BLOOMINGTON — The Illinois Soybean Association (ISA) has hired Kevin Johnson of St. Joseph as its director of government relations and strategy.
According to a release from the ISA, Johnson was most recently the president of the Illinois Fertilizer & Chemical Association (IFCA) and had served on its staff since 2013. At IFCA, he oversaw regulatory and legislative issues and the development of programs that promote stewardship and safety for the nutrient and agrichemical industry. Before that, Johnson worked on Capitol Hill for Congressman Tim Johnson as his agriculture liaison.
“As the Illinois Soybean Association moves into a new era of leadership, innovation and impact, the ISA Board and Staff are excited to see KJ Johnson lead our highly skilled government relations team,” said John Lumpe, ISA CEO. “KJ brings a wealth of industry knowledge, relationships and experience in Illinois agriculture and as a farmer himself, will be a powerful voice for soybean farmers in Springfield and D.C.”
As the director of government relations and strategy at ISA, Johnson will manage governmental affairs, stakeholder relationships and community engagements in support of the strategic objectives. Johnson will lead the team developing policy positions and legislative initiatives and manage the outreach efforts of ISA.
“As a third-generation farmer myself, I understand the challenges that farmers face every day,” said Johnson. “With that in mind, I look forward to continuing to serve the Illinois ag community in this new capacity at Illinois Soybean Association.”
KJ received a B.A. in Agribusiness and Political Science from Illinois State University. KJ with his wife Anna and three young children, and grows soybeans and corn with his family in Champaign and Vermillion counties.