The American Soybean Association recognized exceptional leaders and volunteers at its annual awards banquet at Commodity Classic including several farmers from the region. Paul Casper of Lake Preston, South Dakota received the highest award given by the organization with the ASA Pinnacle Award for his work developing the South Dakota Soybean Processors Plant in Volga in the mid-1990s. He says the first plant in the state was critical to improve the wide basis levels for soybean farmers in South Dakota.
He says they tried to get various grain companies and processors to build the plant, but when they said no it kickstarted the farmer led project.
Jim Miller of Belden, Nebraska was also awarded ASA’s Outstanding State Volunteer Award for his recruitment of 853 members to the association through his persistence and effective pitch skills.
Miller carries membership forms with him wherever he goes and says being a member is more critical than ever with farmers making up less than two percent of the population.
