FACES OFMSGA

Agriculture is for everyone – not just farmers.

By Sydney Harris

MSGA isn’t an exclusive club for soybean growers but open to anyone – or any business – who wants to support agriculture.

For 40 Square Cooperative Solutions, investing in a membership only made sense considering they’re the state’s only agriculture cooperative that offers quality health plans for Minnesota farm families and businesses that provide direct services to production agriculture.

“MSGA does wonderful things in the name of agriculture,” 40 Square Executive Director Amanda Beavens said. “I’m very impressed with the organization. They’re doing great things and they work together with different organizations to really advocate for farmers.”

Growing up on a southern Minnesota farm, Beavens recognizes the importance of the agriculture community to work together to accomplish goals. And in 2022, MSGA’s board voted to offer its members access to 40 Square’s health plans without having to pay the initial stock investment.

“MSGA knows that affordable health care is a concern for everyone, but especially for rural farm families,” said Beavens, who has worked in health care for more than 20 years. “40 Square is a great member benefit for MSGA.”

MSGA continues to impress upon legislators the need for increased health care resources for Greater Minnesotans,.

“There are always opportunities for businesses to partner together,” Beavens said. “You can’t go wrong by becoming a member because you will gain valuable knowledge and opportunities. Working with MSGA is important for the betterment of the agricultural community.”

Tate Petry is no stranger to the power of commodity advocacy groups.

As treasurer of the Minnesota Association of Wheat Growers (MAWG), Petry advocates for Minnesota wheat growers in St. Paul and Washington, D.C. He’s seen firsthand that agricultural commodities should be represented when policies are being created. Hence, he is also a committed member of MSGA.

“I want to ensure strong policy at both the state and national level,” said Petry, who grows wheat, soybeans and corn near Ada. “Knowing that MSGA is a member of the American Soybean Association (ASA) with access to tools that ensure that foreign policy is carefully watched and that the interests of farmers are represented in those discussions is critical.”

Petry appreciates that policy progress takes time. Farmers need an organization that works diligently to advocate on their behalf long-term, not only during hot-button issues. MSGA is that kind of organization.

“The higher-level benefits of organizations like MSGA aren’t always glaring,” Petry said. “But think about biodiesel and the advocating that MSGA does in support of it. That advocacy has benefited our farm because it increases the demand for soybeans and increases the bottom line for our soybeans.”

Soybean growers work on their farms, raising their crop while MSGA works at the Capitol.

“MSGA is a very, very low-cost investment to ensure that there are people monitoring state and national policy that affects you on the farm,” said Petry, who has two children, Charlotte and Oliver, with his wife, Katherine. “They’re looking out for your interests and the interests of agriculture in the United States.”