Mississippi Soybean Checkoff Elects New Leadership

Hollandale farmer de Regt will lead MSPB in 2013-2014

CANTON (March 27, 2013) – Members of the Mississippi Soybean Promotion Board (MSPB) elected new officers for the 2013 fiscal year at their recent board meeting in Starkville. As chairman, Hollandale farmer Jan de Regt will lead the organization, which invests soy checkoff funds on behalf of Mississippi farmers. Tim Clements of Greenville now serves as vice chairman and Paul Dees of Leland as the organization’s secretary and treasurer.
 
“I’m honored that my fellow board members put their trust in me to lead this organization,” said de Regt. “I look forward to the year ahead and the opportunity to lead the organization as it continues to invest checkoff funds to maximize profit opportunities for Mississippi soybean farmers.”
 
In addition to de Regt, Clements and Dees, other MSPB Board members include:
  • Morgan Beckham, Leland
  • Wayne Dulaney, Clarksdale
  • Mike Guedon, Natchez
  • Keith Morton, Falkner
  • C.D. Simmons, Hollandale
  • Jerry Slocum, Coldwater
  • Jimmy Sneed, Hernando
  • Bill Ryan Tabb, Cleveland
  • David Wansley, Valley Park

The board also finalized a budget for the fiscal year at the meeting. MSPB board members investigate and invest in opportunities that will potentially increase the profitability of soybean producers in Mississippi.

“Because domestic use of Mississippi soybeans is so limited, MSPB investments primarily focus on increasing yields and improving the quality of soybeans through production research,” said Clements. “These research projects include all aspects of soybean production, including yield, irrigation practices, pest management, soil fertility and treatment of diseases.”

MSPB shares the results of such projects with farmers through its website, www.mssoy.org, and printed materials like newsletters and a production research guide.

MSPB also invests in education, through the funding of graduate research assistantships, doctoral fellowships and an endowed research chair at Mississippi State University to ensure that the state continues to produce future researchers to support a strong soybean research program that addresses Mississippi production challenges.

“Mississippi soybean farmers should know that MSPB takes great care to make sure decisions made by the board will benefit them,” said de Regt. “As soybean farmers ourselves, each decision we make affects us just like it does all other farmers in the state.”

MSPB also reappointed Larry G. Heatherly, Ph.D., as coordinator of research and technology transfer and Carol Bullard as board administrator.

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