Blog

The Illinois Soybean Association checkoff program is once again partnering with the Illinois Certified Crop Adviser program to provide local recommendations throughout the season. These CCA Soy Envoys will be contributing regular content through our ILSoyAdvisor.com platform, all to help our state’s soybean farmers to increase yields and profits while minimizing our environmental impact.

Welcome, 2018 Envoys!

Kevin Nelson, Northern Partners, Ottawa
Kevin Nelson is a CCA 4R NMS working for Northern Partners Co-op in Mendota, Ill. He has worked for Northern Partners Co-op and one of its legacy companies since 1997 and received his CCA certification in 1994. Nelson has a strong background in soil fertility and precision agriculture and works with the agronomy sales team at NPC to help them include these tools as part of their offerings to growers in North Central Illinois.

Todd Steinacher, AgriGold, Carrollton
For the past two years Steinacher has worked as a reginal agronomist for AgriGold®, covering west-central Illinois. Prior to working with AgriGold, he was with the GROWMARK/FS system for nearly 10 years working as a crop specialist, seed specialist and a field sales agronomist. Steinacher has an associate degree from Lincoln Land Community College, a B.S. in agronomy and business from Western Illinois University and a master’s degree from the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana.

Aaron Prins, The Equity, Mason
Prins is a Sales Agronomist with The Equity at their Greenville location. He grew up on his family’s corn and soybean farm in Northwest Illinois. Aaron has been a Certified Crop Advisor since graduating college in 2015. He and his wife, Samantha, have twin sons, Eldon and Victor. Aaron is very involved in his local Farm Bureau as well as his Church.

Kelli Bassett, Bassett Farm and Seed, Greenville
In South Central Illinois Basset and her family raise corn, soybeans, wheat and cattle. She is also a Sales Representative with Pioneer®. She has worked as an agronomist in Illinois with DuPont Pioneer and with the University of Illinois Extension as an Educator. Bassett serves on the Illinois CCA board and holds B.S. and M.S. degrees from the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana in Crop Sciences. She enjoys working with growers to determine ways to improve crop productivity.

Kris Ehler, Ehler Brothers Co., Champaign
Ehler is a sales agronomist for Ehler Brothers Co. in Thomasboro, Illinois. He is a graduate of the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana and has been a Certified Crop Adviser for 15 years. He was the first Illinois Soybean Association Master Soybean Adviser winner in 2017. Ehler was part of the advisory and agronomy team to help growers Bob and Jason Lakey set the Illinois state soybean record of 108 bu/A in 2015. His social media page, The Pursuit of 100+ Bushel Soybeans, has helped growers confidently implement early planting and management practices to increase yields.

Kris Reynolds, American Farmland Trust Midwest, Nokomis
Reynolds joined American Farmland Trust in January 2017 as the Natural Resource Conservationist. He is responsible for working with the many partners in the Upper Macoupin Creek and Vermillion Headwaters Watersheds. Reynolds coordinates activities with farmers and landowners that improve water quality and soil health, enhance nutrient efficiency, utilize conservation cropping systems and meet the goals of Illinois’ Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy. In addition to being a CCA, he holds specialty certifications from the American Society of Agronomy as a 4R Nutrient Management Specialist and Sustainability specialist. He holds a B.S. in Agronomy and Ag Business from Illinois State University.

Rod Moran, Dairyland Seed Company, Inc., Forsyth
Providing agronomic support and education to sales staff across all crops and geographies in the Dairyland Seed® footprint, Moran also has specific duties for managing Dairyland’s soybean portfolio. He joined Dairyland in June of 2004, serving as a District Sales Manager in Central/Southern Ill. and transitioning into his current role as Product Agronomy Specialist in 2010. Previously, he worked within the GROWMARK™ system for 16 years in various roles and locations. Professional agricultural accreditations include his CCA in 2001 and CPAg in 2012. He also proudly served as a Combat Engineer assigned to FORSCOM in the United States Army. He holds undergraduate degrees in Earth Science and Agronomy, as well as an M.S. in Crop Sciences, from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.