Soybean Business January-February 2025

SOYBEAN

JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2025 - VOLUME XXIII - ISSUE 1

B U S I N E S S

THE SHARK FARMER TELLING TRUTHS AT MN AG EXPO

MISSION STATEMENT

Tell the compelling stories behind Minnesota’s soybean farmers and their industry, from the field to Capitol Hill to international markets – and everywhere in between.

Minnesota Soybean Growers Association Officers and ASA Directors

OFFICERS

President

Darin Johnson | Faribault County

Vice President

Ryan Mackenthun | McLeod County

Treasurer

Rose Wendinger | Watonwan County

Secretary

Kyle Jore | Pennington-Red Lake Counties

ASA Directors

Jamie Beyer | Traverse County

George Goblish | Redwood County

Adam Guetter | Redwood County

Jeff Sorenson | Redwood County

Jim Kukowski | Roseau-LOW Counties

Bob Worth | Lincoln County

ASA Young Leaders

Raymond DeMars | Morrison County

County directors

Jim Jirava | Becker-Mahnomen Counties

Earl Ziegler | Blue Earth County

Justin Remus | Brown County

Jeremy Tischer | Clay-Wilkin Counties

Keith Nelsen | Cottonwood County

Matt Purfeerst | Dakota-Rice Counties

Michael Petefish | Dodge County

Tom Grundman | Douglas County

Brad Hovel | Goodhue County

Chris Hill | Jackson County

Jason Cadieux | Kittson County

Ray Hewitt | Le Sueur-Scott Counties

Brian Fruechte | Lincoln County

Joel Schreurs | Lincoln County

Mark Knutson | Marshall County

Lawrence Sukalski | Martin County

Bob Lindeman | McLeod County

County directors Continued

Bruce Nelsen | Mower County

Paul Mesner | Murray County

Robert Nelsen | Murray County

Jamie Seitzer | Nicollet-Sibley Counties

William Gordon | Nobles County

Rebecca Sip | Norman County*

Tim Rasmussen | Otter Tail-Grant Counties

Trevore Brekken | Polk County

Cal Spronk | Pipestone County

Mike Skaug | Polk County

Vernon Pooch | Pope County

Parker Revier | Renville County

Doug Toreen | Renville County

Lucas Peters | Rock County

Andy Pulk | Roseau-LOW Counties

Gary Schoenfeld | Waseca County

Tim Nelson | Waseca County

Mark Brown | Watonwan County

Steve Brusven | Yellow Medicine County

*ASA Young Leader 2024-2025

About the cover

MN Ag Expo returns Jan. 22-23, and a trade show and agenda featuring Rob Sharkey, aka The Shark Farmer, are providing growers with resources to navigate murky waters heading into 2025.

Editor’s note: The cover was generated with the assistance of AI.

EDITORIAL STAFF

MSGA Executive Director

Joe Smentek | jsmentek@mnsoybean.com

Art Director

Doug Monson | dmonson@agmgmtsolutions.com

Sr. Director of Integrated Marketing Ag Management Solutions

Managing Editor

Drew Lyon | dlyon@agmgmtsolutions.com

Sr. Manager of Communications Ag Management Solutions

Layout Editors

Alex Troska | atroska@agmgmtsolutions.com

Kaelyn Rahe | krahe@agmgmtsolutions.com

ADVERTISING

Sales Manager

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Advertisements within this publication contain the opinions and information of the advertisers and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or views of the Minnesota Soybean organizations or affiliated groups.

CIRCULATION

Soybean Business is published six times a year on behalf of Minnesota Soybean. Comments and suggestions can be submitted to:

Minnesota Soybean Growers Association 1020 Innovation Lane Mankato, MN 56001

mnsoybean.org

MSGA ANNUAL MEETING NOTICE

MSGA’s Delegate Session & Annual Meeting

When: Thursday, Jan. 23 at 9 a.m.

LETTER PRESIDENT FROM THE

Where: Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center in Mankato during MN Ag Expo

All active MSGA members are invited to attend

The power of positive thinking

I’m committed to starting 2025 with the same outlook I try to maintain throughout each year: A sense of optimism and positivity. I suppose I’m just a glass half-full kind of guy. I’m a farmer, after all: We’ve got to have a whole lot of faith every year when we invest capital into planting a seed in the ground, with the belief that – come harvest – Mother Nature, hard work and the miracles of technology will help provide us with a quality crop to sell and put food on the table.

Despite all the inherent risks and heartaches, there’s no profession I’d rather call my own than farming. Sure, it’s easy to get bogged down in negativity and cynicism – I’m definitely not immune to those feelings. Sometimes, we laugh to keep from crying. We all know that many challenges face agriculture in the year ahead. Divided politics. Falling commodity prices. Looming trade wars in multiple markets. A new Farm Bill that’s MIA. On the flip side, we don’t have to dig deep to find hopeful signs. There’s potential with the incoming Trump administration to see greater regulatory certainty and tax relief. Private and public technologies are advancing every day to improve farmer efficiency, battle pests and boost yields. Our soy checkoff is returning $12 in value for every $1 invested; we’re continuing to grow new markets like sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and building relationships with buyers in North Africa and Uzbekistan. Global demand for U.S. Soy has never been greater. And I know Minnesotans are reluctant to brag, but I maintain that we grow the highest quality crops on earth – and our customers around the world agree.

All these issues, opportunities and obstacles – and a whole lot more – will be on full display at the 2025

MN Ag Expo. Want to learn more about SAF’s potential? We’ve got that covered. Looking to learn how to improve your conservation practices? Check. Need some marketing or implement tips? Yup, we’ve brought in the experts. Seeking stronger connections with industry peers, or maybe you just want to enjoy a cold one with a fellow farmer? Yes, Expo is the place for you!

I’ve attended MN Ag Expo since the early 2000s, prior to the event’s longstanding home in Mankato.

As MSGA’s new president, it’s been a pleasure to watch how MSGA and our event partners at Minnesota Corn collaborate to create an agenda and trade show that goes beyond just soy and corn to involve all our state’s diverse agricultural interests. As you’ll read in this issue’s Ag Expo preview, we’ve packed these two days with educational offerings, a sold-out trade show floor and plenty of space for networking.

In this issue’s legislative preview, we spotlight the work MSGA is undertaking to prepare for our annual meeting and what promises to be a unique 2025 legislative session. As always, we’re advocating to protect our crop inputs, promote biofuels and working with both parties to grow the farm economy. It’s an honor to lead our board alongside Executive Director Joe Smentek and a second-to-none lobbying team.

Some leaders rule with an iron fist – and that’s OK! But this Wells farm boy prefers a smile, handshake and a friendly pat on the back. I look forward to greeting you all at this year’s MN Ag Expo.

Darin Johnson President, Minnesota

Soybean Growers Association

DEPARTMENT DISPATCH

A TIME FOR REFLECTION

This column is a series in Soybean Business featuring leaders from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture.

January is a time when we look ahead to the promise of a new year and when we reflect on the past year. We can’t shy away from the challenges that farmers are facing coming into 2025. However, there are still many positives to point to in our ag sector. Here’s a look at some of the many highlights from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) in 2024.

Soil Health

Minnesota is leading the way when it comes to improving our soil resources. With the help of the Minnesota Soybean Growers Association, we secured $2.375 million for soil health equipment grants statewide, along with an additional $495,000 available for grants to eight southeast Minnesota counties.

The MDA received more than $2 million in applications from the southeast counties and more than $10.6 million total requests statewide in 2024.

By improving our soil health, we can enhance our farmers’ income and, in the end, improve our access to healthy foods.

Sustainable Aviation Fuel

Companies across the country look to Minnesota and our food and ag sectors for investments and innovation. For instance, DG Fuels, a Washington D.C.-based energy company, announced it’s building a $5 billion sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) facility by Moorhead, bringing 650 jobs to the area.

Thanks to support from the ag community, we got the SAF Tax Credit of $1.50 per gallon that will continue to attract more business into the state.

Trade

We continue to look at opening more international and domestic markets for our products. Year-todate (January – September 2024) Minnesota food/ag exports were running approximately 3% ahead of 2023 levels. There are strong soybean meal exports to Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico and Taiwan. We have strong wheat exports to Indonesia, Italy, Japan and Morocco, and there are robust dry bean exports to Mexico, United Kingdom and United Arab Emirates.

