The American Soybean Association is "your advocate" in Washington, and is powered by the grassroots support of 22,000 members and 25 state affiliates. 

ASA Celebrates National Agriculture Day On The First Day Of Spring
Leadership At Its Best Celebrates 17 Years And Counting
Watch DTN Marketspace™ Demo Online
SoyStats^® 2009 Project Underway
Illinois Soybean Association Seeks New Class Of Soy Ambassadors
New Website Helps Connect Soyfoods Companies With Soybean Suppliers
FAPRI Spreadsheet Aids Decision On ACRE Program
Soyatech Presents An Upcoming Free Webinar On Shipping Soybeans Globally

ASA Continues Efforts With Obama Administration And Congress On ILU
ASA Participates In Feeding America Meeting
Omnibus Bill Stirs Controversy Abroad
Senators Send Letter On Cuba To Secretary Geithner
Senate Approves USTR Designee Ron Kirk
Obama Announces Nomination For Under Secretary For Farm And FAS

USSEC Will Host Soy Export Week August 2-7, 2009 In St. Louis
Soy In Aquaculture Program Promotes Sustainability Of Soy Based Fish Feeds
ASA-IM Helps Korean Swine Industry Keep Growing
USSEC Opens Tunisia Market For U.S. Soy
Southeast Asian Pig Producers Consider Soy Protein Concentrate Based Diets
USSEC Participates In 2009 USDA Outlook Conference
ASA-IM China's Technical Services Assist China's Largest Pork Processing Group

This week on the Soy Radio Newsline listen to comments from Ron Kindred, chairman of the American Soybean Association's transportation committee, as he provides an update on some of the issues that ASA is working on in the rail and waterways transportation systems. This report may be heard on SoyGrowers.com.

AT-A-
GLANCE

CBOT Futures 03/18/09

FAS Worldwide Weekly Sales Report as of 03/12/09
(1000 Metric Tons | Million Bushels or Pounds)

Settle

Net Change

This Week

Year Ago

% Change

SoyBeans

(09May) 915.0

+2.0

23,899.2

8781

21,351.2

7844

+119

SoyMeal

(09May) 289.5

+3.5

3,324.6

7,314

3,650.9

8,032

-8.9

SoyOil

(09May) 30.92

-0.39

2223

489

6047

1,330

-632

ASA Celebrates National Agriculture Day On The First Day Of Spring   U.S. agriculture is responsible for providing the food, feed, fuel and fiber that are the necessities of everyday life. That's the message of National Ag Day, which is celebrated March 20, during National Ag Week, March 15-21, 2009. Producers, agricultural associations, corporations, universities, government agencies and countless others across America will celebrate the abundance provided by agriculture on this first day of spring. "Every American should understand how agricultural products are produced and should value the essential role of agriculture in maintaining a strong economy," said American Soybean Association (ASA) President Johnny Dodson. "Consumers should appreciate the role agriculture plays in providing the safe, abundant and affordable products we all need everyday." From a team of horses in the early 1900s to tractors with the power of 40 to 300 horses today, U.S. farmers provide consumers with more and better quality food than ever before. In fact, one farmer now supplies food for about 144 people in the United States and abroad compared with just 25.8 people in 1960. The efficiency of U.S. farmers pays off in the lower prices consumers pay for food as well. U.S. consumers spend roughly 9 percent of their income on food compared with 11 percent in the United Kingdom, 17 percent in Japan, 27 percent in South Africa and 53 percent in India. This great value is due in large part to improved equipment efficiency, enhanced crop and livestock genetics through biotechnology and conventional breeding, and advances in information management. The National Ag Day program is committed to increasing public awareness about American agriculture. For more information, visit www.agday.com.

Leadership At Its Best Celebrates 17 Years And Counting   The participants in the American Soybean Association (ASA)/Syngenta Leadership At Its Best program completed Part II in Washington, D.C. last week. Eighteen farmer-leaders concluded this advanced leadership training with new or strengthened skills necessary to be an effective voice for the U.S. soybean farmer. "This was a very rewarding and educational experience that [farmers] all need in order to influence and maintain the quality of life that we, as well as the rest of America, love," said participant Dave Sawyer. Part II specifically focuses on key legislative issues affecting the U.S. soybean industry and wraps up with visits on Capitol Hill. Graduates of the 2008-09 program are: Linda Bacon, Milroy, Ind.; Peggy Bellar, Howard, Kan.; Larry Breech, Millville, Pa.; John Buck, New Bloomington, Ohio; Dean Campbell, Coulterville, Ill.; Wade Cowan, Brownfield, Texas; Ed Erickson, Jr., Milnor, N.D.; Jessie Hobbs III, Elkmont, Ala.; Trey Koger, Stoneville, Miss.; Ervin Krutzfeldt, Wolsey, S.D.; Deana Lasater Mann, New Hope, Ala.; Jason Levene, Bertrand, Neb.; Dave Sawyer, Greenville, N.C.; Bruce Schmoll, Claremont, Minn.; Will Spargo, Neelyville, Mo.; Davie Stephens, Wingo, Ky.; Randy Van Kooten, Lynnville, Iowa and David Williams, Elsie, Mich. "This is a terrific opportunity for state directors to strengthen their skills and ASA is grateful to Syngenta for partnering with us for so many years," said ASA President Johnny Dodson.

Watch DTN Marketspace™ Demo Online   Take a few minutes to watch an online demonstration of DTN Marketspace™ at www.soygrowers.com/dtn. Marketspace is an online crop merchandising platform and marketing solution designed to link producers and agribusinesses via the Internet to more efficiently buy and sell grain and oilseeds. As a benefit of membership, American Soybean Association (ASA) members can sign up for 12 months of free access (a $120 value) to Marketspace, where producers can privately post their asking price for selected agribusinesses to review. Once producers sign up, there is no fee for placing an offer on Marketspace. However, there is a fee when a transaction takes place. Because this is a special ASA benefit, the transaction fee is discounted by 25 percent. With Marketspace, producers can place offers 24-hours a day, whenever it is convenient, and manage positions and contracts, as well as track transaction and delivery commitments. Find out more about this ASA membership benefit at www.soygrowers.com/dtn.

SoyStats^® 2009 Project Underway   The American Soybean Association (ASA) has completed data analysis for the 2009 edition of Soy Stats^® A Reference Guide To Important Soybean Facts And Figures. Production has begun, with completion of the online version and distribution of the 36-page printed guides scheduled for April. Major funding for the 2009 edition of Soy Stats was provided by the United Soybean Board. Additional project funding was received from these organizations: At the Gold Level are the Illinois Soybean Association, Indiana Soybean Alliance, Iowa Soybean Association, South Dakota Soybean Research & Promotion Council and North Dakota Soybean Council. At the Silver Level are the Ohio Soybean Association and US. Soybean Export Council, and at the Bronze Level, the Minnesota Soybean Research & Promotion Council, North Carolina Soybean Producers Association, Arkansas Soybean Association and Texas Soybean Association. Purchase commitments were also received from the Delaware Soybean Board, Kansas Soybean Commission, Virginia Soybean Association, Archer Daniels Midland Company, Monsanto and the National Soybean Research Laboratory.

