Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced the appointment of 16 members to the United Soybean Board.

"These appointees represent a cross section of the soybean industry and I am confident that they will serve the soybean producers well," said Vilsack.

Appointed Soybean Board members are as follows: James H. Carroll, III, Arkansas; Walter L. Godwin, Georgia; David P. Hartke, Illinois; Mark A. Seib, Indiana; Laura L. Foell, Iowa; Dennis R. Clark, Kentucky; Raymond S. Schexnayder, Jr., Louisiana; James A. Call, Minnesota; Todd A. Gibson, Missouri; Mark Caspers, Nebraska; Morris L. Shambley, North Carolina; Jay M. Myers, North Dakota; John B. Motter, Ohio; Jim Musser, Pennsylvania; David G. Iverson, South Dakota; and Robert W. White, Jr., Virginia.

The 69-member board is authorized by the Soybean Promotion, Research and Consumer Information Act. Vilsackselected the appointees from soybean producers nominated by Qualified State Soybean Boards. All appointees will serve three-year terms beginning December 2012.

Research and promotion programs are industry-funded, authorized by Congress, and date back to 1966, when Congress passed the Cotton Research and Promotion Act. Since then, Congress has authorized the establishment of 20 research and promotion boards. They empower farmers and ranchers to leverage their own resources to develop new markets, strengthen existing markets, and conduct important research and promotion activities. AMS provides oversight, paid for by industry assessments, which ensures fiscal responsibility, program efficiency and fair treatment of participating stakeholders.