ISA Delegation Attends ASA Meeting in Washington Representatives of the Iowa Soybean Association (ISA) spent part of last week in Washington, D.C., attending the American Soybean Association (ASA) Third Annual Soy Legislative Forum and visiting Iowa’s Congressional delegation to address issues of concern to Iowa’s soybean growers. The forum included talks by invited experts regarding a number of timely issues. With the farm bill passed, discussion turned to biofuels mandates and futures markets, with speakers from every aspect of the agriculture industry. Rep. Earl Pomeroy (D-ND) opened with an outlook of U.S. farm and agriculture policy. Jim Fusting, from ConAgra Foods, and Thoric CederstrÖm, director of Sustainable Food and Agriculture Systems International Relief and Development, each presented a kickoff to a lively Q&A session about biofuels mandates. Walt Lukken, Acting Chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), discussed index traders, swaps dealers, funding and new technology of the CFTC. William Hohenstein, from the USDA’s Office of Global Change Program, discussed two bills introduced in Congress that would regulate greenhouse gas emissions. Sen. Norm Coleman (R-MN) addressed the Board with an outlook on agriculture, tax and biodiesel policy. Monsanto representative Calvin Treat discussed current and future product in the company’s soybean pipeline. Each speaker entertained questions and comments following his presentation. ASA’s CEO Steve Censky presented a report to the Board on significant recent developments for the association. In addition to passage of the farm bill, highlights included an agreement with Chinese buyers who ended a U.S. tour with a commitment to purchase $4.5 billion worth of U.S. soybeans. ASA’s Biotechnology Working Group sees progress in bringing new soybean biotech traits to the market, and ASA has partnered with the United Soybean Board (USB) to fund a new genomics project that will open a new world of possibilities in improving soybean varieties. In response to current events, ASA has produced a brochure “Myths and Realities Behind Rising Food Prices,” and leaders have been conferring with Senate leaders about food prices and the combined impact of the world’s growing demand for livestock products, weather-related crop losses and higher fuel prices. ASA has also joined a coalition with the National Corn Growers Association, National Association of Wheat Growers and National Sorghum Producers to stop recent Grocery Manufacturers Association attacks on farmers and biofuels. A day was spent on Capitol Hill, with the Iowa group making visits to Iowa’s senators and congressmen. The group expressed thanks to each for their support of the farm bill and discussed ASA’s top legislative priorities. Those include extending the Biodiesel Tax Incentive beyond 2008 and maintaining tax credit for exports of U.S.-produced biodiesel while fixing the “splash and dash” activity, by which imported biodiesel receives U.S. tax incentives, then is re-exported to Europe. The group made several requests regarding 2009 appropriations, including $2.27 million to continue soybean rust sentinel plot and diagnostic network (PIPE) along with $50 million for the modernization of locks and dams on the Upper Mississippi River System, funding for Food Assistance Programs and conservation efforts, including ISA’s CEMSA, On-Farm® and watershed programming. Regarding the USDA implementation of the 2008 farm bill, the Iowa visitors asked for favorable regulations for the Average Crop Revenue Election (ACRE) program and the Bioenergy Program. They also asked for legislation to provide regulations for the development of offshore aquaculture. Aquaculture is a growing source of demand for U.S. soybean meal. Those from Iowa who attended the forum and met with the Congressional delegation included ISA President Curt Sindergard and his wife, De, from Rolfe; Vice President John Heisdorffer from Keota; Past President Ray Gaesser and his wife, Elaine, from Corning; Directors Dennis Bogaards from Pella, Dan Beenken from Bancroft, and Mark Jackson with his wife, Joann, from Rose Hill; Crystal Jauer of Hinton, a young leader whose attendance was sponsored by Bunge Corporation; as well as ISA staff members Carol Balvanz and LeAnn Strother.