Illinois Soybean Association Seeks New Class Of Soy Ambassadors   Young soybean growers interested in sharpening their leadership skills and traveling abroad can apply for the Illinois Soybean Association (ISA) Soy Ambassadors Leadership Program. "The purpose of this two-year program is to give emerging soybean leaders the opportunity to gain expertise, industry exposure and global perspective that is critical to becoming a knowledgeable and effective future ISA board member," said ISA chairman Dave Hartke. Participants for the first time will travel to Mato Grosso, Brazil, for two weeks of exposure to local farming, politics and culture. Other events will focus on the challenges and opportunities facing the soybean industry. Soy Ambassadors will have the inside track on soybean issues and provide valuable input on association and checkoff activities. The new program will kick off in June 2009 with participation in an International Soybean Program course at the University of Illinois. Other events during the two-year program include American Soybean Association (ASA) and U.S. Soybean Export Council meetings, ASA's World Initiative for Soy in Human Health workshops, the Illinois Commodity Conference, research and aquaculture meetings. "Soy Ambassadors will have many opportunities to develop leadership qualities that can be channeled toward future leadership roles in the soybean industry," said Hartke. "ISA sponsors the program because it is an investment in our organization's future." The application deadline is May 8, 2009. For more information, contact ISA at 309-663-7692, or visit www.ilsoy.org.

New Website Helps Connect Soyfoods Companies With Soybean Suppliers   The Soyfoods Association of North America (SANA) is committed to helping soyfoods companies connect with soybean suppliers. A new website, www.soybeanpremiums.org, developed by the Illinois Soybean Association and sponsored by the Iowa Soybean Association and the Indiana Soybean Alliance, easily connects soyfood companies with growers of a wide variety of premium soybeans. Soyfood processors and manufacturers often have a difficult time reaching qualified, preferred growers who can segregate and store specialized soybeans. It is crucial that their growers raise a quality product and understand their role in meeting unique market needs. The new website allows soyfood processors and manufacturers to post their specific needs and soybean growers to connect with buyers. "Soyfood companies want to find soybean growers in the U.S. that will help them meet the growing demand for soyfoods," said Ted Nordquist, President of SANA and Chief Executive Officer of WholeSoy & Co. "We encourage buyers of premium soybeans to post their supply needs on www.soybeanpremiums.org and all farmers to visit that website and find a purchaser."

FAPRI Spreadsheet Aids Decision On ACRE Program   While benefit calculations seem complex for the Average Crop Revenue Election (ACRE) program, new software can help speed the decision. Farmers thinking of signing up for the countercyclical revenue program in the 2008 farm bill should not give up in despair, said Peter Zimmel, a University of Missouri economist. A new Excel spreadsheet called FARM Tool, along with a User's Guide, is posted on the Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute (FAPRI) Web site at www.fapri.missouri.edu/farmers_corner/tools/ACRE.asp. Farmers can download the tool for use in their farm office The FARM Tool is a multi-state (Missouri, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota and Ohio) Excel spreadsheet that is designed to help producers evaluate the decision to elect to enroll in the new ACRE program or to stay with the current Direct and Counter-Cyclical (DCP) program. The spreadsheet shows what payments are possible in electing to enroll in ACRE, side-by-side, with the payments possible if a producers decides to stick with the current DCP program. The spreadsheet allows the producer to enter multiple FSA farm units, store the input and recall it at a later date. The spreadsheet also shows what the likelihood is (probability) of producers receiving payments if they elect to enroll in ACRE. The benefits for signing up can be quite large, Zimmel said. In repeated runs on FAPRI computers, ACRE payments came out ahead for corn, soybeans, wheat and sorghum. Results for cotton and rice were not as favorable. Farmers should decide on ACRE as they would on crop insurance, Zimmel said. "Compare the cost of giving up direct and countercyclical payments in the old farm bill with new benefits received in bad years." FAPRI is a joint effort of the University of Missouri-Columbia and Iowa State University.

Soyatech Presents An Upcoming Free Webinar On Shipping Soybeans Globally   In Soyatech's latest free webinar, CN WorldWide, a global transportation company, provides participants with a better understanding of the most cost-effective transportation options to ship soybeans and DDGs across North America and around the world. The free webinar, called "Down to Earth Solutions - Shipping Soybeans Around the World," will take place on April 9, at 2:00 PM, Eastern Standard Time. The presentation will include an overview of CN WorldWide's capabilities including: extensive network of multi-commodities warehouses and CargoFlo operations, world-class marine terminals and fleet of vessels, superior access to the CN rail network, network of ground carriers, dedicated transportation management and customs brokerage teams, and international freight forwarding services. The webinar will be presented by Keith Reardon, Vice President and Managing Director of CN WorldWide. For more information or to register, visit http://events.soyatech.com/webinar.php?wid=4.

