The United Soybean Board (USB) has approved a $121.3 million budget for fiscal year 2026, focusing on boosting demand for U.S. soybeans and supporting nearly half a million American soybean farmers.
The budget, approved during the organization's July meeting in Norfolk, Virginia, allocates funds across research, promotion and education investments in food, feed, fuel, industrial uses, exports and sustainable production.
"As soybean farmers navigate trade and input uncertainty, along with unpredictable weather, the Soy Checkoff aims to be the long-term, steady hand on the rudder," said Philip Good, USB Chair from Macon, Mississippi.
Key investment priorities include expanding high oleic soybeans for the food industry, enhancing demand for soybean meal in livestock and poultry production, and positioning soybean oil as a preferred feedstock for biofuels.
The board also plans to further commercialize new soy-based technologies in industrial uses, grow exports in established and new markets, and address major yield threats through sustainable production research.
Brent Gatton, USB Vice Chair from Bremen, Kentucky, emphasized the strategic allocation of funds despite reduced collections. "We're focused on what moves volume and creates value for our farmers, promoting U.S. Soy as a high-quality, sustainable and reliable product, and making every dollar count," he said.
The investments aim to drive on-farm resilience and bring value to U.S. soybean farmers while navigating current challenges in the farm economy and unpredictable growing conditions.
