Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns has announced 33 appointments and three alternate appointments to the United Soybean Board.

All appointees will serve three-year terms, beginning December 2007.

Appointed members representing soybean producers by state and unit are:

John S. Cooper, Arkansas; Martin L. Ross, Delaware; Richard J. Stern, Jr., Eastern Region; Philip E. Bradshaw and Sharon L. Covert, Illinois; James E. Schriver and Jerry J. Meyer, Indiana; James R. Legvold, Iowa; Robert N. Haselwood and William A. Wiley, Kansas; Donald L. Zaunbrecher, Louisiana; Granville S. Moore, Maryland; Mary Lou Smith and James B. Domagalski, Michigan; Robert A. Kirchner and Robin H. Hanks, Minnesota; Marcus S. Curtis, Mississippi; Richard L. Fordyce, Missouri; Charles L. Myers and Michael S. Thede, Nebraska; Russell R. Carpenter, New York; James K. Bartlett, North Carolina; Joel M. Thorsrud and Robin L. Pratt, North Dakota; Dale L. Profit, Ohio; Ronald J. Limon, Oklahoma; William L. Beam, Pennsylvania; Lewis G. Bainbridge, South Dakota; Kenneth M. Moore, Tennessee; Keith M. Dunn, Virginia; Ross A. Watermann, Western Region; and Victoria H. Coughlin and Charles R. Prellwitz, Wisconsin.

Jeffrey W. Allen, Delaware; James R. Sheppard, Jr., New York; and, Robert A. Greenlee, Oklahoma were appointed as alternate members.

The 68-member Board is authorized by the Soybean Promotion, Research, and Consumer Information Act. The Secretary selected the appointees from soybean producers nominated by Qualified State Soybean Boards.

The mandatory program is funded at the rate of one-half of 1 percent of the net market price of the soybeans purchased.

USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service monitors operation of the Board.