ASA Continues Efforts With Obama Administration And Congress On ILU   American Soybean Association (ASA) Washington, D.C. staff met with the White House Office of Management & Budget (OMB) and Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) on March 16, regarding the proposed rule on implementation of the expanded Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS-2). ASA continues to urge that the Proposed Rule not include premature calculations resulting from indirect land use (ILU) assumptions and factors that are significantly flawed. ASA is stressing that the Proposed Rule should lay out the factors and methodology being considered and use the public comment period to refine it. Members of Congress have also been weighing in with the Administration on this issue. A letter led by Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) and Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) was sent on March 13, and a similar letter is being circulated in the House this week by Rep. Bruce Braley (D-IA) and Rep. John Shimkus (R-IL). The Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) draft Proposed Rule on implementation of RFS-2 is currently under review by OMB. To be eligible for RFS-2, biodiesel is required to meet a 50 percent greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction relative to petroleum diesel. When calculating the life cycle GHG emissions, the statute directs EPA to consider direct and indirect emissions (such as ILU) of all stages of the fuel and feedstock production.

ASA Participates In Feeding America Meeting   American Soybean Association (ASA) Washington, D.C. staff met Tuesday with representatives of Feeding America (FA) and commodity groups at FA's headquarters in Chicago. FA was formerly known as America's Second Harvest. It is the largest domestic hunger relief organization. The meeting agenda was to find ways to collaborate on livestock issues and FA's mission to create a hunger-free America. For ASA, one relevant goal for FA is to increase use of government food assistance programs by 25 percent. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has calculated that every $5 in new food stamp spending generates $9.20 in economic activity. Preserving animal agriculture was a dominant theme of the meeting, with much discussion focused on how to communicate the value of agriculture and growing demand to feed hungry people both domestically and abroad. ASA will continue to collaborate with both the nutrition and the livestock communities.

Omnibus Bill Stirs Controversy Abroad   President Barack Obama signed the Omnibus Appropriations bill into law on March 11, 2009. Since that time, there have been several countries raising alarms about things that were included in the bill. China is concerned with the poultry ban. In Section 727, there is language that prevents use of funds to establish or implement a rule allowing poultry products to be imported into the U.S. from China. In response Chinese officials have stated that they will pursue this matter in the World Trade Organization (WTO). "It is needless to explain why such discriminative measures are forbidden by the WTO," said Zhang Xiangchen, deputy permanent representative of the Chinese WTO mission. If China won the case, the country would be allowed to impose duties on products coming into their country from the U.S. in the amount equal to the lost revenue they would have received from poultry products exported to the United States. A ban on imported poultry from China was established in 2004 to respond to Avian Influenza. The U.S. has not lifted its ban, while the Chinese have allowed more than 580,000 tons of U.S. chicken products into their country. When the Omnibus bill was enacted, it also eliminated a pilot program that allowed Mexican trucks to deliver international cargo to and from U.S. destinations beyond the existing commercial border zone. This pilot program was enacted after a North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) dispute-settlement panel unanimously ruled that the U.S. exclusion of Mexican trucking firms violated U.S. obligations under NAFTA rules. When the U.S. established a pilot program, Mexico didn't retaliate. Prior to the omnibus, 77 agricultural groups, including the American Soybean Association, wrote letters to former President George W. Bush, President Obama and Members of Congress urging them to not eliminate the pilot program. However, Congress felt that there were safety concerns not being addressed and proceeded to eliminate the program. On March 18, Mexico announced duties on $2.4 billion worth of products exported from the U.S. into Mexico. The new duties ranged from a 10 percent duty being imposed on onions and cabbage to a 45 percent duty on fresh table grapes. The only soybean product impacted was soy sauce, which will now have a 20 percent tariff imposed on all imports.

