2026 Director Elections - At-large candidates - Race 2
July 1, 2026
Sharon Chism (Incumbent) - Huxley
Sharon Chism and her husband, John, grow corn and soybeans in Story and Palo Alto counties.
She earned an associate degree from Iowa Lakes Community College and a bachelor’s in ag business from Iowa State. Chism is currently a director on the Iowa Soybean Association board. She participates in ISA on-farm research trials on plant population and row width. On her own, she is researching the impact of boron on pod count. She was active with the ISA District Advisory Committee, policy programs and the Iowa Ag Water Alliance. She is involved with the National Corn Growers Mentor program, ISU Extension Leadership conference planning committee and volunteers at her local church and food pantry.
Why are you interested in serving on the ISA board?
To listen to farmers and share their requests with fellow ISA directors and staff. As a director, I want to continue to help build export demand. I was blessed to meet buyers in central Mexico who procure Iowa soybean meal. I stay in touch with them and encourage them to buy more Iowa soybean meal. They value our reliable, year-round supply of meal that arrives by rail to their feed mills in about a week.
What's the biggest issue facing Iowa soybean farmers right now, and how can the board address it?
A return to profitability for soybean farmers by increasing demand and more efficient freight by rail to rivers and ports, also improved vessel loading. A 1,000-acre soybean farmer pays an estimated $3,000 soybean checkoff annually. The ISA Board of Directors are farmers working with ISA staff to invest the farmers’ checkoff dollars wisely for the good of the soybean producer.
Joe Shirbroun - Farmersburg
Joe Shirbroun farms with his wife, Suzanne, and their son, Andrey. They grow soybeans and corn. Their family is in the rolling hills of Clayton County and soil conservation is very important to them. They grow cover crops, practice no-till and minimum tillage, and use terraces and waterways where necessary.
Shirbroun graduated from Iowa State University with a bachelor’s in ag studies/farm operations.
He is a director for the Clayton County Corn and Soybean Growers board and is a member of the Clayton County Ag Extension Council. He serves as an executive director at the Northeast Iowa Research Farm in Nashua. Shirbroun has been on the Clayton County 4-H Youth Council and the Norway Lutheran Church council.
Why are you interested in serving on the ISA board?
I give the Iowa Soybean Association a lot of credit for exploring new markets and new uses for soybeans. The Iowa Soybean Association has been a leader in the industry to keep soybeans moving around the world while also helping farmers improve yields through supporting university research. I want to help direct our checkoff dollars to where it benefits Iowa farmers the most.
What’s the biggest issue facing Iowa soybean farmers right now, and how can the board address it?
The biggest challenge facing Iowa soybean farmers right now is creating more demand for our soybeans whether through exports or new uses. We need to continue to find new customers, expand marketing opportunities in established markets and build trust with both new and established customers. The second challenge is rising production cost factors. Iowa Soybean Association is in a good position to address input costs with our industry partners and government officials.
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