AROUND THE COUNTIES

Winter wrap up

By Soybean Business Staff

The months of planning have started to reap rewards. Counties throughout Minnesota’s organized soybean program spent the final weeks of 2022 and first months of 2023 making donations and planning upcoming events including annual meetings, golf outings and numerous other engagements that tie county boards to their communities.

Southeast Minnesota

In December 2022, Nicollet/Sibley showcased the value of soy foods and spread holiday cheer. The board made its annual trip to Hy-Vee in New Ulm and purchased products containing soybean oil. The board then placed soybean labels on the products and donated them to county food shelves.

“I always look forward to this event each year,” Board Chair Brett Annexstad said. “Not only are we educating others about our products, but we are also giving back during the holidays.”

Sponsoring other ag events in the counties is important to county soybean boards. In March, Nicollet/Sibley did its part by partnering with University of Minnesota Extension to host a crop management seminar.

Freeborn County is sponsoring the Chamber Ag Luncheon. During these events, county boards showcase new and innovative projects the checkoff participates in, and the ways local farmers collaborate with other ag entities.

In January, Olmsted/Wabasha and McLeod hosted their respective annual meetings, pulling in soybean farmers from their counties. McLeod featured speaker Jerrid Sebesta, who spoke about his life after he married into a farm family. Olmsted/Wabasha highlighted checkoff wins from the past year.

Southwest Minnesota

In January, the Lincoln County board invited local growers to hear from MinnStar Sr. Vice President and farm management analyst Kent Thiesse speak. Thiesse delivered background on cash flow margins in 2022 and recent years, managing inflation, higher interest rates, increasing input costs, the importance of grain marketing decisions and strategies, crop insurance strategies, the next Farm Bill and other farm policies.

In February, the board held its annual meeting at the Ivanhoe VFW. Eighty-five attendees bid on silent auction items, heard updates from the county board on how they are utilizing corn and soybean checkoff dollars. Minnesota Department of Agriculture Commissioner Thom Petersen delivered remarks.

Lincoln County raised more than $23,000, enough to provide 12 scholarships for local high school students interested in pursuing agricultural professions.

As part of the Stepping Up promotional effort, Nobles County donated 50 pairs of Skechers soy-based GO shoes to the Worthington and Adrian Ambulance crews, as well as first responders throughout the area.

Watonwan County held its annual meeting in late January. Around 65 people attended to hear updates from the board, checkoff representatives and Suzanne Sukalski, aka Sunshine Suzy.

Suzy spoke at their annual meeting on her journey through hardships growing up with Down Syndrome and how she built a successful business. Suzy sells and markets her various flavors of corn nuts, works as a breakfast hostess at the Fairmont Hampton Inn, is an inspirational speaker, entrepreneur and more.

Suzy’s father, Lawrence Sukalski, sits on both the Minnesota Soybean Growers Association (MSGA) and United Soybean Board and gave updates from the state and national organizations.

The board thanked its sponsors for the support over the years as well as the countless volunteers and FFA volunteers. During elections, MSGA Director and former ASA Young Leader Rose Wendinger was voted onto the board.

Lyon County has long been a supporter of the FFA program and continued sponsoring the annual FFA Ag Bowl.

In early February, around 1,200 FFA competing students arrived at Southwest Minnesota State University (SMSU). The students attended from around the state to compete in various FFA competitions.

During the event, the board set up a table to share education with the students on corn and soybeans through a game of trivia. This brought students to the table to test their knowledge on the various subjects. Just down the hall, Murray County displayed a few of its safety demonstrations.

The first demonstration setup showed importance of labeling bottles that are found in the shop and around a farm site and that not everything on original bottle label is entirely correct.

The second part was a demonstration of grain bin safety. The board took a water jug that had corn, a balloon in the middle and corn on top to show that you can’t see where the air bubble is or if there is one when in the bin. They then took LEGO figures and placed them on top and popped the balloon, simulating the collapse of the corn in the bin and how quickly it can happen.

Students were interested by the challenge of identifying the liquids and of the reality of the grain bin information. Both boards find value in being in front of thousands of students to teach them about farm safety and soybeans.

Yellow Medicine Soybean Growers bought county FFA students MSGA memberships.

Working with the schools, the board will gain student members, which they hope brings more involvement from them for their volunteering events and the annual meeting.

Nobles County donated biodiesel to their local FFA chapter. With this support, the FFA students attended the National FFA Convention & Expo that took place in October 2022 in Indianapolis. The board is happy to support local agriculture organizations to help contribute to the growth of involvement in agriculture from the next generation.

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West-Central Minnesota

Clay Wilkin County kicked off the year with its annual meeting during the Small Grains Update in Dilworth. Chair Jeremy Tischer briefed the crowd on the various projects the organization undertook in 2022, as well as their plans for 2023. Minnesota Corn and Minnesota Soybean leaders gave updates, and the board elected a new member.

During the 2022 holiday season Swift County donated $500 worth of hams to their local food shelf.

“We always look for ways to support our local community,” Board Chair Tony Hughes said. “Being able to use our checkoff dollars to make someone else’s holiday a little brighter felt like the perfect opportunity to make a difference.”

Swift County also used checkoff resources to donate to their county’s backpack program, Benson Area Cares 4 Kids. Every student in need who received a backpack of food also went home with a postcard detailing the common foods and products that soybeans are found in.

Northwest Minnesota

In January, Kittson County held its annual meeting in conjunction with the Small Grains Update meeting and Kittson County Crop Improvement in Lancaster. The keynote speakers were Ag Mafia, which offers education that agronomists, crop consultants, farmers and others in the industry need to know.

Marshall County convened for its annual breakfast meeting in December. Mike Skaug, MSGA director and chair of the Ag Innovation Campus, provided updates on both organizations. The keynote speakers were market analyst Jody Miller and North Dakota State University Research Specialist Darin Eisinger.

Polk County hosted its meeting in Crookston in January. Minnesota Soybean’s Mike Youngerberg gave an update on the AIC; Mike Skaug previously set up a tour of the AIC for the Polk County growers in late 2022. Polk County also donated $1,000 to the Mentor Fire Department for rescue equipment.

Pennington/ Red Lake County are hosting their annual meeting at the end of March. NDSU Soil Science Specialist Dave Franzen, will serve as keynote speaker. The board continue to promote Minnesota Soybean messaging with radio, signage and print ads. Last year, the board donated dollars to the county fire departments.

Norman County works closely with KRJB Radio to help promote soybeans and corn throughout the county. They have several projects in March. They hosted their annual meeting in January, bringing in approximately 80 attendees. During the holiday season, Norman County donated $500 of fresh turkeys to the Rural Enrichment and Counselling Headquarters (REACH) to help those struggling with hunger.

Roseau/Lake of the Woods provided donations to local food shelves and county fair. The board also delivered books to elementary schools in 2022. They held their annual meeting in February with industry leaders in conjunction with PPAT. MSGA Directors Jim Kukowski (who also represents MSGA on ASA) and Andy Pulk provided state and federal policy updates.