The Pennsylvania Soybean Board, a farmer-controlled Board responsible for managing Pennsylvania’s share of funds received from the nationwide Soybean Checkoff program, announced new officer appointments for the 2025 Fiscal Year and welcomed two new members to the Board at its February meeting.
The board voted Justin Jones of Bradford County as the new Pennsylvania Soybean Board Chair. Jones farms 1,900 acres of corn, soybeans, wheat, oats and hay and runs a small herd of beef cattle. His wife, Amanda, farms sheep commercially.
“It is an honor to serve as the new Board Chair for the Pennsylvania Soybean Board and help shape the future of the soybean industry,” said Jones. “I look forward to collaborating with my fellow Board members to uphold our mission of driving innovation to improve sustainability and protect the value of soybeans in Pennsylvania.”
Additional executive committee appointees include Marin MacNamara of Fayette County as Vice Chair, Justin Knoebel of Columbia County as Treasurer, and Kaycee Stephens of Centre County as Secretary.
Checkoff funds are used for implementing a program of promotion, research, consumer information, and industry information designed to strengthen the soybean industry’s position in the marketplace, to maintain and expand existing domestic and foreign markets and uses for soybeans and soybean products, and to develop new markets and uses for soybeans and soybean products.
New member Leslie Bowman of Franklin County is an eighth-generation farmer and serves as a partner, crop manager and treasurer for Lesher’s Poultry Farm, Inc. – a shell egg producer with 390,000 laying hens and 130,000 hens less than one year of age. The 2,370-acre farm harvests corn, soybean, wheat and sunflowers; sells plenish soybeans, a genetically modified, high oleicacid soybean variety; and purchases soybeans and oil for feed usage. Bowman has also served as President of the Pennsylvania Corn Growers Association for three years.
New member Mike Reskovac of Fayette County is a first-generation farmer with a bachelor’s degree in agricultural system management from Penn State University. Reskovac grows 950 acres of crops, including soybeans, corn, wheat, hay, sunflowers, sweet corn and pumpkins. The farm also offers agritourism, consisting of pick-your-own sunflowers and a corn maze. Mike is a member of the Pennsylvania Bureau, Farm Service Agency, and County Committee and formerly served as President of the Corn Growers Association.
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