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06/21/2006

Hardin County Soybean Farmer Appointed to National Biodiesel Board

Contact:

Jamie Mossbarger

Communications Director

jmossbarger@soyohio.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 21, 2006

HardinCountySoybean Farmer Appointed to National Biodiesel Board

Columbus, OH The Ohio Soybean Council (OSC) recently appointed Jan Layman, Hardin County soybean farmer, to the board of directors for the National Biodiesel Board (NBB). This week Layman attended his first meeting in Washington D.C.

"The NBB is the national trade association representing the biodiesel industry as the coordinating body for research and development in the US," says John Lumpe, OSC executive director. "Jan is a big supporter of soy biodiesel and will be an asset to the NBB. He uses soy biodiesel in his farm equipment and I am confident he understands the importance of increasing demand for soybeans in order to continue producing a high quality alternative fuel that will lessen our dependence on foreign oil."

Since its founding, the NBB has developed into a comprehensive industry association, which coordinates and interacts with a broad range of cooperators including industry, government, and academia. NBB's membership is comprised of state, national, and international feedstock and feedstock processor organizations, biodiesel suppliers, fuel marketers and distributors, and technology providers.

Most recently, the NBB applauded the Engine Manufacturers Association (EMA) for approving test specifications for a standard biodiesel blend. The specifications for biodiesel blends up to 20 percent by volume (B20), ensure that engine manufacturers will have fuel with consistent properties for engine testing and evaluation.

As an OSC board member, Layman currently serves as chairman of the domestic marketing committee and is responsible for the oversight of checkoff funded projects that focus on soy biodiesel, animal agriculture and industry support. He is also a member of the Ohio Soybean Association, Ohio Corn Growers Association and is actively involved is his community as a member of the Elks and Moose lodges and the Hardin County Fairboard.

Headquartered in Columbus, the Ohio Soybean Council is governed by a 18-member volunteer farmer board, which directs the Soybean Promotion and Research Program. The program's primary goal is to improve soybean profitability by targeting research and development projects through the investment of farmer-contributed funds.

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