Soybean producers have a chance to vote on whether to continue the programthat funds the promotion of their product. The U-S Agriculture Departmentrequires farmers to decide every five years if they would like to call for avote on the “soybean checkoff.”Iowa Soybean Association Executive Director Kirk Leeds says the checkoffraises millions of dollars each year.The checkoff is based on a percentage of the cost of the beans thatproducers sell and can generate between 40 and 50-million dollars a year. Some of the checkoff money comes back to Iowa.Leeds says you need to take action, unless you favor the checkoff.If you don’t go to your county A-S-C-S office by November 16th and ask forthe referendum, the checkoff will automatically continue for another fiveyears.
