Three Commission appointments made during March meeting

Three Kansas Soybean Commissioners with extensive involvement in the soybean industry retained their positions on the Commission. The March 8 KSC meeting included appointment of two at-large positions and the western districts representative.

“There is a lot that Commissioners are tasked with when it comes to investing checkoff dollars for the benefit of Kansas farmers,” says KSC Chairman Bob Haselwood, Berryton. “The knowledge and experience within our team is invaluable.” 

Raylen Phelon and Lance Rezac retained their roles as Commissioners-at-large.

Phelon, a farmer from Melvern, grows soybeans, corn, wheat, hay and raises cattle with his son and wife. Phelon has long been a leader in the soybean industry. He first joined the Kansas Soybean Association board of directors as the Young Leader in 2004 and served as KSA president from 2015 to 2016. Following that service, Phelon became a Commissioner in 2018. He currently represents Kansas on the U.S. Meat Export Federation board.

Rezac, a farmer from Onaga, grows soybeans, corn, wheat, hay and also runs a farrow-to-finish hog operation and raises cattle. He farms with his son, daughter, brother and two nephews. Rezac first became a leader in the soybean industry in 1998. He began in the Young Leader program and served on the KSA board of directors, including as president, for many years before joining KSC in 2012. Rezac currently represents Kansas on the United Soybean Board and is on the U.S. Soybean Export Council board through USB.

An appointment was also made for districts 1, 2 and 3. For the Kansas Soybean Commission, those districts in the western third of the state are represented by one individual. Kurt Maurath reprised this role.

Maurath, of Oakley, raises soybeans, corn and wheat and operates a cow calf operation with his brother. He became a Commissioner in 2002. He served as chairman of the Commission from 2016 to 2019 and previously represented Kansas through the World Initiative for Soy in Human Health. Currently, Maurath represents Kansas on the United Soybean Board.

The appointees take their seats on the Commission at the annual meeting scheduled for July 26.

Nine farmer-leaders serve on the commission, each elected by region to a three-year term. Commissioners volunteer their time to oversee the investment of checkoff dollars to improve profit potential for all soybean farmers in Kansas. They attend three meetings annually and participate in conference calls between those meetings. The soybean checkoff reimburses Commissioners for travel and other expenses related to their service.