The MDA continued to make inroads in export markets with 2024 trade missions and trade shows to Canada, Morocco, Egypt, India, Taiwan and Japan. We appreciate MSGA leadership joining us on several of the missions, highlighting Minnesota’s quality soybean crop. Possible 2025 trade missions include Taiwan, Southeast Asia and South America.

AGRI

Another cornerstone of our support for agriculture is the Agricultural Growth, Research, and Innovation, or AGRI Program.

AGRI supports the advancement of Minnesota’s agricultural and renewable energy industries, and we’ve made significant economic impacts by increasing productivity, improving efficiency and assisting the development of agricultural products. It is currently funded at nearly $27.5 million this current fiscal year, but that drops off next year.

We must continue to fund these grant programs that help farmers, businesses, nonprofits and many others boost our ag economy.

COMMISSIONER

Farm Advocates

We also have safety nets in place like our Farm Advocates who understand the needs of agricultural families and communities. They are trained and experienced in agricultural lending practices, mediation, lender negotiation, farm programs and more.

We were able to add two new Farm Advocates in 2024 – both specializing in assisting emerging farmers. There are now 11 advocates across the state that will continue to help farmers and families when they need it the most.

As we start the 2025 legislative session, I look forward to working with MSGA on another funding bill that will continue to invest in homegrown energy, soil health and other environmental best practices; expand markets for our agricultural sector around the world; and provide a safety net for those in need.

I wish you the best in the new year.

THOM PETERSEN

Visit with Commissioner Petersen and the MDA team at the 2025 MN Ag Expo!

MSGA stressing unity in 2025

BETTER Together

By Drew Lyon

The Minnesota Soybean Growers Association (MSGA) might be in unchartered waters to begin the 2025 legislative session, but farmer leaders and MSGA’s lobbying team are diving in headfirst.

There’s nothing tentative about this group. MSGA’s board of directors are all-in to build markets, protect farmers and advocate for the state’s nearly 26,000 soybean farmers.

“It’s interesting times in Minnesota, like usual,” Darin Johnson, president of MSGA, said with a chuckle following the Nov. 5, 2024, election. “We all know it’s a challenging time in agriculture, but as we head into 2025, it’s important to approach this legislative session with optimism and capitalize on opportunities where we can find them.”

No doubt, St. Paul will have a unique environment in 2025. For the first time since 1979, the makeup of the 134 seats in the Minnesota House of Representatives is set to be evenly divided. Following the Nov. 5 election, both the DFL, which previously held a six-seat majority, and Republicans each held 67 seats after the GOP flipped three DFL seats. As of December 2024, there were ongoing legal challenges in Ramsey and Scott counties that could tilt the majority to House Republicans. To muddy the waters even more, the state constitution allows for only one Speaker of the House.

“Legislative leaders in the House are trying to maneuver through the process of, how are they going to co-govern?” MSGA lobbyist Cory Bennett said.

The ramifications of a tied Minnesota House of Representatives are vast; Democrats no longer hold a legislative “trifecta.” Now, both parties will have to work together to secure enough votes to pass a critical, two-year biennial budget amid a dwindling projected surplus of $616 million, a decrease of $1.1 billion from previous estimates.

“As an advocacy group, having bills that pass with bipartisan support is, by and large, something we like

Darin Johnson (middle) will lead his first Annual Meeting as MSGA President Jan. 23 during MN Ag Expo.

to see,” MSGA Executive Director Joe Smentek said.

For Bennett, who’s entering his 34th session, there are more unknowns than knowns. And that’s OK. While Bennett only has a few colleagues who worked at the Capitol back in 1979, MSGA is taking a business-asusual approach to the 2025 session.

“I think MSGA is going to continue doing what we’ve always done, and that is going to be working in a bipartisan manner with both the House and the Senate to hopefully produce results that are going to ensure a vibrant economy for both our farmers and our rural communities,” said Bennett, who works with his colleague A.J. Duerr, Executive Director Joe Smentek and farmer leaders to implement MSGA’s policy priorities in St. Paul. “It’s certainly is going to make for a very interesting legislative session, but hopefully a successful legislative session.”

Everybody’s got to eat

Democrats maintain a 34-33 advantage in the Senate after winning a special election in District 45. The 2025 legislative session starts Jan. 14 at noon and must wrap up by May 19 to pass a biennial budget and prevent a government shutdown. After Donald Trump’s victory in the presidential race over Vice President Kamala Harris, Democratic vice-presidential candidate and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz returns to St. Paul facing a different political environment since the contentious 2024 legislative session adjourned.

“At MSGA, we’ve known the governor for a long time now, since his days as a congressman and we’ve appreciated working with him,” Johnson said. “I’m looking forward to visiting with the governor and renewing that relationship.”

Following the election, Minnesota House leaders signaled a willingness to collaborate and, at least temporarily, cast aside bruised feelings from the 2024 legislative session.

“I think the legislative leaders in the House are

Darin Johnson

For us, we’re still focused on the same issues – protecting biodiesel, tax relief, making sure the crop production tools that we’ve had in the past are still available.

both committed to working through some of the issues that they have, and Gov. Walz is certainly going to be key throughout this legislative process as well,” Bennett said.

MSGA anticipates having opportunities to play both defense and offense. As a result of the House tie, committees now have co-chairs. GOP Rep. Paul Anderson and DFL Rep. Rick Hansen, both legislative veterans, will co-chair the House Ag Committee, while Sen. Aric Putnam returns to chair the Senate Ag Committee.

MSGA and state farm groups hold strong relationships with Ag Commissioner Thom Petersen. In a largely divided legislature, tight connections with the Minnesota Department of Agriculture are vital.

“For us, we’re still focused on the same issues – protecting biodiesel, tax relief, making sure the crop production tools that we’ve had in the past are still available,” Johnson said. “We want to keep the doors open on the farm and make sure the profitability is there, and Commissioner Petersen has always been there to advocate for us.”

MSGA Vice President Ryan Mackenthun said a new legislative class means stressing to incoming lawmakers the importance of the agriculture industry’s economic impact (which equates to roughly 25% of the state’s GDP) on Minnesota.

“The nice thing about agriculture is we all eat, we’re all a part of it,” he said. “Now we’ve got to work together to find solutions to help farmers produce goods.”

MSGA’s 2025 policy priorities

While the economy and legislative environment can create priority shifts virtually overnight, MSGA anticipates working on numerous policy goals in the session ahead:

• Protecting crop inputs

• Boosting biodiesel, promoting sustainable aviation fuel Tax reform

• Monitoring Public Waters Inventory

• Funding for MDA programs in the biennial budget

• Transportation and infrastructure

• Promoting the Port of Duluth as export route

• Value-added agriculture investments

Join MSGA

Want to engage with MSGA during the legislative session? First, become a member by visiting mnsoybean.org/msga and then participate in MSGA’s weekly Legislative Update calls, which are held Friday mornings at 8:30 a.m. during the session and are open to all active members.

“We try to stay as connected and in communication with our members as absolutely possible,” said Smentek, who co-hosts the call with MSGA’s lobbying team.

On Dec. 17, county delegates from across Minnesota gathered at MSGA’s office in Mankato for a pre-resolution meeting in advance of MSGA’s 2025 Annual Meeting on Jan. 23 at 9 a.m. during MN Ag Expo. As part of the annual meeting, county delegates discuss and approve 2025 policy resolutions. MSGA directors will also give updates and announce winners of industry and advocate awards. All active MSGA members are encouraged to attend. MSGA directors will also be stationed in MSGA’s booth #28-31 at MN Ag Expo to visit with farmers and industry partners.

Taking inventory

MSGA monitoring DNR’s PWI update project

By Drew Lyon

During the 2024 legislative session, Minnesota lawmakers passed a supplemental bill in the second year of the biennium that will modify the definition of public waters of the state. The bill also appropriated $8 million to the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) across eight years to update the Public Waters Inventory (PWI) for the first time since the 1980s.

“We opposed the decision in the Limbo Creek case and strongly defended against language in the bill and were disappointed that it passed,” said Joe Smentek, executive director of the Minnesota Soybean Growers Association (MSGA).

