ASA Chairman Kevin Scott talks about ‘wonderful things at AgOutlook’
December 2, 2022
AgOutlook 2022 is December 8, 2022, at the Sioux Falls Ramkota Inn. The particular day that the free event is being held, Kevin Scott won’t be able to attend. He’ll be completing his chairmanship of the American Soybean Association (ASA) at its annual board of directors meeting in St. Louis. For growers who are able, however, Scott, of Valley Springs, South Dakota, urges them to be at AgOutlook.
“The people who are in your wheelhouse as far as ‘how are they going to help me produce a better crop more sustainably, how do we do a better job of sequestering carbon; the new things that are out there,’” said Scott, in an interview. “There’s industry that will show up at AgOutlook that will help people see what is new and what’s available. The areas of focus, whether it be marketing, or policy, or weather, all those things that affect your local scenario. The AgOutlook brings all those things together and does a wonderful job of getting you excited either for the next year or at least giving you some clues as to what might be coming down the pike for new developments or how to produce a better crop. All those are wonderful things at AgOutlook.”
Because of Kevin Scott’s years-long commitment to the ASA, it’s been rare that he's been able to attend AgOutlook, which frequently falls on the same day each December as the Sioux Falls event. But he says being part of ASA governance has left a positive impression.
“Well, it certainly has opened my eyes to where soybeans fit in the world, it is pretty much everywhere,” he said. “It’s a fantastic source of protein, of course, for people who need a better source of protein, but it has become so many other things. The development of new uses is pretty phenomenal; we have it in our tennis shoes now. The soybean oil that’s going into biofuels right now is a phenomenal opportunity. When I started in the organization, soy oil was a drag on our market because we just couldn’t get rid of it, it was so much, and now it is pulling the market very well. The things I’ve seen in my tenure have really opened my eyes to the possibility of soybeans, but it takes a lot of work to keep those possibilities coming around, so it’s a big job, but it’s been a wonderful opportunity for me. I had a great run and I’ve really enjoyed it.”