ST. LOUIS (October 25, 2012) - When it comes to soybean cyst nematode (SCN), which costs U.S. soybean farmers $1 billion annually in crop losses, farmers can never have enough potential solutions. Twice recently, research funded by the United Soybean Board (USB) and soy checkoff has yielded potential breakthroughs in fighting off this devastating disease.

In a paper titled "A Soybean Cyst Nematode Resistance Gene Points to a New Mechanism of Plant Resistance to Pathogens," scientists reveal that they identified and validated the gene at the Rhg4 locus, a major driver in a soybean plant's resistance to SCN.

"The checkoff has a number of projects that aim to identify the genes in a soybean plant that can effectively control SCN," says USB Production program Chair Jim Schriver, a soybean farmer from Bluffton, Ind. "Even though there are different types of SCN, if we could take advantage of those genes that control resistance, it would be effective for all types of SCN."

The study, published recently in the online journal Nature, is the first to identify the gene and its mechanism for creating resistance, according to the article's lead authors, Khalid Meksem, Ph.D., of Southern Illinois University Carbondale (SIUC) and Melissa Goellner Mitchum, Ph.D., of the University of Missouri at Columbia.

"Funding and support from USB and the soy checkoff have been crucial to this new discovery of disease resistance, which will be used to develop products that will benefit U.S. soybean farmers," says Meksem, associate professor of plant, soil science and agricultural systems at SIUC. "This discovery comes at a time when farmers need new solutions, as the nematodes adapt and find ways through the soybeans' defenses."

The team hopes their research will lead to a better understanding of how the resistant genes work and ultimately lead to improved crop yield.

A separate checkoff-funded project recently found that soybean plants with multiple copies of a multi-gene block known as Rhg1 also show better resistance to SCN. Both projects allow researchers to focus on these gene structures - Rhg1 and Rhg4 - to help them develop SCN-resistant U.S. soybean varieties.

The 69 farmer-directors of USB oversee the investments of the soy checkoff to maximize profit opportunities for all U.S. soybean farmers. These volunteers invest and leverage checkoff funds to increase the value of U.S. soy meal and oil, to ensure U.S. soybean farmers and their customers have the freedom and infrastructure to operate, and to meet the needs of U.S. soy's customers. As stipulated in the federal Soybean Promotion, Research and Consumer Information Act, the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service has oversight responsibilities for USB and the soy checkoff.

For more information on the United Soybean Board, visit www.unitedsoybean.org
Visit us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/UnitedSoybeanBoard
Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/unitedsoy
View our YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/user/UnitedSoybeanBoard

###

CHICAGO -- Former Secretary of State, National Security Adviser, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Colin Powell endorsed President Obama for re-election today. Powell cited the President's leadership in bringing us back from the brink of economic collapse, ending the war in Iraq, his plan to end the war in Afghanistan, and his strong record of fighting terrorism as reasons for his endorsement.

Watch Colin Powell's endorsement HERE.

TRANSCRIPT

ROSE: Will you endorse President Obama this race?

POWELL: Well, you know I voted for him in 2008 and I plan to stick with him in 2012, and I'll be voting for he and for Vice President Joe Biden next month.

ROSE: That's an endorsement for President Obama for re-election?

POWELL: Yes. And let me say why. When he took over the country was in very, very difficult straits, we were in one of the worst recessions we had seen in recent times, close to a depression. The fiscal system was collapsing. Wall Street was in chaos. We had 800,000 jobs lost in that first month of the Obama administration and unemployment would peak a few months later at 10%. So we were in real trouble. The auto industry was collapsing. The housing industry was starting to collapse, and we were in very difficult straits. And I saw over the next several years stabilization come back in the financial community, housing is now starting to pick up after four years, it's starting to pick up. Consumer confidence is rising. So I think generally we've come out of the dive and we're starting to gain altitude. It doesn't mean we are problem solved, there are lots of problems still out there. The unemployment rate is too high. People are still hurting in housing. But I see that we are starting to rise up. I also saw the President get us out of one war, start to get us out of a second war and did not get us into any new wars. And finally, I think that the actions he's taken with respect to protecting us from terrorism have been very, very solid. And so I think we ought to keep on the track that we are on. With respect to Governor Romney, I have the utmost respect to him but as I listen to what his proposals are especially with respect to dealing with our most significant issue, the economy, it's essentially let's cut taxes and compensate for that with other things. But that compensation does not cover all of the cuts intended or the new expenses associated with defense.

 ###

Consider Buying Your Office Space, Expert Advises Small Businesses

The '5 Cs' Lenders Look for When Considering Applicants

It's not a question of if, but when most business owners should think about owning commercial property, says financial expert and small-business advocate, Chris Hurn.

Owning your workplace is a path toward long-term wealth - one that doesn't rely on constantly bringing in new income, says Hurn, author of "The Entrepreneur's Secret to Creating Wealth: How the Smartest Business Owners Build Their Fortunes," (www.TheEntrepreneursSecretBook.com).

"Once they've established their business, usually after about three to six years of operation, they should look into property ownership - owning their store, office, or other workspace," says Hurn, who has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, Bloomberg Businessweek and other financial publications and TV news shows.

"The smartest way to do that is through the SBA 504 - a little-known loan program administered by the Small Business Administration. It offers long-term financing at below-market fixed rates, which businesses generally can't get through banks."

Whether or not business owners qualify for the SBA 504, they will benefit by knowing the "five Cs" lenders look at when considering loans, Hurn says.

• Collateral: Lenders - usually banks - will want to know that the property in question is worth the loan. The property to be purchased is the lender's collateral, so it must have the potential to cover the loan if for some reason owners can't. Lenders will consider the age of a property and other factors, including whatever equipment may be involved.

• Cash flow (or capacity): The lender will look to see how much cash the business generates along with the amount of existing and proposed debt. In other words, they'll want to know the cash available to service the total debt. A lender will also consider current rental payments, plus noncash expenses such as depreciation, amortization and interest costs.

• Credit analysis: This reveals the business owner's history of making good on debts and other obligations. The higher the credit scores, the better. Lenders generally shy away from credit scores lower than 650, however, they will often listen to credible explanations on lower scores.

• Character: Numerous late payments, for example, suggest that owners do not manage debts responsibly, which will likely be indicated in a credit score. Factors that determine character judgment are largely subjective. An applicant can supply evidence in his or her favor.

• Conditions: What are the conditions in the industry and the economy? The better those conditions, the more likely lenders are to give applicants a plus in this bracket. Conditions are often out of a borrower's control, which makes a positive showing of the other four factors that much more important.

About Chris Hurn

Chris Hurn is CEO and co-founder of Mercantile Capital Corp. based in Orlando, Fla. MCC has earned numerous accolades and has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, Bloomberg Businessweek magazine, Forbes and SmartMoney, among others. Hurn has been a frequent guest on Fox Business News and PBS. He graduated from Loyola University Chicago with two magna cum laude bachelor's degrees and earned his master's degree from the University of Pennsylvania's Fels Institute (formerly at the Wharton School of Business).  He is also the CEO, chairman and co-founder of an upscale men's barbershop franchise called Kennedy's All-American Barber Club.