The policy won’t officially take

effect until 2027, affording MSGA a window to work with ag groups and lawmakers to tweak the language in future sessions –starting in 2025 – to create more regulatory certainty and protect soybean farmers and landowners.

“We’re going to closely monitor any further changes that happen at the legislature,” Smentek said.

During the 2024 legislative session, Smentek testified multiple times about MSGA’s concerns surrounding the definition of the PWI.

“Our farmers like the regulatory certainty that the Public Waters Inventory gives,” he said. “We like to see a process where these maps are fixed so our farmers have regulatory certainty and aren’t subject to lawsuits.”

Getting involved

Since the legislation passed, the process of updating the PWI maps is taking its first steps in being introduced across the state. During a fall webinar, leaders from the DNR explained the rollout and outline of updating the PWI. In an introduction, Melissa Kuskie, DNR’s deputy director of ecological and water resources, cautioned that the legislation doesn’t outright change the definition of public waters. The intent, she said, is to update and clarify the PWI map and receive feedback from citizens.

“Our update efforts should not be considered a broad overhaul (to the PWI),” she said, adding, “It’s a big undertaking.”

The PWI – which is a separate

determination from the federal Waters of the United States –derived from a 1979 directive for the DNR to assemble county maps and lists of water bodies in Minnesota that met the statutory definition in Minnesota Statute 103G.005. The original PWI was completed in the mid-1980s and has since been converted digitally. The DNR will continue updating the maps throughout the process, which includes hiring a team of hydrologists and including feedback from citizens through meetings in each Minnesota county and a public comment period.

In 2022, the Minnesota Supreme Court – in a lawsuit filed by MSGA and other ag groups – concluded that the upper portion of Limbo Creek in Renville County met the statutory definition of a public water and required an Environmental Assessment Worksheet for a proposed drainage project. However, the Court declined to address the finality of the PWI due to the consequences in MSGA’s “friend of the court” brief and instead deferred the matter to the Minnesota Legislature. The legislature considered this exact scenario in 2015 after then Gov. Mark Dayton announced his buffer proposal. In discussing which waters needed buffers and which did not, the drafting of a law that was clear enough to be enforced and not unconstitutionally vague was shown to be difficult.

‘Opportunities for conversations’

MSGA President Darin Johnson encouraged growers to stay engaged and offer feedback during the PWI update process.

“Farmers should go to the DNR’s website and get updates when their counties are involved so they can give input on what should and shouldn’t be put on the map,” he said. “As a grassroots organization, we feel it’s important that farmers

get involved at the local level on the decisions being made in their areas.”

Visit dnr.state.mn.us to sign up for updates on the PWI and to view the webinar. The DNR expects the project to begin in January 2025, and MSGA will continue advocating for stronger regulatory certainty.

“There are still many details of the process yet to be finalized,” Randall Doneen, DNR section manager of conservation assistance and regulation, said. “There will certainly be opportunities for conversations.”

Learn more about the Public Waters Inventory during a MN Ag Expo panel featuring DNR Commissioner Sarah Strommen Jan. 22 at 11 a.m. in the Banquet Hall.

Did you know?

Since the buffer law went into effect, 99% of Minnesota farmers are now in compliance.

Show and tell: Pipestone County farmer touts MAWQCP’s benefits

Randy Spronk doesn’t want you to merely take him at his word when he says improving soil health and water quality for the next generation are top priorities on his family farm in southwest Minnesota. Having a seal of approval from an independent, unbiased certification makes all the difference.

“It’s great that I can carry that card, and when someone challenges me on harming the environment, I can say, ‘No, I’ve got third-party verification on my practices and how I apply my manure and how I farm my ground, that I am beneficial to water quality within Minnesota,’” Spronk said. “In other words, it’s not me saying I’m doing these practices, it’s somebody else saying it.”

That third-party verification valued by producers like Spronk is led by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture and its Minnesota Agricultural Water Quality Certification Program (MAWQCP), a voluntary opportunity for farmers and agricultural landowners to take proactive measures implement conservation practices that improve soil health.

Since beginning the enrollment process in 2017, Spronk, a longtime farmer leader who recently stepped off as chair of the U.S. Meat Export Federation, can recall moments when he’s pulled his MAWQCP card out of his wallet to prove he’s on the right side of the soil health movement in agriculture.

“It really rings true with both activists and consumers that we’re raising sustainable, nutritious food for society,” Spronk, 65, said. “I’ve got nothing to hide; I’m not afraid of scrutiny.”

Spronk farms on a fourth-generation operation in Pipestone County A first-time grandfather, Spronk is intent on sustaining his land for generations to come.

“I hope we’ve instilled them with integrity and values,” he said. “It’s not just about our time on here. We want to make sure there’s the opportunity for the next generations.”

Alongside his family, Spronk raises pigs and grows soybeans, corn and hybrid rye. A sustaining member of the Minnesota Soybean Growers Association (MSGA), Spronk is a first cousin of MSGA Director Cal Spronk, who’s also enrolled in MAWQCP.

When a producer volunteers to become MAWQCP certified, they’re connected with their regional Area Certification Specialist (ACS), who helps guide them through the enrollment steps. The ACS first collects information on the operation and then starts the evaluation process.

Once a farmer applies to enroll, an ACS helps complete a series of steps using a 100% site-specific risk-assessment process. Farmers can apply for financial assistance and MAWQCP’s Climate Smart Project.

For Spronk, working with his ACS, Danielle Evers, was educational.

“(The ACS) are there to help you,” Spronk said. “It’s a teaching opportunity.”

During enrollment, Spronk improved and adapted his soil health practices by completing MAWQCP’s assessment tool, which evaluates:

• Physical field characteristics

• Nutrient management factors

• Tillage management factors

• Pest management practices

• Irrigation and tile drainage management

• Conservation practices

“Randy is very passionate about making sure things are done right, especially when it comes to utilizing his hog manure in the most efficient, profitable and environmentally friendly way possible,” Evers said.

Since the program’s statewide launch a decade ago, 1,560 producers totaling over 1,133,000 acres have been certified across Minnesota. Those farms have added nearly 3,000 new conservation practices. New practices are reducing greenhouse gas emissions by over 50,000 metric tons annually and have kept nearly 50,000 tons of sediment out of Minnesota rivers while saving 150,000 tons of soil and 62,000 pounds of phosphorous on farms each year.

“We’re actually changing our practices,” Spronk said. “We’re leaving more residue on top, going to the strip-till. We’re actually utilizing cover crops, so you have that living organism on there to hold the soil and the nutrients in place.”

After becoming certified, farmers receive a 10-year contract ensuring they will be considered in compliance with any new water quality laws, along with an official MAWQCP sign to display on their farm and other benefits. Not surprisingly, Spronk is proud to show off his plaque to visitors.

“I think producers are realizing that we can maintain the economics on the yield (side), but actually reduce costs,” he said. “Then the side benefit is carbon sequestration and actually keeping the soil and the nutrients in place.”

Visit with the MAWQCP team during the 2025 MN Ag Expo in booth #35.

“(MAWQCP) allows me to show you what I’m doing,” Spronk said. “This program is one of the greatest ways to be able to add credence to that. We’re not here to just take, we are here to preserve.”

Minnesota farmer Randy Spronk has held numerous leadership positions, including serving as president of the National Pork Producers Council.

Learn more about MAWQCP during the MN Ag Expo Conservation Panel featuring Program Manager Brad Jordahl Redlin Jan. 23 at 9 a.m. on the Profinium Stage.

Longtime MN Soybean staffer honored for nearly 40 years of service

By Kelsey Barchenger

One step inside Mike Youngerberg’s office inside the Minnesota Soybean headquarters, and it's like taking a visit to Hundred Acre Wood to get a dose of wisdom from Owl from Winnie-the-Pooh. You’re guaranteed to walk away with a newfound knowledge of your job at hand and a helpful token of insights about life.

Youngberg has spent nearly 40 years sharing wisdom, and his vast impact on agriculture has made its mark. Youngerberg, senior director of product development and commercialization with Minnesota Soybean, earned the Distinguished Service Award at the Minnesota Ag & Food Summit Nov. 7 in Minneapolis. The event was hosted by AgriGrowth, a nonprofit member association for the agricultural and food systems industry in Minnesota.