Senators Send Letter On Cuba To Secretary Geithner   On March 16, 15 Senators sent a letter to U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner expressing concern with a letter sent by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) stating that its interpretation of cash in advance rules would remain as payment prior to shipment of goods rather than the intended definition, which was at the time of legal transfer of control. Secretary Geithner sent the letter after several senators expressed concern with language in the Omnibus Appropriations bill easing Cuba sanctions. The language remained in the bill, but only after OFAC stated that it would continue current policy on cash in advance, as well as the requirement that sales and credit be completed under third party banks. On the positive side, the Omnibus Appropriations bill allows for a general sales license for agricultural and medical products.

Senate Approves USTR Designee Ron Kirk   The U.S. Senate yesterday overwhelmingly approved the nomination of U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Ron Kirk as the nation's 16th trade representative. As USTR, Kirk is a member of President Barack Obama's Cabinet and serves as the President's principal trade advisor, negotiator and spokesperson on trade issues. Kirk draws upon more than 25 years of diverse legislative and legal experience on local, state and federal levels. The office of USTR is responsible for the development and oversight of U.S. trade policy, including strategy, negotiation, implementation and enforcement of multilateral, regional/bilateral and sector-specific trade agreements. These include the ongoing Doha Development Agenda multilateral trade negotiations, as well as 17 free trade agreements to which the U.S. is currently a party. Ambassador Kirk is also responsible for U.S. trade policy involving agriculture, industry, services and investment, intellectual property, environment, labor, development, and preference programs.

Obama Announces Nomination For Under Secretary For Farm And FAS   On March 13, President Barack Obama announced his intent to nominate James W. Miller for Under Secretary for Farm and Foreign Agriculture Service (FAS), U.S. Department of Agriculture. Miller is currently the Chief of Staff for the National Farmers Union (NFU), a position he accepted after serving for over four years as the Senior Analyst for Agriculture and Trade on the majority staff of the Senate Budget Committee. While at the Senate, Miller also provided agricultural policy analysis for Senator Kent Conrad (D-ND), the Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, and a senior member of the Senate Agriculture and Finance Committees. Prior to joining the Budget Committee staff, Miller served as the Chief Economist for the NFU for five years. Before joining NFU, he was Vice President for Government Relations for the National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG). Miller operated a fourth generation family farm in Washington for over 20 years before moving to Washington, D.C. Throughout his farming career, Jim was involved in numerous farm organizations and served as President of NAWG in 1987. He was also Co-chairman of the Canada-U.S. Joint Commission on Grains, a federal commission established to help resolve grain trade issues between the two countries.

USSEC Will Host Soy Export Week August 2-7, 2009 In St. Louis   The US. Soybean Export Council (USSEC) will host Soy Export Week in St. Louis, Aug. 2-7, 2009. The meetings will include U.S soy industry contacts, USSEC industry partners and overseas office directors. Events such as strategic planning meetings, working group sessions and a Board of Directors meeting will help USSEC determine how to best advance its mission of promoting growth in U.S. soy exports. U.S. Soy Export Week will also allow stakeholders from all parts of the soy value chain to network and exchange ideas in a less formal setting during a city tour, a St. Louis Cardinals' baseball game and a golf tournament. "Soy Export Week provides a great variety of opportunities to promote soy export growth and cooperation," said USSEC Chairman Scott Fritz. "We look forward to exploring innovative approaches with soy industry stakeholders."

Soy In Aquaculture Program Promotes Sustainability Of Soy Based Fish Feeds  The U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC) will exhibit at the Boston International Seafood Show March 15-17. During this exposition, USSEC staff along with American Soybean Association International Marketing Global Aquaculture Director Michael Cremer and United Soybean Board Director Vicki Coughlin will promote the role that soy-based fish feed plays in increasing the sustainability and productivity of global aquaculture operations. To reinforce this message, USSEC designed a new brochure on "Responsible Fish Farming: Soy Fed Aquaculture Provides a Sustainable Solution." Print copies of the brochure are now available or see the publication online at www.ussec.org/resources/soyaqua_sustain_09_cut.pdf.

