Virginia Soybean Checkoff

Virginia Soybean Checkoff

 
 

What Is the Soybean Checkoff?

The soybean checkoff is a mandatory assessment of one-half of 1 percent (.005 times) of the selling price of soybeans. Farmer-leaders at the state and national levels administer the funds for production research, marketing and educational purposes. The soybean checkoff ultimately works to increase demand for U.S. soybeans.

Soybean Production in Virginia

During the last five years, Virginia soybean farmers harvested an average of 16.6 million bushels of soybeans and averaged 30.7 bushels per acre. Soybeans also are Virginia’s number one cash crop, bringing $165.7 million to the state. To find specific soybean production information for your area, click here.

To view the 2022Ag Census information, click here. 

History of Virginia Soybean Checkoff

The Virginia Soybean Board and the state soybean checkoff were established as part of the 1970 Acts of Assembly through a referendum, as provided for in Chapter 431. This referendum also created the soybean fund as part of the state treasury and required the board to be composed of 11 members.

The full code can be found here.

Under the state statute, soybean producers constitute a majority of the board and represent seven soybean-growing regions. Aside from soybean producers, the board also seats representatives of seedsmen, processors, country buyers and exporters.

Since 1991, the Virginia Soybean Board operates under the national Soybean Promotion, Research and Consumer Information Act, which established the national soybean checkoff under the 1990 farm bill.