"I’ve got a lot of people to blame for this,” Youngerberg joked before taking the stage.

The prestigious award, an AgriGrowth tradition since 1968, is presented to an individual, team or organization who has made a significant contribution to strengthening food systems and agriculture in Minnesota. For those who have interacted with Youngerberg since he joined Minnesota Soybean in the 1980s, he was an obvious recipient.

“He has spent decades advancing the industry that we all work with and we’re all a part of,” Tom Slunecka said, CEO of Minnesota Soybean Research & Promotion Council (MSR&PC). “There's no one more deserving.”

Decades

of accomplishments

On a daily basis, Youngerberg provides staff management to key program areas, including the domestic utilization and new uses programs, helping to grow markets and add value for Minnesota soybeans. Throughout his tenure, he has worked diligently to coordinate biodiesel research and education programs, earning him the position of Minnesota Biodiesel Council

executive director in 2005. He has become one of the nation’s leading experts on biodiesel and helped Minnesota pass the nation’s first biodiesel mandate in 2002 after several years of advocacy efforts alongside farmer leaders.

“He doesn’t just come to work and do a job in agriculture,” Slunecka said. “Mike is agriculture.”

But his life wasn’t always this tied into agriculture. In fact, while Youngerberg grew up on a dairy farm, he soon found out the cows wanted to be milked earlier than he wanted to get up, so he took a different career path that led him through technical college, the military, home building and as maintenance supervisor at a local grain terminal. Eventually his true love led him to a career he grew to love.

Humbly grateful

“There’s a lot of people I need to thank that have been part of my career for many years,” Youngerberg said. “First off, my wife, Vicki. If it wasn’t for her persistence and saying, ‘you really should take that job at Minnesota Soybean,’ it wouldn’t have happened. She has supported me since then, day in and day out.”

‘Work family’

In addition to his family at home, he also adores what has grown to become his ‘chosen family’ of colleagues.

“I enjoy the people that I work with,” he said. “It’s really a network you can rely on. Sometimes we’re the creators and sometimes we are the followers.”

And that network spans beyond the office.

“I want to thank all the soybean farmers and

farmer leaders from the Minnesota Soybean Growers Association (MSGA) and MSR&PC,” he said. “It has been truly a pleasure to work with you and drive some of those market opportunities and challenges as we go forward. I have been so blessed to work with so many great farmer leaders over the years.”

Peers across agriculture respect and revere Youngerberg’s contributions.

“Mike has been such an asset,” said Tom Verry of Clean Fuels Alliance America. “He’s had such a huge impact nationwide and is just the kind of person who makes (biodiesel) happen in Minnesota.”

While his work family knows they won’t always get the chance to get a taste of his wisdom, they continue to cherish every moment.

“I always ask him, ‘When are you going to retire, when are you just going to enjoy retirement?’” said Doug Monson, Youngerberg’s coworker and senior director of integrated marketing. “I don’t know how he’s going to be able to do that because he’s so passionate about everything he does for soybean farmers.”

Until he does decide to hang his hat on an illustrious career, Youngerberg will continue to lift up others just as he has been with this award.

“There are so many great people in the state of Minnesota who are willing to roll up their sleeves and work together to accomplish something,” he said, looking out at the familiar AgriGrowth crowd. “You people here in this room – organizations, businesses and people –you are what make Minnesota the number one agriculture state in the U.S. Thank you.”

From promoting soy ink to serving donuts, there are few tasks Mike Youngerberg hasn’t undertaken during nearly 40 years with Minnesota Soybean.

Here’s why Minnesota producers are engaging with Farmers for Soil Health

Cover crops can boost your profits the first year you plant them and can improve your future bottom line even more as their soil-improving effects accumulate.

• Cut fertilizer costs

• Reduce the need for herbicides and other pesticides

• Improve yields by enhancing soil health

• Prevent soil erosion

• Conserve soil moisture

• Protect water quality

Why join the Farmers for Soil Health program?

• Easy and timely enrollment

• Easy verification

• Lump-sum payment for practice completed; no quantitative measuring

Cover Crop Coaches

With technical assistance from the Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC), Farmers for Soil Health is created by farmers, for farmers. This farmer-led approach means you get real-field perspectives from producers in your area who are available to all participants for advice and assistance. Minnesota’s cover crop coaches are:

• Ryan Lee, corn and soybean producer in Fairfax, MN, specializes in interseeding cover crops into corn and strip tillage

• Myron Sylling, Century Farm operator in Houston County, MN, specializes in no-till and planting green into standing cover crops

• Brady Wulf, integrated livestock and crop farmer in Starbuck, MN, specializes in grazing cover crops and integrated livestock operations

There’s still time to enroll your 2024 cover crop acres at $50 per acre by Feb. 28, and we’ll be enrolling 2025 acres soon, too. Our program is stackable with other programs, so connect with us to determine your eligibility today!

We’re making the rounds: Join other farmers in Minnesota who are evaluating the opportunity provided by the Farmers for Soil Health program:

150+ field visits and engaged conversations with interested farmers

10+ farmer workshops and expos in Minnesota

40+ farmers enrolled in Minnesota

20,000+

Join other farmers and ranchers by contacting Minnesota Soil Health Specialist Dan Coffman, Coffman@ctic.org

Visit farmersforsoilhealth.com for more information acres enrolled in Minnesota

Learn more about Farmers for Soil Health at MN Ag Expo by visiting our team in Booth #7! MN Ag Expo is Minnesota’s marquee winter agriculture event, allowing producers to learn from other farmers, researchers, industry experts and others supporting production agriculture. Reunite with the agriculture community Jan. 22-23 during MN Ag Expo at the Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center in Mankato. Farmers and ranchers can engage with networking opportunities, educational sessions, a full trade show floor, dynamic speakers, fundraising events and more.

Conservation Panel Learning Session

Thursday, Jan. 23 at 9 a.m. on the Profinium Stage

Practical Pesticide, Fertilizer and Conservation Management Strategies to Protect Water Quality, Reduce Erosion and Advance Soil Health

Are you safeguarding your most precious assets? Management practices that safeguard your soil and keep nutrients in the field where they belong have knock-on effects that contribute to your bottom line. Reduced tillage, cover crops, soil sampling, prescription application of nutrients, pesticide management, and other management practices save time and money while helping to weatherproof your soils from rain, wind and drought. Join our panel discussion for an engaging look at how conservation practices are driving efficiency, profitability and sustainability on your working lands for today and the next generation.

Panelists include:

Brad Jordahl Redlin, Program Manager, Minnesota Agricultural Water Quality Certification Program (MAWQCP); Soil Health Financial Assistance Program, Minnesota Department of Agriculture

Dan Coffman, Minnesota Soil Health Specialist, CTIC and Farmers for Soil Health

Adam Herges, Sustainability Agronomist Advisor, Corporate Public Affairs at The Mosaic Company

Visit the CTIC team at MN Ag Expo in booth #7!

MN farmers growing through Young Leader Program MOMENT Meeting the

By Bailey Grubish

The average Minnesota farmer is 57 years old. As the calendar nears the halfway mark of the 2020s, another generation is poised to lead the family farm.

For more than 40 years, the American Soybean Association (ASA) Corteva Agriscience Young Leader Program has provided insight and opportunities for emerging farmers to take the mantle. This year’s two young leaders representing Minnesota are Raymond DeMars and Rebecca Sip, who currently represents Norman County on the Minnesota Soybean Growers Association (MSGA).

DeMars farms full time with his wife, Amy, in Swanville in central Minnesota, where they raise Angus cattle and grow crops. Amy’s father, Gary Zehowski, also helps on the family farm.

DeMars grew up on a farm near Brainerd and is now fully committed to his operation in Morrison County. With the transition of moving to the Swanville farm and working full time, he applied and attended the inaugural MN Young & Emerging Farmer Leaders workshop at the 2024 MN Ag Expo, where he first learned about the ASA leadership program.

DeMars’ leadership journey continued when he was invited to Minnesota Soybean’s 2024 Future of Soy Summit. MSGA Director Bob Worth, an acquaintance of DeMars’ parents, recommended that Raymond apply.

“I told him that this is really a fantastic program, and we need our younger farmers to get involved,” said Worth, a Young Leader alum. “I’m happy he took my advice, because we’re depending on the next generation to lead.”

