The
Kentucky Commodity Conference
provides not only a series of
educational sessions, annual
meetings of grower
associations and industry
information but also serves as
a time of reflection and
recognition of those
individuals that make the
Kentucky Soybean Association
an outstanding organization.
Annually
two awards are given to key
individuals.
The Distinguished
Service Award is the highest
award presented by KSA.
Dr. Chad Lee, Grain
Crops Extension Specialist
with the
University
of
Kentucky
, was this year’s recipient.
Dr.
Lee is getting national and
international attention with
his current research and
support of
Kentucky
farmers.
This year alone the
United Soybean Board has
granted a team of researchers
with over $485,000 to develop
an innovative, applied soybean
production research and
education project that will
assist U. S. soybean producers
in their quest to remain
competitive with South
American soybean producers.
Dr. Lee is one of the
primary researchers on this
team.
He
also initiated a project with
the Southern Soybean Research
Program and Dr. Kumindini to
develop an Asian Soybean Rust
Prediction Tool, which will be
the first of its kind.
The
KSA Eddie Voils Leadership
Award is presented to the past
year’s top volunteer.
It is a
reflection of hard work,
respect, and devotion to the
soybean industry.
The
number one thing asked of a
great volunteer is time.
Time devoted to an
organization is much harder to
find than a donation and much
more difficult to give up,
especially while running a
family farm.
But this year’s Eddie
Voils Leadership Award
recipient is very giving of
this valuable commodity, time.
Since
being elected onto the KSA
board in 2003, award recipient
Aaron Reding has worked to
strengthen the KSA voice as
the chairman of the membership
committee.
He has served as the
Kentucky DuPont Young Leader
as well as the Syngenta Leadership
at it’s Best
representative.
Being
highly regarded by his peers;
he has held the office of
secretary, vice president and
now president of the Kentucky
Soybean Association.
