Cox selected as ISA chair; Eck and Wenning elected as board directors

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (Dec. 14, 2023) — Developing overseas markets, creating new products and boosting availability of items such as biodiesel are a few of the goals for the Indiana Soybean Alliance (ISA), the state’s soybean checkoff program. At its recent winter meeting, the ISA Board of Directors elected Kevin Cox, a farmer from Brazil, Ind., as its new board chair.

“We are living in a special time in agriculture,” Cox explained. “Even in challenging weather conditions, we are producing record or near-record yields of soybean crops. As the state’s checkoff representing thousands of Indiana farmers, our challenge is to make sure that we can keep the value of those crops at a high level. I believe we are doing that. By working with companies from all over the world that buy soybeans, or by encouraging farmers to plant crops like high oleic soybeans that come with premium prices, we are working to make Indiana soybean farms more profitable.”

Cox takes over ISA leadership from Greensburg, Ind., farmer Mike Koehne, who was the chair for 2023. Cox grows soybeans and corn on his farm in Parke, Putnam and Clay counties. He has farmed since 1982 and also owns TST Trucking, LLC. Representing District 3, Cox was elected to the ISA board in 2018. He was the board’s vice chair in 2023.

Denise Scarborough, a farmer from LaCrosse, Ind., was elected as vice chair. For the past two years, Scarborough has been the chair of ISA’s Sustainability and Value Creation Committee. Keevin Lemenager is the board’s new secretary. Last year, he was the chair of the Membership and Policy Committee. The board’s new treasurer is Carey McKibben, a farmer from LaGrange, Ind. In 2023, McKibben led ISA’s Market Development Committee.

The 2024 leader of the Membership and Policy Committee is Joe Stoller, a farmer from Bremen, Ind. Last year, Stoller was the board’s secretary. Two ISA Board directors are new to leadership positions. Warren, Ind., farmer Brian Warpup was selected to lead the Sustainability and Value Creation Committee, and Steve Phares, a farmer from Albion, Ind., is the new chair of ISA’s Market Development Committee.

Two new ISA directors elected

Chris Eck of Boggstown, Ind., and Roger Wenning of Greensburg, Ind., are newly elected as District 4 directors to the ISA board. District 4 includes the counties of Bartholomew, Boone, Brown, Clark, Crawford, Dearborn, Decatur, Fayette, Floyd, Franklin, Hamilton, Hancock, Harrison, Hendricks, Jackson, Jefferson, Jennings, Johnson, Lawrence, Marion, Monroe, Morgan, Ohio, Orange, Perry, Ripley, Rush, Scott, Shelby, Switzerland, Union and Washington.

Eck and Wenning were elected to replace two directors who termed off the board in November. Those directors are Jim Douglas of Flat Rock, Ind., and Anngie Steinbarger of Edinburgh, Ind. ISA CEO Courtney Kingery greeted the new board members and thanked the retiring directors. “We want to congratulate the new board members, but first we’d like to sincerely thank those Board members who completed their third terms in November,” Kingery said. “Thank you to Jim and Anngie for your dedication and commitment to the board all these years. I have learned so much from you – thank you for the counsel and wisdom you’ve shared with me.”

Eck grows soybeans, corn, seed corn and wheat on his family farm in Shelby County. A farmer since 1988, he also owns trucking, custom application and detasseling businesses. Eck earned a bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics from Purdue University. “I plan to help the Indiana Soybean Alliance to expand markets and create markets for the future,” he said. “The goal is to expand profitable markets for soybean crops that benefit all growers. I want to help use checkoff dollars in the most efficient ways to develop relationships that result in higher soybean prices.”

Wenning raises soybeans, corn, wheat and alfalfa on his farm in Decatur, Franklin and Ripley counties. He also has cattle and owns Wenning Excavating and Drainage. Wenning has served on boards with the Indiana Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts (IASWCD) and the National Association of Conservation Districts. “As my many years of service to the IASWCD winds down, I’m looking forward another good organization to get involved with. I would like to expand exports by making U.S. soybeans the soybeans of choice for buyers.”

All other board elections were won by incumbents. In District 1, Scarborough and Brookston, Ind., farmer Kevin Kelley were re-elected. District 1 includes Benton, Carroll, Cass, Clinton, Elkhart, Fulton, Howard, Jasper, Kosciusko, LaPorte, Lake, Marshall, Miami, Newton, Porter, Pulaski, St. Joseph, Starke, Tipton, Wabash and White counties.

Phares and Hartford City, Ind., farmer C.J. Chalfant were re-elected to District 2. The counties of Adams, Allen, Blackford, DeKalb, Delaware, Grant, Henry, Huntington, Jay, LaGrange, Madison, Noble, Randolph, Steuben, Wayne, Wells and Whitley make up District 2.

In District 3, Coatesville, Ind., farmer Mark Legan and Richland, Ind., farmer Derika Lynam-Spaetti were re-elected. District 3 includes the counties of Clay, Daviess, Dubois, Fountain, Gibson, Greene, Knox, Martin, Montgomery, Owen, Parke, Pike, Posey, Putnam, Spencer, Sullivan, Tippecanoe, Vanderburgh, Vermillion, Vigo, Warren and Warrick.

Learn more about our board and what it does at:

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About Indiana Soybean Alliance: The Indiana Soybean Alliance works to enhance the viability of Indiana soybean farmers through the effective and efficient investment of soybean checkoff funds that protect and promote the interest of Indiana soybean farmers. The ISA works to assist soybean farmers through its strategic initiatives of market development; environmental, social and economic sustainability; value creation and producer engagement. ISA is led by an elected, farmer board that directs investments of the soybean checkoff funds on behalf of more than 20,000 Indiana soybean farmers.