After he completes both Young Leader program phases, DeMars is eligible to remain an at-large MSGA director for up to three years.

“I’m so proud that Minnesota created a spot for Young Leaders to stay on for three years because it really gives them a chance to develop and learn more about how we advocate,” Worth said. “I think Raymond is going to fit in, and hopefully he feels welcomed.”

Future benefits

In December 2024, DeMars, Sip and about 30 farmers from across ASA’s member states attended the program’s first phase at Corteva’s Global Business Center in Johnston, Iowa. “I’m just trying to get my foot in the door,” DeMars said. “I want to be a part of something. I’m just trying to meet more people in the industry and try to see what’s out there, learn more about products and hopefully benefit the farm in the future.”

The Minnesota Soybean Research & Promotion Council, which is dedicated to training industry leaders to create a stronger future for farmers, is a longtime sponsor of the Young Leader program. Dozens of Minnesota farmers over the decades have used the program as a stepping stone to further their advocacy and promotion endeavors.

“I liked it a lot,” DeMars said of phase one. “It was great to meet other people who have the same mindset and the same goals in life to farm and grow their farm for the next generation. They all want to reach out and make more people aware of what they do and how it affects everyone else in the world.”

Sip, who was the featured cover story in the November-December 2024 issue of Soybean Business,

after becoming an MSGA director earlier, is taking full advantage of her opportunities.

Her parents, Wendell and Beth Sip, are transitioning to retirement, and Rebecca and her siblings are taking a more active role in the operation.

“I like to be involved in the community, and this is a good fit for me, because I really enjoy this,” Sip said. “I have to believe in something to actually promote it.”

She applied for the Young Leader program following the suggestion of fellow Norman County board member Corey Hanson, who now sits on MSR&PC.

“I encouraged her to do any and all leadership programs she could, as long as she’s just starting out to help her get her feet on the ground,” Hanson said.

While in Iowa, Sip and DeMars heard from several different speakers, including then ASA President (now Chairman) Josh Gackle. They also completed behavioral and personal assessment tools used to improve teamwork, communication and productivity.

“It was a really great experience to go down (to Iowa). I really enjoyed meeting all the farmers from throughout the United States,” Sip said. “It was just cool to see their different farming practices.”

The 2024-2025 Young Leaders also toured Corteva’s facility and participated in media and communications training. DeMars said he learned more about the long, costly process (15 years in some cases) of how a seed company develops new seed to market.

“I was a little surprised how much I connected with the people there,” Sip added. “I really enjoyed that. I feel like the program was geared towards connecting you with each other, and it really did achieve that.”

Sip and DeMars are attending the program’s second phase in late February in Denver during Commodity Classic. They also participated in MSGA’s December board meeting and shared their experiences with colleagues.

Sip is looking forward to reconnecting with peers at Commodity Classic and growing her network.

“I came into this not knowing what to expect,” she said, “and so far, it’s been all good.”

Young Leaders and industry partners gather for the program’s first phase in Johnston, Iowa. The program’s second phase continues in March during Commodity Classic.

Cash

on Cover Crops

Farmers for Soil Health provides many benefits to enrolled farmers, including access to a one-of-a-kind, exclusive Sustainability Marketplace. This unique platform directly connects farmers with top-tier consumer packaged goods companies that support sustainably produced commodities. Transactions happen in real-time, and 100% of the payments go to the farmer.

There is a relentless spirit that unites us all in agriculture - a conviction we can dream big and that together, we become unstoppable.

As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.

Proverbs 27:17 NIV

WISHH leverages partnerships for U.S. Soy to help meet the protein needs of 8 billion consumers

BACK TO BASICS

2025 MN Ag Expo gets all gears turning with packed agenda

By Kelsey Barchenger and Drew Lyon

Once the combine is in post-harvest hibernation mode, it’s time for farmers to rest their bodies and refuel their minds during a long Minnesota winter.

There’s no better place to replenish ag knowledge than during the annual MN Ag Expo Jan. 22-23, 2025, at the Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center in Mankato. This year, with challenges and uncertainties facing the farm economy, MN Ag Expo is focused on agriculture’s essentials.

“We are setting the bar high with this year’s MN Ag Expo lineup,” said Wells farmer Darin Johnson, president of the Minnesota Soybean Growers Association (MSGA). “From setting the stage for our new farmers to making sure our farmers have what they need to be safe and successful, we’re making this a one-stop shop for farmers statewide.”

With a jam-packed agenda that puts new and seasoned farmers top of mind, MN Ag Expo has earned its reputation as Minnesota’s marquee winter agricultural gathering. After last year’s record attendance, a full trade show sporting nearly 100 exhibitors is set to return in 2025.

All are welcome

The annual trade show and conference cohosted by MSGA and the Minnesota Corn Growers Association (MCGA) opens Jan. 21 with the secondannual MN Young and Emerging Farmers Workshop, an invite-only opportunity for newcomers to the industry to network and grow their knowledge of business in agriculture. The first night of the workshop follows with an opening reception at 7:30 p.m. in the event center’s Banquet Hall to welcome all Expo attendees from across Minnesota, including a bus full of farmer leaders from northern Minnesota.

The welcome reception is open to all attendees and will feature music from Pete Klug, a southern Minnesota-based singer-songwriter who recently regaled audiences at Farmfest with original songs, including twangy fan-favorite “Minnesota Man,” and a selection of cover tunes.

The first full day of events includes the continuation of the MN Young and Emerging Farmers Workshop, the opening of the trade show, CPR Training, a panel of commissioners from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA), Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA), and a session covering SoyFoam, a PFAS-free firefighting foam. MCGA is also holding its annual meeting at 8 a.m. on Jan. 23, followed by its annual auction and reception at 3:30 p.m.

Day one is capped by an appearance from keynote speaker Rob Sharkey, better known as The Shark Farmer, who has captivated audiences from across farm country through sharing his triumphs and struggles of the modern farmer. Sharkey created one of agriculture’s most successful media companies, including his RFD-TV series, SharkFarmerTV.

Work hard, play hard

Following Sharkey’s appearance, MSGA is hosting its annual After Hours event at the Loose Moose Saloon (walking distance from MN Ag Expo).

Expo After Hours returns Jan. 22 at 7 p.m. to the Loose Moose Saloon in downtown Mankato. Tickets are only $25 online or at the door. Entrance includes free food and drinks, and chances to bid on silent and live auction items while visiting with directors and industry peers.

And best of all – proceeds support MSGA’s advocacy efforts in St. Paul and Washington, D.C, a grassroots tradition that dates back more than 60 years.

“Our After Hours night is the perfect event to wind down and network and talk shop with colleagues,” MSGA Vice President Ryan Mackenthun said. “You’ll see everyone from fellow directors to Expo speakers to agribusiness leaders. And it’s for a great cause –supporting MSGA and our farm families.”

The momentum sticks around for day two of MN

Ag Expo. MSGA delegates will gather in the morning for the organization’s annual meeting, where the delegates will discuss and approve the organization’s policy resolutions for 2025.

“As someone who loves to talk policy with my colleagues, our annual meeting at MN Ag Expo is truly one of my favorite times of the year,” said MSGA Director Bob Worth, who stepped down as MSGA president in 2024.

Following the annual meeting, Expo breakout sessions will tackle mental health, and markets and economics, paired with expert in navigating market uncertainty: Greg Peterson, better known as “Machinery Pete.” A seasoned expert in the industry – Peterson has been researching and analyzing machinery auction prices since 1989 – Machinery Pete will help farmers strategize and get the most bang for their buck.

Attendance to MN Ag Expo is free, including meals, thanks to generous support from sponsors, event hosts MSGA and MCGA and soy checkoff support from the Minnesota Soybean Research & Promotion Council.

Learn more at mnagexpo.com and visit Minnesota Soybean on the trade show floor in booths #28-31!

Fins up!

Rob and Emily Sharkey’s can-do attitude comes to MN Ag Expo

By Kelsey Barchenger

MN Ag Expo keynote speakers Rob and Emily Sharkey are finding new ways to propel themselves through turbulent waters, as both farmers and entrepreneurs.

