Wisconsin soybean farmers will have a direct voice in shaping national Soy Checkoff priorities following the election of Wisconsin farmer Tony Mellenthin to the United Soybean Board (USB) Executive Committee.

Farmer-leaders of the United Soybean Board elected new leadership during the organization’s December board meeting in St. Charles, MO. Brent Gatton of Bremen, Kentucky, was elected chair and will lead the board’s work for the upcoming fiscal year. Gatton is joined by nine farmer-leaders from across the country, including Mellenthin, who represents Wisconsin on the executive committee.

“Being nominated and elected by my peers to serve on the executive committee at the United Soybean Board is an honor I am blessed to have,” said Mellenthin, who farms with his father near Eau Galle. “With this honor comes both the opportunity and the duty to ensure the board operates with the best interests of the 500,000 U.S. soybean farmers that we represent.”

As a member of the executive committee, Mellenthin will help guide FY26 Soy Checkoff investments across food, feed, fuel, industrial uses, exports and sustainable production. These investments are designed to grow demand for U.S. soy, strengthen on-farm resilience and keep farmers competitive in a global marketplace.

Mellenthin said his election highlights the opportunity for farmers from all soybean-producing states to step into leadership roles.

“Being from a smaller soybean state, one that isn’t even top 10 for production, shows that the pathway to leadership is not reserved for the top producers,” Mellenthin said. “Any farmer with the intent of representing the best interests of U.S. soybean farmers has the opportunity to serve, regardless of the production capacity of the state they farm in.”

The United Soybean Board is made up of 77 volunteer farmer-leaders who oversee Soy Checkoff investments on behalf of nearly half a million U.S. soybean farmers. The USDA Agricultural Marketing Service provides oversight for the Soy Checkoff under the federal Soybean Promotion, Research and Consumer Information Act.