By STAN MADDUX

Indiana Correspondent

BOSWELL, Ind. — He might be gone, but an Indiana farmer’s ideas live on in the bottom lines of soybean growers nationwide.

Bill Silver was at the head of the pack in pushing at the state and federal levels for a soybean checkoff program. He was 91 when he died in his sleep on May 7.

He lived in Warren County, just south of where he was born in Boswell, about 30 miles west of Lafayette. He grew soybeans, corn, and wheat. “He was one of those visionary thinkers,” said Jane Ade Stevens, CEO of Indiana Soybean Alliance and the state soybean checkoff program.

Stevens said attempts to establish an Indiana checkoff were underway before a nationwide checkoff was established in 1991 – with Silver a major voice at both levels. One-half of 1 percent of what a soybean grower receives for every bushel at the first point of sale goes into the checkoff.

In Indiana, she said a significant percentage of the dollars go for developing markets in other countries, just as Silver envisioned during his push for the checkoff. She said early checkoff funding helped Indiana become a major player in establishing a market in China and teaching aquaculture producers in that country to use soybeans as feed.

“He realized farmers needed to take control of more market development opportunities for their crops,” Stevens said.

Checkoff revenue is also used for research into creating new uses for soybeans. For example, ISA sponsors an annual contest at Purdue University, and this year’s student winner came up with a biodegradable drinking straw made of soybeans, she said.

Money from the checkoff also helped establish a phenotyping center at the Purdue agronomy farm and growing Indiana’s livestock industry to further increase demand for soybeans.

“We believe that it helps everyone if we can feed the soybeans here and export the meat, eggs, poultry, and milk products. That’s the economic story you want to be able to tell all of the time in Indiana,” Stevens added.

According to his obituary, Silver for more than 20 years recruited members for the Indiana Soybean Growers Assoc., wrote bylaws for the Indiana Soybean Development Council, explained the checkoff to elevator managers, and promoted soy products at the Indiana State Fair and health fairs.

He also served on the United Soybean Board of Directors from 1986-91 and was recognized as a USB founding director for the years 1991-97. In 1997, Silver received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the National Conference for the American Soybean Assoc.

Stevens said he was heavily involved in soybean-related affairs when she first became involved with ISA in 1980 and remained quite active until about a decade ago. Silver’s attitude of looking at things as “glass half-full” might explain his persistence and ability to lead.

“He was Mr. Positive. I never heard him be negative. He always looked at the world in a very positive light,” she said.

Silver was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic in Fowler, where he sang in the choir. Church secretary Pat Besse said he was also involved with youth and stewardship at the church.

“He was just very active, and cared a lot about people and his faith. He was very strong in his faith,” Besse said.

Despite slowing down in his later years, Stevens said they kept in touch. She said only family, farming, and following the Purdue women’s basketball team gave Silver more joy than being a key figure in the founding of the checkoff program.

“He had a great life, and he made a difference in Indiana agriculture for all of us,” Stevens noted.