“When we first came back to the farm, Rob was working for his dad as a hired hand, and the hog market crashed,” Emily said. “This was just after we had just bought our first load of hogs, and when we went to sell them they weren’t worth anything. So that got us on the track of having to diversify in another way, or go bankrupt.”

If there’s a will, there’s a way. That’s the motto the high school sweethearts of nearly 30 years will share with the 2025 MN Ag Expo crowd, explaining how, instead of opting for bankruptcy, they planted seeds for a new idea that yielded success beyond their Illinois grain farm and earned the title of “The Shark Farmer.”

“I came back to the farm after graduating college and everything was cruising along, and I got on social media and we had a few posts that blew up,” Rob said. “Then we started a podcast back in the days of ag Twitter and it snowballed until we eventually got offered to be on XM.”

With a love for agriculture herself, the homeschooling mother of four transitioned to running the farm’s media side.

Break bread with The Shark Farmer Jan. 22 at 5 p.m. in the Banquet Hall.

“We started an outfitter and one of the guests that came to the outfitter to hunt had a podcast, and told us about it and Rob just thought, ‘This is fantastic, I can tell hunting stories,’” Emily said. “Well, it didn’t end up going that way because his true passion was farming.”

‘Just do it’

The pair shares stories of the modern farmer, through Sirius XM, PBS and nine seasons and counting of SharkFarmer TV, which reaches over 2 million listeners each week.

“The podcast took off and we just kind of talked about farmers and ranchers, not anybody who is a president of an organization or doing anything huge, just telling stories of everyday farmers,” Emily said, “and that’s sort of what our whole platform is about –giving people a voice to tell their struggles and their triumphs in life.”

They’ve quickly found out that there’s more depth to a lifestyle a typical farmer may consider mundane.

“Everybody always says, ‘I’m not that interesting, you don’t want to interview me,’” Emily said. “We hear that every day and then they get going and you realize they’re doing big things locally through charities or traveling or spending their time helping other people. It’s amazing. People in agriculture are just amazing.”

The Sharkeys’ perseverance resonates with not just farmers, but everyone who has had to overcome a tidal wave in life.

“What I’m hoping is that people that would come and listen to us would be able to leave looking at their farms, businesses and life in multiple different ways,” Rob said.

For the Sharkeys, the ripple effect comes with embracing new ideas and diving into a sea of unknowns, with the mentality that it just might work out.

“It’s OK to have an idea that doesn’t go, because the next one probably will go,” Emily said. “Sometimes people need to hear that because sometimes the closest people to them say, ‘No you can’t do that. No, that won’t work.’ If you’re afraid that everybody will be talking about you, you’re never going to try anything new. So that’s another one of our big messages is, just do it. If you’ve got an idea rattling around, try it out.”

“I love talking to farmers,” Rob Sharkey says.

Up in the air

SAF discussions to soar at MN Ag Expo

By Mark Askelson

The sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) industry is soaring, and Minnesota soybean producers are primed to be key players in the market.

But what does the future hold?

Attendees of this year’s MN Ag Expo can learn more about SAF’s potential during a special keynote, “Sky is the Limit: Talking SAF with Delta’s Jeff Davidman,” on Wednesday, Jan. 22, at 2 p.m. on the Profinium Stage.

“This panel is going to be important because of the discussions that have led up to where we’re at now,” said Darin Johnson, president of the Minnesota Soybean Growers Association (MSGA). “We know SAF is going to be huge for the biofuels market in the future and we want to make sure soybean is able to play a major part in it, and Delta and Jeff are going to help us get it there.”

Davidman is vice president of state and local government affairs at Delta Air Lines. He’s helped Delta secure support from Pennsylvania to enable Delta to be the first airline in the world to purchase an oil refinery and produce its own jet fuel. Prior to joining Delta, Davidman worked for nearly a decade in Minnesota government, including as senior policy advisor to then Gov. Tim Pawlenty.

Supporting biofuels

There’s a lot happening in Minnesota as it pertains to SAF. In September 2024, Delta announced its first blending facility in Minnesota in collaboration with Delta and Flint Hills Resources that will blend up to 30 million gallons of neat SAF at its Pine Blend Refinery that is expected to be operational by the

end of 2025. In November, DG Fuels unveiled plans to construct a $5 billion SAF facility in Moorhead, which is expected to produce 193 million gallons of SAF per year once operational in 2030.

But while there is an exciting future for SAF, what is unknown is soybean’s role in its production.

SAF can be made from many different feedstocks found in Minnesota, including soybean, corn, canola, continuous living cover crops, agricultural biomass, woody biomass, waste oils, fats and more. Policies are currently dictating which feedstocks are more incentivized for SAF production. The Minnesota Sustainable Aviation Fuel Tax Credit, which is supported by MSGA, provides a state tax credit to qualifying taxpayers for producing or blending SAF in the state between July 1, 2024-June 30, 2030. At the federal level, the U.S. government has pledged to produce 3 billion gallons of SAF annually by 2030.

“There are some unknowns right now because of 40B and 45Z, and we don’t know where they’re going to land with conservation practices that are going to be applicable to this moving forward,” Johnson said. “That’s the important job on our end at MSGA is making sure that soybeans and some of the practices that are in use now will apply to that moving forward.”

Johnson encouraged his fellow farmers to stay engaged and attend Davidman’s presentation.

“There is a lot of opportunity looking forward in the SAF market, and we need to make sure soybeans are a part of it,” Johnson said. “We just need to keep our head up high and keep working hard to support biofuels.”

MN Ag Expo Learning Session

MINDFUL CONVERSATIONS

MN Ag Expo continues mental health conversation

By Bailey Grubish

The 2025 MN Ag Expo is putting mental health at the forefront with a panel discussion.

On Thursday, Jan. 23, at 10:15 a.m., MN Ag Expo presents “In This Together: Putting Mental Health First” to bring a sensitive topic out of the shadows and into the light.

Minnesota Soybean Growers Association (MSGA) Director Bob Worth, Minnesota Corn Research & Promotion Council Chair Duane Epland and Shannah Mulvihill, executive director of Mental Health Minnesota, are participating in the panel.

For the past decade, MSGA has advocated for increased funding for rural mental health services in greater Minnesota and provided a platform to hold conversations surrounding depression and high stress situations in farming.

“MSGA has been a strong voice for rural mental health over the years,” MSGA President Darin Johnson said. “We know how important mental health is to our communities and we want to make sure people know what’s out there for resources. Bob (Worth) is our past MSGA president, and he prioritized our advocacy efforts for farmer mental health. I’m dedicated to continuing those efforts throughout my presidency.”

The panelists will answer questions, provide resources and

share their own experiences and knowledge surrounding mental health.

Worth has been open about his experiences with depression in interviews across several platforms – from his local newspaper to podcasts to a national documentary. Worth managed his depression during the 1980s farm crisis when mental health was a more taboo discussion in greater Minnesota.

“My hopes and thoughts on this panel is that we’re going to educate them on that it’s OK to talk about it and it’s OK to get help,” Worth said. “The old stigma was not to get help and keep it to yourself; well, you can’t do that. You have to get help. The more we can get people talking about it, the more we’ll be able to get everybody some help. There’s nothing wrong with getting help.”

Worth started speaking out about his story in 2017, soon after Keith Gillie, the husband of then MSGA President Theresia Gillie, died by suicide. Throughout his time as MSGA president, Worth became a national advocate for rural mental health awareness.

Mulvihill, who first appeared at the 2024 Expo, hopes her expertise on the clinical side will sync with the farmers’ insights.

“I really appreciate the fact that Bob and others are willing to share

their own experiences and stories,” Mulvihill said, “because I think that really goes a long way toward opening the door for others to talk about their experiences as well.”

During the Learning Session moderated by Don Wick of Red River Farm Network, Mulvihill will discuss the types of free and anonymous resources that are available through Mental Health Minnesota. She’ll also share tips on signs of depression and how to approach a conversation with people struggling with their mental health.

“I’m really looking forward to participating and sharing information,” Mulvihill said.

