Marshall named Master Adviser

SPRINGFIELD – Brendan Marshall of Monmouth received the 2020 CCA Soybean Master Adviser award at the annual ILSoyAdvisor Soybean Summit held Tuesday in Springfield.

The award, funded by the Illinois soybean checkoff program, recognizes Certified Crop Advisers (CCAs) who excel in helping farmers improve soybean production.

Marshall has experienced a lot of growth in the soybean industry, with top-end soybean yields around 55 bushels when he first started his career 30 years ago. By retirement, he hopes to help his growers break 100 bushels.

“I think we are going to have to grow more beans to stay competitive in the global marketplace,” Marshall says. “I think the industry as a whole will bring better variety and technology to the market, and I think growers will also spend more time fine-tuning their soybean acres in order to achieve those high yields.”

Marshall helps soybean producers fine-tune their management decisions as a crop specialist for West Central FS, Inc., where he provides value-added sales and service of crop inputs including fertilization, crop protection, seed products and technical services to soybean farmers.

Marshall has been a Certified Crop Adviser for 27 years and is a committed member of his community, supporting local FFA chapters by providing products for the Agricultural Education Experience Program that helps students learn about soybean best management practices.