increased by as much as 2 percent by 2015.

ASA signed an agreement in Washington, D.C., that promotes long-term trade and cooperation with China. During a Capitol Hill trade conference, ASA signed the memorandum of understanding with the Chinese Soybean Chamber of Commerce, whose members attending the signing ceremony were responsible for 67 percent of all the soybeans imported into China last year. The three-year agreement renewed a 2003 agreement. It includes measures to increase trade and cooperation, such as the exchange of information on topics ranging from soybean use to solutions to trade issues.

U.S. soybean leaders and staff gathered in Tokyo, Japan, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the opening of the first ASA overseas office. The opening has historic significance because ASA’s Japan office was the very first overseas commodity office to receive funding for market development activities from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The event also marked 50 years of partnership between U.S. soybean farmers and the Japanese soybean industry.

ASA representatives had numerous discussions with top U.S. trade negotiators to ensure that U.S. soybean farmer trade priorities were advanced. ASA representatives traveled to Hong Kong, China for the World Trade Organization Ministerial Conference. ASA advocated that: 1. Substantial improvement in real market access in both developed and developing countries to expand world demand for soy and livestock products; 2. Agreement that developing countries that are world-class exporters will take on commitments similar to developed countries; 3. Elimination of differential export taxes; 4. The degree to which trade distorting domestic support is reduced must be commensurate with the degree to which real market access gains are achieved; 5. Commitment to a 2007 Farm Bill that provides an adequate safety net through WTO-compliant programs, and that corrects the imbalances in farm program benefits that have negatively affected U.S. soybean plantings.

A World Trade Organization dispute settlement panel sided with the United States, Canada and Argentina who had argued that the European Union’s review process for biotech commodities was broken and unfairly restricted trade. ASA had strongly pushed the U.S. Government to challenge the EU’s moratorium. While welcoming this WTO ruling against Europe’s flawed and non-science based approval process, ASA called on the Administration to promptly mount a WTO challenge against Europe’s discriminatory traceability and labeling laws that apply to biotech crops.

ASA outlined for the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation the tremendous potential and benefits that offshore aquaculture could bring to U.S. soybean farmers and seafood consumers. ASA is supporting legislation to establish a regulatory framework for commercial offshore aquaculture in the United States. Since 1990, the aquaculture industry has been growing at an average compound rate of around 10 percent a year, making it one of the world’s fastest growing forms of food production. Soybean farmers have identified offshore aquaculture as a significant new market for U.S. soybeans as many studies project a significant increase in global farmed-fish production over the next 15 years and the unsustainability of wild fish harvests to supply the needed fishmeal.

The United States Senate passed S. 728, the Water Resources Development Act of 2005, by a voice vote, signaling a great victory for soybean growers. The House passed WRDA in July 2005, by a vote of 406-14. ASA has made passage of legislation to improve U.S. transportation infrastructure a top priority, and for many years the ASA, its state affiliates and grassroots members have worked tirelessly for passage. Unfortunately the Congressional calendar ran out before the Senate and House could go into conference to resolve differences and produce a final bill.

When USDA announced 2006 fiscal year allocations for multiple agricultural promotion programs, ASA was a leading recipient of funding with awards of more than $12 million. This level of success is a credit to the U.S. Soybean Export Council and the ASA International Marketing staff who manage and implement market development programs for U.S. soy, and importantly, to the farmer-directors of USB and ASA who guide the IM efforts and strategic plan.

ASA urged Congress to increase support levels for soybeans to competitive levels if current farm programs are renewed in the 2007 Farm Bill. In testimony before the House Agriculture Committee, ASA stated that soybean farmers support the basic structure of farm programs under the 2002 Farm Bill, but believe adjustments are needed in oilseed support levels in the event these programs are reauthorized.

ASA participated in a meeting of the Soy Transportation Coalition in Chicago. State association and checkoff participants, as well as ASA, USSEC, and the United Soybean Board attended. Industry participants represented the National Oilseed Processors Association and the National Grain and Feed Association. The group discussed possible structures for the coalition, as well as short and long-term priorities, with a goal of having an impact on rail transportation issues in the long term.

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