To reach MDA’s Farm & Rural Helpline, call 833-600-2670, or use TTY at 711 Text: FARMSTRESS to 898211 or Email: farmstress@state.mn.us

To learn more about Mental Health Minnesota’s mission and access resources, visit mentalhealthmn.org/

From bean to bucket

MN Ag Expo panel aims to put out fires

By Mark Askelson

One of the newest checkoff investments from the Minnesota Soybean Research & Promotion Council (MSR&PC), SoyFoam TF 1122, will soon be in the hands and hoses of fire departments across the state in 2025. Attendees of this year’s MN Ag Expo will have the opportunity to learn more about this exciting new lifesaving product during a panel session moderated by Brownfield Ag News’ Mark Dorenkamp on Wednesday, Jan. 22 at 1 p.m.

Developed by Cross Plains Solutions, SoyFoam is a smothering agent derived from soy flour capable of extinguishing Class A and Class B fires that is PFASfree. It’s the first and only firefighting foam to attain the gold level through GreenScreen Certified for Safer Chemicals.

“Firefighters are continually risking their lives for our communities,” said Mike Youngerberg, MSR&PC senior director of product development and commercialization. “This product, a first-of-its-kind, is certified 84-percent biobased and made with soy grown right here in the U.S. The soy checkoff is doing its part in reducing the use and exposure to PFAS chemicals for our first responders.”

Joining the SoyFoam panel will be Willmar Deputy Fire Chief Matthew Grave, who accompanied Youngerberg to a March 2024 demonstration in Dalton, Georgia; Casselton, N.D., Fire Chief John Hjel and David Garlie, chief technology officer of Cross Plains Solutions.

“When I get out to these farmer-technology meetings, I first and foremost like to thank them, because it’s their checkoff investment that helped

make SoyFoam a reality,” said Garlie, who was part of the team that developed SoyFoam . “And I like to show them how their investment is helping save lives by offering an alternative to PFAS.”

With the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency’s (MPCA) new law banning the sale or distribution of products containing PFAS taking effect Jan. 1, 2025, many fire departments across Minnesota and the nation are starting to use SoyFoam and are seeing the product’s effectiveness.

“So far we’ve seen it put out grass fires, car fires and even a combine fire in Casselton, North Dakota,” Garlie said. “John Hjel is the Casselton Fire Chief and is joining us in Mankato. He’ll be able to provide some of the first-hand experience he’s had with SoyFoam.”

Deputy Fire Chief Grave has also had the ability to see SoyFoam in action this past year during demonstrations with Cross Plains Solutions and is looking forward to promoting the product in his community of Willmar, a city rooted in agriculture.

“For us here in rural Minnesota, we understand the importance of having new products that drive and support agriculture,” he said. “A lot of the volunteer firefighters in our neighboring towns are farmers too, so it benefits them in multiple ways…it’s a win-win.”

Throughout 2025, MSR&PC will be working with its county-level soybean organizations to promote SoyFoam to distribute five-gallon buckets of the firefighting foam to local fire departments.

“Firefighters have been dealing with foams with cancer-causing agents for years,” Grave said, “so to get SoyFoam, which is safe and environmentally friendly, out to departments across the state, will be huge.”

MSR&PC Chair Tom Frisch and Secretary Pat Sullivan are both longtime volunteer firefighters in their communities.

“There are very few people on our fire department who are not involved in ag in some way,” said Frisch, who has volunteered with the Dumont Fire Department since 2000. “It never ceases to amaze me the things soybeans do each and every day.”

LEARNING ON THE JOB

Al

Kluis reflects on stint with MN Soybean, looks ahead to MN Ag Expo Panel

By Drew Lyon

Fifty years ago, the staff representing Minnesota Soybean Growers Association (MSGA) was essentially a one-man operation consisting of a recent agriculture economics graduate named Al Kluis.

“It was my first job out of college, and it looked like I would be doing a lot of different things – working with industry trade teams, working in policy, that type of thing,” Kluis said. “I said, ‘Sure.’ I thought it would be more challenging than working as a sales rep.”

From 1974-1976, Kluis oversaw MSGA while working in the basement of a crammed office in North Mankato.

Nearly a half-century later, Kluis, now one of agriculture’s most respected grain marketing analysts, visited MSGA’s spacious new headquarters across town, a two-story building comprising dozens of offices and meeting spaces.

“Wow, it’s beautiful in here,” Kluis said during a tour of MSGA’s office, which includes Offsite Meetings and Events.

In November 2024, Kluis traveled down memory lane, driving from his home in West Minneapolis to visit MSGA’s membership team and Tom Slunecka, CEO of the Minnesota Soybean Research & Promotion Council. While in Mankato, Kluis also previewed his participation in a Grain Marketing Panel Jan. 22 at 10:30 a.m. at MN Ag Expo.

“I will be talking about my approach to grain marketing. I have a specific plan that I’ve developed over time,” said Kluis, managing director of Kluis Commodity Advisors,

which he formed after his stint with MSGA. “I encourage farmers to have price targets where they’re going to sell their grain, time targets where they need to be getting their grain sold, key time periods to avoid making sales. It’s kind of a multipronged discipline approach that I take to the grain markets.”

Kluis, who has appeared several times at MN Ag Expo, said the trade show and conference affords him a chance to reconnect with peers, MSGA directors and fellow members of the agriculture fraternity he joined while attending the University of Minnesota.

“You can meet a lot of the industry contacts all at one time at Ag Expo,” he said. “There’s a lot of educational programs that are really good, great networking opportunities and you can participate if you have an opinion of what (MSGA) should be doing.”

‘Flash’ forward

Raised on a Murray County farm, Kluis was just 21 years old when he was hired in 1974 by MSGA, which had been established a dozen years earlier. His position with MSGA was his first job after graduating; within two years after Kluis joined, he’d earned a proverbial master’s degree from lobbying school.

“I learned an incredible amount,” said Kluis, who still helps out occasionally on the family farm.

While MSGA executive director, Kluis worked on policies in St. Paul related to weed control and mixing of grains.

“Some foreign buyers wanted to exclude Minnesota, Dakotaoriginated beans because of the lower quality they perceived that we had in terms of meal and oil,” Kluis said. “A lot of what we were doing was educating people.”

Kluis developed a reputation around the Capitol as a lobbyist who didn’t waste time getting to the

point. Kluis didn’t beat around the bush; he preferred to talk turkey. Thus, his swift, direct manner of lobbying earned Kluis the nickname “Flash.”

“I’m here to get your vote and get the hell out of here,” he said, laughing. “And I did it. And so, it was deemed to be very effective, and maybe too fast. But I got the job done.”

Farm advocacy, Kluis recalled, was simpler in those days because there was greater bipartisan cooperation and rural representation in the Minnesota Legislature. As long as he could secure the support of influential policymakers like Rep. George Mann, the Flash was in like Flynn.

“It wasn’t so polarized,” Kluis said. “The urban legislators would say, ‘OK, if George Mann says to vote for it, I’ll vote for it.’”

Building a program

Kluis also ushered in a new era in Minnesota’s soybean industry when he helped oversee the implementation of the nation’s second, half-cent checkoff program to sponsor research and develop new markets. The checkoff was implemented after a majority of Minnesota farmers approved the measure in 1973. Education became key, along with enforcing the checkoff.

True Believer

One of Kluis’ proudest achievements during his tenure was helping double MSGA’s membership levels in just two years. He continues encouraging peers to stay engaged in advocacy groups like MSGA.

“I believe in MSGA,” he said. “I think you’re getting a good value for (your membership). Let’s work to promote agriculture and, maybe rather than criticize it, you should get involved. “

“One of most challenging jobs was going out to elevators explaining that this was a mandatory checkoff, not a voluntary check off,” Kluis said. “They didn’t understand it.”

In addition to serving as MSGA executive director and as a regional field director with the American Soybean Association, Kluis also assumed duties leading the newly formed Minnesota Soybean Research & Promotion Council, which directed the state’s checkoff funds. Along with a secretary, Kluis kept expenses low while managing the checkoff program, which generated roughly $500,000 in revenue each year. Many checkoff resources were invested in the University of Minnesota’s breeding program.

“Farmers wanted to increase yield, increase average selling and increase market opportunities,” Kluis said. “That’s what the checkoff did, and that’s what it’s still doing.”

In addition to market development, checkoff resources were also heavily invested in the University of Minnesota’s breeding program.

“That was the name of the game back then, developing new varieties,” ,” said Sandy Ludeman, a past MSR&PC director and first chair of the United Soybean Board. “We all had a lot of respect for what Al was doing.”

