ag-formation

SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE                                  Telephone (803) 734-2210

D. LESLIE TINDAL, COMMISSIONER                                        Becky Walton, Director of Public Information

P.O. Box 11280, Columbia, South Carolina 29211                                                     bwalton@scda.state.sc.us

www.state.sc.us/scda

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 11, 2000

(Columbia, SC)---At their recent annual meeting in St. Louis, the United Soybean Board (USB) recently adopted new, targeted strategic initiatives in order to create profit opportunities for soybean farmers. Those initiatives include three top priorities in 2000: addressing biotechnology, avoiding
international trade barriers, and improving the composition of soybeans.

Also at the meeting, W. Edwin Dargan Jr. of Darlington, SC, was selected to serve as one of six new USB directors.  In addition, another South Carolinian, David Winkles of Sumter, a founding USB director, was also recognized along with several other farmer-leaders whose terms as USB
directors have expired.

The United Soybean Board is comprised of 62 farmer-directors who oversee the investments of the soybean checkoff on behalf of all U.S. soybean farmers.

For more information about the soybean industry contact, Margaret Owens, SC Soybean Board and Association, (803) 734-1767 or (803) 469-6740.