ST. LOUIS — Ten U.S. soybean farmers from soybean-growing states across the nation will take part in an educational program this summer with stops in St. Louis, Panama and Costa Rica as part of the United Soybean Board’s (USB) See for Yourself program. A farmer from Versailles, Ohio, is included in the group.

“There’s no better way to show someone the value of their checkoff investment than to show them the results firsthand,” says Keith Tapp, a soybean farmer from Sebree, Kentucky, and chair of USB’s Audit and Evaluation Committee, which sponsors See for Yourself. “It’s important for U.S. soybean farmers to see customers around the world who rely on their hard work to grow the best soybeans in the world.”

From Aug. 4-12, the farmers will get the opportunity to see how the soy checkoff increases demand for their soybeans. Going on the tour are Greg McGlinch, Versailles, Ohio; Ashley Babl, Albion, Nebraska; Luke Crawford, Arenzville, Illinois; Adam Hendricks, Auburn, Kentucky; Jason McCord, Columbia, Tennessee; Jennifer Polterman, Genoa City, Wisconsin; Samuel Showalter, Hampton, Iowa; Joseph Stoller, Bremen, Indiana; Dick Werner, Herried, South Dakota; and Russell Wolf, Tipton, Missouri.

The See for Yourself program gives participants a firsthand look at how and where their soybeans are being used both domestically and internationally. It also offers farmer-participants an opportunity to evaluate specific, checkoff-funded research and promotional activities. This year’s program includes a tour of the Panama Canal, where work continues to expand the waterway used to ship almost half of all U.S. soy exports. In Costa Rica, participants will learn about one of U.S. soy’s biggest oil customers.

USB’s 70 farmer-directors work on behalf of all U.S. soybean farmers to achieve maximum value for their soy checkoff investments. These volunteers invest and leverage checkoff funds in programs and partnerships to drive soybean innovation beyond the bushel and increase preference for U.S. soy. That preference is based on U.S. soybean meal and oil quality and the sustainability of U.S. soybean farmers. As stipulated in the federal Soybean Promotion, Research and Consumer Information Act, the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service has oversight responsibilities for USB and the soy checkoff.