ND to Lose a Seat on USB Board

USDA is in the process of adjusting the state representation on the United Soybean Board. Effective 2025, North Dakota would lose a member on the soybean checkoff board and New York would add a member. Valley City farmer Matt Gast is a member of the USB executive committee. Gast cites a large amount of prevented plant acres over two consecutive years for the change. “In those prevent plant years, we did not maintain the necessary production of bushels of soybeans due to the wet weather,” said Gast. “It had nothing to do with the interest in soybeans or anything the state did wrong, it was just the weather impacting how many acres we were able to get planted.” Gast believes this will be a short-term issue and North Dakota will regain a fourth seat in the next reapportionment period. USDA is taking public comment on the change through July 17.