ISA Now Accepting FY25 Project Proposals

The Illinois Soybean Association (ISA) is developing budgets and accepting proposals for FY25, which strategically align with the organization’s focus areas: market development, soybean production, and communications. The fiscal year runs from Sept. 1, 2024, through Aug. 31, 2025.

Proposals will be assessed on their ability to provide a return on ISA’s mission to uphold the interests of Illinois soybean producers through promotion, advocacy, research and education. They will also be evaluated on their effectiveness in addressing the needs of Illinois soybean producers and overall alignment with ISA’s strategic plan.

ISA’s strategic plan also helps set association priorities, boost operations, and ensures that all farmer Directors, employees and stakeholders work toward common objectives and targets. The following objectives from the ISA committee areas open for RFPs are:

Market Development
The Market Development Committee promotes Illinois soy as the preferred choice for U.S. and global customers, and supports advancements in infrastructure. Market Development’s fundamental areas of focus are:

1. Building the reputation of U.S. and Illinois-grown soy (protein/oil) among international buyers with market growth potential.
2. Growing domestic markets for Illinois soy in the feed, food, fiber and fuel industries.
3. Promoting the Illinois competitive advantage in infrastructure to stakeholders across the value chain and supporting programs and policies to maintain and improve that advantage.
4. Communicating the benefits of soy as a healthy source of protein and fat in food and feed products.
5. Identifying and prioritizing the development and promotion of high-value, soy-based individual products.
6. Working with strategic partners to increase soy-based fuel usage in major markets, including diesel fleets, equipment, marine and aviation.

Soybean Production
The Soybean Production Committee is cross-functional in agronomic research, education and outreach, creating opportunities for Illinois soybean farmers to increase on-farm profitability and manage crop production risks. The Soybean Production committee is committed to the following:

1. Building partnerships with public and private entities to augment ISA’s agronomic research and education programs.
2. Establishing basic and applied research priorities that address regionally specific production opportunities, challenges, and economic factors.
3. Demonstrating soybean system agronomics focused on soil and water quality, agricultural resource resiliency and land stewardship.
4. Continuing to expand the ISA agronomic network by raising awareness and establishing trust among farmers through ongoing outreach and research education.

Communications
The Communications department is responsible for implementing, supporting and monitoring ISA’s public relations efforts, internal and external communications, websites, social networking accounts, educational outreach, and more. The department develops the association’s publications, including its flagship property, Illinois Field & Bean magazine, and strengthens the association, brand and marketing efforts to ensure effective communications across all departments, Directors and staff. Functions of the ISA Communications department include:

1. Internal and external communications efforts targeted to farmer audiences
2. Corporate reputation/branding
3. Communications to consumer audiences
4. Youth outreach and education efforts
5. Industry relations

Completed proposals should be submitted no later than May 1, 2024.

For more details on the ISA proposal process, visit www.ilsoy.org.