The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is seeking comments on a proposal to reapportion the United Soybean Board’s member representation by adding a member from New York and removing a member from North Dakota. The proposed adjustment is necessary to reflect shifts in soybean production levels occurring in each state since the last board reapportionment in 2021 and as required by the Soybean Promotion, Research and Consumer Information Act (Act).
Membership on the board is reviewed every three years and adjusted, if necessary, as required by the Act. The changes would be included in the Soybean Promotion and Research Order and would be effective for the 2025 board appointment process. The reapportionments would not affect the total number of Board membership, which would remain at 77 members.
The proposed rule for this action was published in the Federal Register on June 17, 2024. Comments must be received by July 17, 2024. Comments received before the deadline will be posted online and made available for public review. All comments should include docket number AMS–LPS–23–0079, the date of submission and the page number of the issue of the Federal Register.
Comments may be submitted online at Regulations.gov or sent to:
Research and Promotion Division,
Livestock and Poultry Program, AMS, USDA
Room 2092-S, STOP 0249
1400 Independence Avenue, SW.,
Washington, D.C. 20250-0249
For more information, contact Jason Julian at (202) 731-2149 or jason.julian@usda.gov. More information about the board is available on the USDA United Soybean Board’s page and on the United Soybean Board’s website.
Since 1966, Congress has authorized the establishment of 22 industry-funded research and promotion boards. They empower farmers and ranchers to leverage their own resources to develop new markets, strengthen existing markets, and conduct important research and promotion activities. USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service provides oversight, paid for by industry assessments, which ensures fiscal accountability and program integrity for participating stakeholders.
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender