The farmer-leaders of the United Soybean Board recently finished their summer board meeting in Michigan and approved a budget of $123 million for program work beginning in October.

They set investments in research, education, and promotion to add value to U.S. soybeans and build resilience, differentiation, and reputation. The eight investment portfolios align with USB’s new vision of delivering sustainable soy solutions to every life, every day.

“Our thinking, planning, and work as a board has become a much more deliberate and idea-driven process, challenging our board members to think big,” says USB Chair and New York farmer Ralph Lott. “Each portfolio works together to create demand for U.S. soybeans across the entire global soy value chain.”

He also says that USB has shifted from “project takers” to “portfolio makers,” and the result is more strategic thinking. USB says U.S. soybeans are preferred worldwide, and farmers are seeing strong ROI on their dollars.