The United Soybean Board named Lucas Lentsch as the new Chief Executive Officer to lead the organization beginning Jan. 1, 2024. Lentsch currently serves as executive vice president of Dairy Management Inc., which works with the national dairy checkoff program. USB’s board ratified the decision at its December board meeting last week.

“Lucas Lentsch is the right leader, at the right time, to continue the meaningful work of the soy checkoff and fulfill our vision of delivering sustainable soy solutions to every life, every day,” says Meagan Kaiser, outgoing chair of the USB and CEO selection committee chair.  

Kaiser says Lentsch brings a wealth of checkoff program knowledge, deep agricultural roots, and experience from the food processing industry, and the board looks forward to collaborating with him.

Lentsch spent his adolescent years alongside his parents building a first-generation dairy farm in South Dakota, and serving farmers has always been a priority. Lentsch was the South Dakota Secretary of Agriculture from 2013 to 2016 and is a proud Veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom, serving as a commanding officer with the Army National Guard. He previously served as CEO at Midwest Dairy before joining DMI.

Lentsch says his deployment to Iraq was a pivotal time in his career. “As a captain overseeing an 87-man unit, it really changed my perspective on leadership and what it means to be an American.” Lentsch knew he was bound for a career of service following that experience.

Related:Grower-funded checkoffs worth producer investment?

Optimism ahead

In an interview with Farm Progress, Lentsch said he is most excited about the diversity of what soybeans are capable of achieving.

“The innovation pipeline I see in the thousands of soybeans products that exist today is only going to continue to improve in the future,” Lentsch explains. “With the investments in research the soybean board is called to do, we are going to continue to develop and innovate toward the future.”

Lentsch also emphasizes the importance of soybeans in energy independence through the development of biodiesel. “Twenty years ago in the Middle East I saw what oil in the ditches looked like, and there was a waste of natural resources,” he says. “I’m excited to be part of that conversation. I’ll bet on the soybean fields and farm fields of America any day of the week.”

On the other hand, Lentsch also recognizes there is work to do to improve soybean markets for farmers, especially with infrastructure, to ensure efficiency in getting the U.S. crop to market. “There’s a lot of global competition – you don’t have to look any further than Brazil or Argentina to see that soybean fields there are producing at an incredible rate, adding to competition for the U.S.”

“We need to keep focusing on what we do well – raising a high-quality crop, adding value to it, and getting it to market. If we continue to do those things, we will win on a global stage,” Lentsch says.

Additional leadership announced

Farmer-leaders of the USB also elected Steve Reinhard from Ohio as the 2024 chair and 10 additional farmer-leaders to serve on the executive committee during the meeting last week.

“I’m honored and excited to take on the role of USB’s new board chair,” shares Steve Reinhard, the 2024 USB chair and Ohio farmer. “Together with the dedicated team and the support of our farmers, I look forward to continuing our commitment to sustainability and innovation in the soy industry. We’ll focus on driving positive change, leveraging research and investments to meet consumer demands, and furthering the success of American soybean farmers.”

The newly elected USB executive committee includes: