Recognizing that financing ASA only through membership dues would never be adequate to support the broad scope of important activities the association needed to perform, ASA leaders launched a voluntary nationwide investment program in 1948. Growers were asked to voluntarily invest one-fifth of a cent per bushel from the sale of their 1948 soybean crop. Elevators were asked to sign an agreement with ASA to collect the money at the time of purchase and then send it to ASA.