This week, Missouri Soybeans hosted the Missouri Soybean Association (MSA) board in Jefferson City for their annual meeting. During the meeting, the Association selected several farmer-leaders to step up in leadership positions to serve Missouri’s soybean growers.
To lead MSA, Renee Fordyce was elected to serve as the president for 2024. Fordyce is a soybean grower and rural health professional from Bethany, representing District 1 on the board. Fordyce has been a board member for over ten years, serving in various leadership roles, including vice president. This is her first term serving as the Association’s president.
“Thank you to my fellow farmer leaders for trusting me to fulfill this leadership role,” said Fordyce. “MSA has made great strides in grower engagement and will continue to pursue this important endeavor. MSA is only successful with member support, so please reach out with your concerns or recommendations for the future.”
Brooks Hurst, a Tarkio and District 1 farmer, was also re-elected as the Association’s vice president. To round out the board’s leadership, Cody Brock from District 2 was selected as secretary, and Garrett Riekhof, representing District 4, was voted to serve as treasurer.
MSA also recognizes Matt Wright for his years of service as the MSA president. Wright, a farmer from Emden, has served on the board for over a decade. Under his leadership, the Association has led with vision and integrity.
“To have led the Missouri Soybean Association as your president has been an absolute thrill and honor,” said Wright. “I cannot begin to list or quantify all the accomplishments Missouri Soybean producers have enjoyed these past two years, but I can tell you that the achievements will continue. The board is in a great place regarding knowledge, abilities, and appetite to take on whatever comes our way.”
Wright will continue to serve on the board as a farmer-leader from District 3.
In addition to the newly established executive committee, the following farmer-leaders remain on the board:
- Andrew Lance, District 1
- Ronnie Russell, District 1
- Daniel Carpenter, District 2
- Clint Prange, District 3
- Dane Diehl, District 4
- Russell Wolf, District 5
- Terry Schwoeppe, District 6
- Tory Meyr, District 7
- Jason Mayer, District 7
- Ryan Wilson, District 7
At the conclusion of the Missouri Soybeans’ Winter Meetings, MSA will elect and onboard new board members.
“This board is pivotal in advancing not only the soybean industry, but our nation’s agricultural sector today and in the future,” said Gary Wheeler, executive director and CEO. “I admire the board’s leadership, hard work and dedication to the Association and look forward to working with these leaders to advance our mission at the state and federal level.”