CAREER

MSR&PC CEO

Kudos to you! After paying your dues through various levels of agriculture, you're the CEO of the Council. Over the past decade, you've worked tirelessly on behalf of MSR&PC to improve the state's soybean industry and advance Minnesota's farm economy. To succeed as CEO, you must build relationships, be valiant in how you're directing checko funds and have a futuristic and optimistic outlook. Have no fear: You t the bill!

After a landmark year in which the Minnesota Soybean Research & Promotion Council made giant leaps on the path toward pro tability, key pieces of our puzzle are falling into place. 2022 saw many long-term Council projects come to fruition – on the local, state, national and global stages, rea rming our core belief that having big goals can reap bigger rewards.

Our TruSoya high oleic soybean made strides this past year, and a National Institute of Health study showed that TruSoya high oleic soybean oil could lead to improved cardiovascular health in humans. Looking ahead, TruSoya beans will be crushed and processed at the new home of the Ag Innovation Campus in Crookston starting in summer 2023. The AIC is the culmination of six years of feasibility studies, checko investments, countless meetings with industry professionals, Crookston leaders and construction and equipment companies. This project, one of the most ambitious investments the Council has made, will remain a priority in the years ahead; momentum is continuing to build for the AIC as we look toward Phases 2 and 3 of site construction. Word of the AIC has spread throughout the industry, and we’re proud to have broad support as we set a foundation – guratively and literally – for the future of agriculture. Plasma Blue, a revolutionary technology that creates biodiesel at a dramatically lower cost while using a di erent energy source, is another Council initiative that is tailor-made for a global economy seeking viable alternatives to petroleum. Plasma Blue has arrived at the optimal time to service an energy landscape that is changing at a breakneck pace.

This past year also marked my 10th anniversary as Council CEO. From Taiwan to Traverse County, what a ride it’s been! I’m incredibly grati ed to look back and recall spirited discussions our board had back in 2012 – those that involved increasing exports via the Port of Duluth or improvements on promoting value-added soybean products – start to show a tangible bene t a decade later. These endeavors take a lot of hard work, and include their fair share of risk, as we know the road to commercialization and new markets can be long and arduous. But I continue to be humbled by the ability of our farmer-led board to look beyond their operations, and their willingness to invest in new opportunities and markets. The Council doesn’t look at Minnesota agriculture from a regional perspective; they truly stand for all of Minnesota’s soybean farmers. Led by Chair Joe Serbus, MSR&PC constantly seeks to collaborate with leaders from all types of commodity groups – and even non-commodities – to make soybean production more pro table. It’s a privilege and blessing to work alongside a group of visionaries who never back down from a challenge while also ensuring that checko resources are being used prudently.

In 2023, we’ll build o the triumphant successes of our Driving Soy and Stepping Up promotions. Our organized county program, which has thrived for decades, continues to create inventive ways to connect with their communities and promote the many uses of soybeans. And for the history nerds: The year ahead also marks 50 years since MSR&PC gathered for our rst board meeting. While the state and national checko program took years to formally launch, the achievements of MSR&PC show that with patience and a united vision, bold ideas can take ight.

Whether we’re on the road to Farmfest or growing international markets with trade partners in Southeast Asia, the soybean checko is going places in 2023. We hope you’ll join us on the journey.

Tom Slunecka

CEO, Minnesota Soybean & Research Promotion Council

Minnesota Soybean earns agri-marketing awards

The two groups that comprise Minnesota Soybean earned nine first-place awards at the National Agri-Marketing Association’s (NAMA) Region 3 Awards in January.

The Minnesota Soybean Research & Promotion Council (MSR&PC) took home several first-place awards, including:

• An August 2022 press release detailing a checkoff investment that led to the first shipment of U.S. soymeal to Uzbekistan

• The Stepping Up: From Farm to Frontline campaign

• The Council’s 2021 Annual Report

• The Minneline newsletter, which is co-published by MSR&PC and MSGA

• Minnesota Soybean’s Game of Soy booth at Farmfest, which also earned NAMA’s Best of Show in the Advertising category.

The Minnesota Soybean Growers Association was once again recognized for Soybean Business. MSGA also notched first-place honors for a membership advertorial featuring Vice President Darin Johnson that ran in the September-October 2022 issue of Soybean Business.

Minnesota Soybean’s winning submissions will be considered at the Best of NAMA awards April 26-28 in St. Louis.

Minnesota Soybean is overseen by Mankato-based Ag Management Solutions, a skilled, dynamic workforce for small associations and agriculture groups.

This unrealized value could bring $50 per acre or $400 million in economic return for U.S. soybean farmers.

The collaborative focus will test how heat and drought impact flower bud retention. Flower production dictates the final pod number and, ultimately, yield in soybeans. Several checkoff groups all agree this is a priority issue impacting the entire industry.

Although flower retention is a leading cause of soybean yield loss in the U.S., no organized effort exists to address it. Farmers experience about 30% of flower loss under favorable conditions and up to 80% under drought and heat stress. In total, 250 diverse genotypes with publicly available whole genome resequencing data will be assessed over the span of this three-year farmer investment

Understanding the genetic diversity of flower loss opens the door to untapped yield potential in soybeans. The novel phenotyping system, which detects expressions of the various genotypes, will:

• Capture genetic variation across cultivars.

• Identify molecular switches to enhance flower and pod retention.

• Help develop advanced breeding lines.

Ultimately, the goal is to increase flower and pod retention by 20-30%. That could enhance yields by 1015%.

MDA accepting applications for noxious weeds/invasive plants grants

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) is now accepting applications for the 2023 Noxious Weed and Invasive Plant Grant. Counties, municipalities, tribal governments, and weed management entities (including weed management areas) may apply for grants to mitigate noxious weeds around Minnesota. To be eligible, applicants must spend grant funds by June 30, 2023.

Since 2018, MDA’s Noxious Weed and Invasive Plant Grant has awarded over $1.3 million to fund a variety of activities such as purchasing equipment and supplies, conducting mapping and outreach activities and hiring private applicators to manage noxious weeds. MDA has awarded 119 grants, averaging $9,000.

New checkoff research uncovers $400 million in unrealized potential

A new partnership, the first of its kind in more than 40 years, aims to increase soybean flower and pod retention.

Review the application requirements and find the application on MDA’s website. Applications are due on March 31, 2023. Questions can be directed to MDA Noxious Weed Law Coordinator Emile Justen at Emilie. Justen@state.mn.us.