Wisconsin Soybean News

Marshall, Wisconsin Farmer Participates in Ag Exchange Program

St. Louis, Missouri, August 25 , 2007 – Robert Derr, a soybean producer from Marshall, Wisconsin, recently spent five days in west Tennessee learning about agriculture in that state as part of the summer Regional Exchange and Awareness Program (REAP) sponsored by the American Soybean Association (ASA) and EMD Crop BioScience (formerly Nitragin) and hosted by the Tennessee Soybean Association (TSA).

Derr operates a no-till cash grain farm producing soybeans, corn and alfalfa. He participated, along with 10 other farmers from northern states, in this program which highlights agriculture production and industry unique to the region and encourages growers to share information that enhances their knowledge and skills. “This is a terrific opportunity for ASA members,” said ASA President Rick Ostlie. “Growers attending the REAP program will develop a better understanding of how other soybean farmers are impacted by national farm policies. ASA is grateful to EMD Crop BioScience for their sponsorship of this unique program.”

The TSA tour traveled to and explored the agriculture and industry in and around Nashville, Jackson, Shelbyville and Memphis. It focused on the diverse agricultural practices found in these regions with stops at the Ellington Agricultural Center, an experiment station plot tour, cotton, rice, tobacco and soybean farms, a biodiesel electrical generating facility, the premier Tennessee Walking Horse Farm and several industry tours.

While showcasing the regional similarities and differences in agriculture, the ASA/EMD Crop BioScience REAP tour gives participants the chance to get to know and learn from one another, benefiting the member-driven policy work of ASA and the soybean industry as a whole. It helps U.S. soybean producers build the relationships necessary to maintain strong and proactive voices on behalf of farm-related legislative priorities in Washington, D.C. through a better understanding of soybean production throughout the country.

“We were delighted to be able to bring northern farmers to Tennessee to learn more about our rich agricultural heritage,” said TSA President David Nichols. “This program gives farmers the opportunity for new information and a new awareness of agriculture in a different region of the country.”