<b>By DOUG SCHMITZ<br>
Iowa Correspondent</b> </p><p>

URBANDALE, Iowa — U.S. Sen. Charles Grassley’s (R-Iowa) former economic development director has been tapped to head the newly-formed Soy Transportation Coalition (STC), created to monitor the transport and infrastructure systems of the nation’s soybean industry.</p><p>
“Mike (Steenhoek) was selected for this position due to his extensive background in policy and regulatory work,” said John Hoffman, a Waterloo, Iowa, soybean farmer and president of the American Soybean Assoc. (ASA). “These experiences will allow him to represent the soybean industry in the effort to improve our nation’s transportation system for soybean farmers and processors.</p><p>
“A reliable transportation system is crucial to our future profitability. As a result, our industry has created this coalition to focus on these issues.”</p><p>
Located at the Iowa Soybean Assoc. (ISA) office in Urbandale, the STC is an initiative established last February by seven state soybean associations – which encompass 63 percent of total United States soybean production – to help fight for one of their top priorities as an organization: Lower railroad shipping rates.</p><p>
The founders include the ISA, the Illinois Soybean Assoc., the Indiana Soybean Alliance, the Nebraska Soybean Board, the North Dakota Soybean Council, the Ohio Soybean Council and the South Dakota Soybean Research and Promotion Council.</p><p>
Moreover, these associations, the ASA and the United Soybean Board (USB) have committed resources to establish the STC. The National Grain and Feed Assoc. and the National Oilseed Processors Assoc. will serve as ex officio members of the STC board of directors.</p><p>
As its first executive director, Steenhoek’s responsibilities include raising awareness of the STC and the importance of transportation issues to U.S. soybean growers and processors. In addition, he will establish the STC’s strategic direction and build alliances with affected industries to help improve the quality of service for the soybean business.</p><p>
“I am appreciative and excited to have the opportunity to work on behalf of soybean farmers on this new initiative,” he said. “The state and national associations who established the Soy Transportation Coalition have demonstrated true leadership and a commitment to the future profitability of the industry.”</p><p>
Prior to this, Steenhoek worked for Grassley for eight years, and he served most recently as the senator’s director of economic development. Holding both a bachelor’s degree and an MBA from the University of Iowa, Steenhoek will direct the daily activities of the STC and work with leaders in the nation’s agriculture and transportation industries.</p><p>
“Agriculture today is high-tech, and we need a constant and reliable transportation system to move our products to market and on to customers,” he said. “It’s important for the agriculture industry to not only be concerned with what we grow, how we grow it and who purchases it, but also how we get it there.”</p><p>
As a coalition, ISA CEO Kirk Leeds said the STC will work to develop a course of action to help solve current and impending transportation challenges affecting the soybean industry.</p><p>
“This is a timely effort, given the realignment of acres and expansion of the biofuels industry,” he said. “Many factors are increasing pressure on the rail network and other transportation systems. Farmers have a lot at stake and they will play a critical role in finding solutions to these issues.”</p><p>
Lance Burditt, president of Osborn & Barr Communications based in Clayton, Mo., which represents the USB, said its role in the coalition would be analytical and research support, as well as producer communications.</p><p>
“The STC, with USB’s participation, is to develop a plan to address rail rates and costs, captive shipper and service issues and infrastructure and equipment, to ensure that America’s soybean producers and their customers have reliable, cost-effective rail service,” he said.</p><p>
“(The) USB will also be working with the STC to develop useful information for producer communications through existing publications and communication outlets.”</p><p>
Steenhoek said much of the STC’s work since being established 10 months ago is focused on producer education.</p><p>
“For the STC to be a credible voice on the transportation debate, the soybean farmers that we serve must be knowledgeable about the importance of the issue,” he said.</p><p>
“This is the foundation for all that we hope to do in the future.
“Given that transportation issues are largely underappreciated by farmers, there is a lot of work to be done in this area. Any type of advocacy without first securing this, farmer understanding and concern will be largely ineffective – essentially ‘putting the cart before the horse.’”</p><p>
Steenhoek said the STC is also doing much policy monitoring and analysis work so its actions can be focused on the actual problems.
“For example, we are doing analysis on the whole subject of basis spreads: how they’ve grown or trended over the past number of years throughout much of the soybean-growing regions of this country, and how transportation shortcomings are contributing to that basis spread,” he said. “This is significant because it impacts the price farmers receive at point of sale.”</p><p>
Steenhoek said the STC mainly wants to ensure the soybean industry has a seat at the table whenever important decisions are made concerning its transportation infrastructure, “whether those decisions occur in Washington, DC, or in state capitols throughout the country.</p><p>
“There is a glaring need for groups like the STC, funded by and led by farmers at the grassroots level, to lend their voice to the overall transportation debate so that funding decisions and regulations are increasingly made with the soybean industry in mind. Heretofore, our voice has not been sufficiently heard in that process.</p><p>
“The Soy Transportation Coalition will promote increased and more strategic investment in our infrastructure so that our transportation system is more of a facilitator of industry growth, not an obstacle to it,” he added.</p><p>
Steenhoek said other state soybean associations are welcomed to join the STC – and will likely do so.</p><p>