'CHECKOFF' LEADS TO NEW MARKETS, USES FOR SOYBEANS

Money raised from the "Soybean Check," initiated in Missouri two decades ago, helps fund market development, research and education for the state's farmers in the soybean industry.

It's an idea that can be found in many segments of agriculture, said Stephanie Gable, of the Missouri Soybean Association, headquartered at Jefferson City. "Whether it's the dairy industry, the beef industry, or the soybean industry, it's producers believe that for their industry to grow, they must promote their product."

Every U.S. souybean producer participates, contributing at the rate of 0.5 percent of the market price per bushel.

At today's prices -- the soybean market at Cape Girardeau closed at $4.12 Tuesday -- the check cost would be a fraction over two cents a bushel.

The cost of the program to farmers depends on the price of beans, and the amount of beans produced.

In Southeast Missouri farmers produce more than 40 million bushels of soybeans a year.

The checkoff idea was part of the 1990 National Farm Bill at the request of soybean farmers throughout the nation. In 1994, a vote of soybean producers approved the checkoff for a five-year period.

This year, a request for referendum to continue the checkoff will come up again.

The primary purpose of the checkoff is to give soybean producers a well defined market, research, and commercialization program, said Gable. It helps develop additional international markets for soybeans and increased domestic soybean usage."

"By accomplishing these goals, the soybean checkoff will help increase the soybean producers' profitability," said Gable.

Half of the money raised here stays in Missouri and is controlled by the Missouri Soybean Merchandising Council (MSMC). The other half is forwarded to the United Soybean Board.

Missouri's share of the checkoff dollars are invested by the MSMC, producer-run organization with 13 farmer-directors overseeing the investment. The directors, elected in state-wide elections, serve three-year terms without pay.

The United Soybean Board (USB) directs the other 50 percent, funding more than 350 marketing and research projects annually, each designed to improve the demand for U.S. soybeans. The board is run by 59 volunteer farmer-directors from throughout the nation.

United States and Missouri soybean acreages area expected to be up for 1998.

In Missouri, soybean acreage is estimated at 5.4 million acres, up six percent from last year, and the highest since 1986. Planted acres in the U.S. are expected to total a record 74.2 million acres in 1999, up three percent from the previous record established in 1998.

Six area counties are ranked among the top 10 soybean-producing counties in the state. In recent years Mississippi, Pemiscot, New Madrid and Stoddard counties have produced between 4.5 and 5.5 million bushels each year. That translates into more than 155,000 acres per county a year, and in some cases up to 163,000 acres.

Other area counties which have finished in the top 10 over the past few years include, with more than 102,000 acres; Dunklin County, over 90,000 acres and Scott County, with over 88,000 acres.

Cape Girardeau County raises from 35,000 to 45,000 acres of soybeans, producing over 1.3 million bushels a year. Perry County usually raises 25,000 to 30,000 acres, with up to 1 million bushels of beans.

Statewide, Missouri ranges from 4 to 5 million acres, with with production from 120 million to more than 150 million bushels a year.

There are a host of new uses for soybeans, from diesel fuel to ink to building materials.

Many projects aimed at developing these new uses are being funded by the Missouri checkoff dollar program.

WHAT'S ON THE MARKET

Soybeans already have well over 1,000 uses, with the list still growing. Among the uses:

-- Livestock and poultry feed, the No. 1 use for soybeans.

-- Human consumption, soybeans being used in numerous food products.

-- Soy fuel for automobiles, made from processed soybean oil, is clean-burning, performs the same as regular diesel fuel with no differences in horsepower, miles-per-gallon or engine wear.

-- Soy ink, offers superior color reproduction, has low-rub qualities and is environmentally friendly.

-- Dust suppressants, being used on gravel roads and parking areas.

-- Environ, new composite building materials made from soybean protein and waste paper, including newspapers, used in furniture, flooring, wall paneling and structural decorative components.

-- Adhesives, big in the wood adhesive market.

-- Plastics, research projects under way to develop low-density polyethylene plastic film for use in trash bags, grocery bags and diaper backings.

-- Foams, another research project on soybean-based flexible and rigid polyurethane, which can be used in making everything from soles of shoes to refrigerator insulation to battleships.

-- Furniture polish, soybean oil is being used for some polishes.

-- Concrete form lubricants.

-- Fertilizer, one of the newest uses for soybean meal, is an all-natural, soybean-based lawn and garden fertilizer.