ASA-IM Helps Korean Swine Industry Keep Growing   American Soybean Association International Marketing (ASA-IM) Korea sought input from swine industry leaders in an effort to advance the industry's stagnated growth. Respondents explained that diseases, waste treatment and feed quality hampered swine productivity. Jin Sang Geun, Director of the Swine Science & Technology Center, explained further that ASA-IM's constant assistance offered to the swine-related programs over the past decade improved local swine productivity. He stated that continuing such assistance could yield the same result in the future. Korea's swine sector consumes an estimated 36 million bushels of soybean meal annually. ASA-IM is currently designing swine programs to deal with disease prevention, waste management and feeding programs that focus on optimum soybean meal inclusion rates in swine diets specific to growth stages.

Southeast Asian Pig Producers Consider Soy Protein Concentrate Based Diets   The International Feed Forum, held in Seoul, South Korea, demonstrated to delegates the benefit of including soy protein concentrate (SPC) in piglet diets to replace a portion of animal proteins. American Soybean Association (ASA-IM) Southeast Asia Technical Manager Basilisa P. Reas spoke at this event at the request of the sponsor, Genebiotech, a Korean protein concentrate manufacturer. The forum drew nutritionists, commercial farm owners and feed millers from the Philippines, Malaysia and South Korea. Through a combination of seminars, demonstrations and field visits, the event focused on how the animal and feed industry in Asia can survive the impact of the current global economic crisis. In the Philippines, prices of major feed ingredients reached historical highs last year. This, coupled with an outbreak of swine disease, caused a reduction in the swine population. In her presentation, Reas stressed that adding soy value-added products such as SPC can increase the total usage of soy proteins in piglet diets to as much as 20-25 percent from the current industry practice of 15 percent. She then presented data from recent feeding studies conducted with weaner pigs in the Philippines. The studies compared two different fermented SPCs without any animal products to diets containing fishmeal, milk products and plasma protein. Both SPC-based feeds provided more than 7-20 percent savings on cost per kilogram weight gain over diets containing fishmeal, milk products and plasma protein. Many SPCs are available in the Philippines at $1.25-$2.06 per kilogram. Genebiotech produces one of the SPCs used in the trial. It also owns NutraFerma located in Sioux City, S.D., which produces SPC for distribution in the United States. In 2008, Genebiotech produced 5,000 metric tons of fermented SPC from U.S. soybeans. Following Reas' presentation, most of the Filipino delegates agreed to start using SPCs in their piglet diets to partially replace the animal protein sources in their feed formula.

USSEC Participates In 2009 USDA Outlook Conference   U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC) Technical Issues Director Kim Nill traveled to Washington, D.C. to participate in the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) 2009 OUTLOOK Conference. Nill also represented the Global Opportunities Committee at another Washington, D.C. meeting in which USDA representatives explained the recent increase in the number of U.S.-origin soybean shipments being detained by Customs Officials at Chinese ports of arrival due to the alleged presence of "pesticide treated" soybeans within those shipments. The USDA officials stated that because they have never found such treated soybeans in the samples that the Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration retains when it grades outbound U.S. soybean shipments, and because USDA has not received similar complaints from any other soybean-importing nations, they doubt the accuracy of the Chinese officials' claims. Nill pointed out that USSEC is currently in the middle of a project in which hundreds of samples of commodity U.S. soybean exports are being tested for the presence of any of 100 different agrichemicals, and that the results of this activity could be utilized to get China officials to understand that the U.S. doesn't export "pesticide treated" soybeans.

The activities of the U.S. Soybean Export Council to expand international markets for U.S. soybeans and products are made possible through the American Soybean Association's investment of cost-share funding provided by USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service, support from cooperating industry, and by producer checkoff dollars invested by the United Soybean Board and various State Soybean Councils.