The U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC) has announced its new Board of Directors for the 2024/2025 term during its annual meeting in Houston, Texas. This announcement comes just before the Commodity Classic, the nation's largest farmer-led, farmer-focused agricultural event.
The USSEC board, reflecting a diverse range of stakeholders in the U.S. Soy value chain, consists of 15 members. This includes four representatives each from the American Soybean Association (ASA) and the United Soybean Board (USB), along with seven seats representing various U.S. Soy trade, industry, and state organizations.
Lance Rezac, a farmer from Onaga, Kansas, and a representative of the USB, has been elected as the chair for a 12-month term. Rezac, along with his family, manages a diverse farming operation, including soybeans, corn, wheat, alfalfa, native hay, brome, and hay production. He also runs a farrow-to-finish swine operation and raises beef cattle in collaboration with his brother, son, and daughter.
Rezac expressed his commitment to representing over 500,000 U.S. soybean farmers, emphasizing the importance of differentiating U.S. Soy in the international market. His focus will be on enhancing the quality and value of U.S. Soy, ensuring it stands out among other nutrition and energy products globally. Rezac also highlighted the global impact of the USSEC's work and the necessity of maintaining a high-quality, sustainable soybean supply.
The newly elected USSEC Board of Directors for 2024/2025 includes an Executive Committee with Lance Rezac as Chair, Janna Fritz as Vice Chair, Joel Schreurs as Secretary, and John Buboltz as Treasurer. The ASA appointments include Janna Fritz, Mike Koehne, Randy Miller, and Roberta Simpson-Dolbeare, while the USB appointments comprise Mike McCranie, Cindy Pulskamp, Lance Rezac, and Reggie Strickland.
Representatives from the Allied Sub-Class and Exporter Sub-Class include Joel Schreurs and Tori Sorensen from the former, and John Buboltz, Tony Hill, Shawn Hulm, Craig Pietig, and Scott Sinner from the latter.
Jim Sutter, USSEC Chief Executive Officer, acknowledged the board's depth and diversity, underscoring its pivotal role in guiding USSEC's global initiatives. He cited the significant contribution of U.S. Soy exports to the national economy, with a record 13.2 million metric tons of U.S. soybean meal exports valued at $6.91 billion last marketing year, contributing $39.8 billion to the U.S. economy.
Sutter looks forward to working with the board over the next year, emphasizing the critical role of their expertise in shaping the council's worldwide programs and initiatives.
