Checkoff At Work

The South Carolina Soybean Board (SCSB) collects checkoff dollars when soybean farmers sell their soybeans. Each farmer contributes to the soy checkoff one-half of 1 percent of the price of each bushel at the first point of sale. These funds are used for research, promotional and educational interests as they pertain to soybeans and the soybean industry. The volunteer directors decide how to invest the funds of the soybean checkoff. Half of the soybean checkoff funds are kept in the state where they originated and the other half goes to the United Soybean Board (USB) to invest in projects at the national level.

The SCSB is dedicated to using the checkoff dollars we receive from you each year to keep your operation growing forward. As we move into each year, we conduct in-depth research on the latest cutting-edge technology that can be used to benefit you, the farmer. Checkoff programs allow us to further strengthen the industry in which we work. Year after year, your checkoff dollars are invested in a multitude of projects that solidify our industry as a staple of the American economy.

The United Soybean Board

Farmer-directors from around the nation oversee the United Soybean Board (USB). Every farmer serves without pay. The USB directors are nominated by the state soybean boards (in South Carolina, the SCSB) and then appointed by the U.S. secretary of agriculture.

History

The U.S. Congress passed a provision as part of the 1990 farm bill to form the soy checkoff at the request of soybean farmers throughout the nation. The law required a referendum in 1994 to determine if the national checkoff program should continue. In this referendum, producers voted to continue the program. A request for referendum is held every four years to allow soybean farmers the opportunity to vote to discontinue the checkoff. By law, there are only certain areas where soybean checkoff dollars may be spent. Under no circumstance can funds be used for lobbying purposes.

Farmer Resources

Ensuring that South Carolina farmers receive the most current education on key topics impacting their operations is a top priority for the South Carolina Soybean Board (SCSB), and it invests in keeping farmers posted on the latest threats to the soybean crop.

Plant-parasitic nematodes continue to be the source of production challenges for South Carolina soybean farmers. To learn more about the most important nematode species to watch for, please click here to download the Soybean Management Guide.