Kluis recalled colleagues ridiculing an economist in the 1970s who predicted the industry would need to grow a 2 billion-bushel soybean crop. By 1994, the nation’s soybean production exceeded 2 billion bushels for the first time. In 2023, U.S. soybean farmers more than doubled that estimate, harvesting 4.165 billion bushels.

Continued on page 30

The outlook

Though market challenges lay ahead, Kluis is hopeful the farm economy will withstand global tensions and avoid a trade war in 2025. It’s a tall task ahead, and following the Nov. 5 election, Kluis said he’s keeping a close eye on the new Trump administration’s trade agenda and how tariff policies may (or may not) affect agriculture.

“The Chinese economy is slowing down,” he said, “and it’s very important that we maintain a good trade relationship, but I don’t think the people there are going to change their diet because their economy is slowing down.”

The political climate has changed in the decades since the “Flash” was representing MSGA in the legislative world, but some institutional foundations remain.

“I still think the way our government is set up is there is a set of checks and balances in there, and that eventually those checks and balances will work for the benefit of the country,” he said. MN Ag Expo Grain Marketing Panel moderated by Kent Thiesse Jan. 22 at 10:30 a.m. on the Profinium Stage

Farmer leaders gather in 1973, the same year Minnesota’s half-cent soy checkoff was passed with a 75% majority.

banking:

Farming is more than driving back and forth across a field in a tractor. Minnesota farmers wear many hats, which can be overwhelming, especially for young and beginning farmers who haven’t yet broken in those hats.

That’s why Profinium, in partnership with the Minnesota Soybean Growers Association, is bringing back the successful MN Young & Emerging Farmer Workshop, which will be held in conjunction with the 2025 MN Ag Expo.

“Profinium has always had a big connection to agriculture,” said Hunter Pederson, an ag/business banker at Profinium. “Our investment in this workshop showcases how much we want to be involved in our communities and their success, which includes preparing the younger generation for the technology and new innovations they’ll encounter coming into the farming world.”

Hunter Pederson Ag/Business Banker

Profinium is ready to lend a helping hand to Minnesota producers seeking a deeper dive into the nitty gritty details of agriculture. Offering operating lines of credit, livestock financing, real estate loans, equipment financing, insurance options, investments and consumer banking services, Profinium knows that the next generation of agriculture is critical to securing a better tomorrow.

"The Young and Emerging Farmer Workshop brings everything together full circle to help that next generation, and Profinium is proud to play a role in that,"said Veronica Bruckhoff, Profinium’ s vice president of business development.

Built on core values that include “people first” and “teamwork,” Profinium is prepared to walk through the thick of it with its customers. But it all starts with a conversation.

Pederson, who also farms with his dad growing corn and soybeans and raising cattle, participated in the inaugural MN Young & Emerging Farmer Workshop in 2024.

“What I found really beneficial was the broad overview of pretty much everything you’ll need in your farming career to be successful,” Pederson said. “It wasn’t a deep dive into everything you need to know but it gave you a good structure of what you need to know. That way, if you weren’t as comfortable in certain areas, you could do your own research.”

OUR AG TEAM IS WITH YOU THROUGH

THICK & THIN

“I can’t stress enough how important it is to be open when communicating with your banker,” Bruckhoff said. “Just remember that we can’t help unless we know what’s going on. ”

As the new year begins, Profinium is proud to support the next generation of farmers through the MN Young & Emerging Farmer Workshop, equipping them with the tools and knowledge to cultivate success and resilience. With Profinium by their side, young producers can confidently navigate their path forward, knowing they have a team dedicated to their growth and dreams. ‘Full-circle’

Veronica Bruckhoff VP - Business Development

By Mark Askelson

MSGA director leads charge on deer depredation issues

Imagine investing your time, effort and money to grow a crop to make a living by feeding and fueling the world, only for it to lose its full potential in its early stages thanks to an army of white-tailed deer. While most farmers will expect some minor crop loss from the birds and the bucks, for those such as Minnesota Soybean Growers Association (MSGA)

Director Brad Hovel, the bucks are adding up to some serious financial losses by eating away at his profitability, literally.

“It’s costing us hundreds of thousands of dollars in loss of production over the years because of how much they’re eating,” said Hovel, who farms in Goodhue

deer occurs in the spring while the crop is still in its development stages.

“Usually during our first spray application in the spring is when we can visualize the damage, but once you can visualize the damage it’s already too late,” Hovel said. “The damage has been done, and they will continue to feed.”

Managing the herd

What’s unique about the deer depredation issues devastating Hovel’s crops is that it is not a widespread issue. It’s occurring among isolated populations of deer concentrated in certain areas in Minnesota.

“Sometimes it’s a geography issue where you have

where you have neighbors that are only harvesting a few mature bucks each year,” said Eric Nelson, wildlife damage program supervisor for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR). “But in either case, you’re dealing with isolated pockets of large deer populations.”

So, what’s been done and what can stop the plundering of Hovel’s soybean crop? There are essentially two main options: Find a way to keep deer away and/or eliminate the deer.

“We know it’s not cost effective to put a 10-foot fence around a 600-acre field, but you can use repellents such as Plantskydd, which is usually pretty effective at keeping the deer away,” Nelson said. “Unfortunately, it’s expensive because you have to reapply every time it rains, or you have a dewy morning.”

Hovel has maintained a strong relationship with the DNR over the years as they work together to manage the deer herd populations. Between the nuisance tags, regular hunting season and car and other accidents that occurred in 2023, Hovel estimated they were able to remove between 80-85 deer from the herd, with most of those being the reproducing does.

“This isn’t a hunt, it’s a population-reduction program. We allow them to hunt at night using spotlights, they can use rifles in shotgun zones and it’s open to bucks and does,” Nelson said. “We typically encourage the taking of does, but bucks are doing damage, too.”

Policy on the pipeline

be finalized in January of 2025, which MDA hopes to use to pass future legislation to support farmers and their depredation issues.

MSGA’s advocacy made an impact, said MDA Commissioner Thom Petersen, who visited Hovel’s farm in Goodhue County to learn more about the damage to his operation.

“I have to give Brad Hovel and MSGA credit for leading the charge and speaking up about their deer depredation issues. Our conversations with Brad have led to other farmers coming forward and shedding some light on the situation,” Petersen said. “We’ve been talking to a lot of other interested groups and farmers as well, and we’re hopeful it will lead to some possible solutions.”

The state of Minnesota currently provides compensation for elk depredation issues in northwest Minnesota, but Commissioner Petersen notes that it’s not an apples-to-oranges comparison.

“The main difference is there are only about 200 elk that the state manages in the far northern part of the state,” he said, “whereas we’re talking about hundreds of thousands of whitetail deer statewide.”

Petersen also hopes this study will clarify which tools are already out there and what farmers can use to address the issue.

“As a farmer myself, and one who’s not a hunter, I do have neighbors who do hunt who may have access to tags but not land,” Petersen said. “We need to take advantage of our current resources to help thin the

Learn more about the DNR’s and MDA’s joint efforts to address deer damage on farmland during the MN Ag Expo

Commissioners Panel Learning Session Jan. 22 at 11 a.m. IF you GO:

Tuesday, January 21

Noon - 6:30 PM Exhibitor Set Up

January 21-23, 2025 Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center Mankato,

MN

MN Ag Expo is a jointly hosted event between the Minnesota Soybean Growers Association and the Minnesota Corn Growers Association. This multi-day event includes a jam-packed trade show, breakout sessions, keynote speakers, along with numerous networking opportunities with other farmers and industry leaders across the state.

Noon - 6:30 PM Registration Opens

6:00 PM MN Young & Emerging Farmers Workshop*

7:30-10:00 PM Opening Reception

Wednesday, January 22

All Day MARL Seminar*

All Day MN Young & Emerging Farmers Workshop*

7:00 AM Registration Opens

7:30 AM Exhibitor Set Up

8:00 AM MCGA Delegate Session and Annual Meeting

9:00 AM Trade Show Opens

9:00 AM Learning Session 1 – Safety First: CPR Training

10:00 AM From Data to Decisions: Mastering Product Characterization - Sponsored by Beck’s

10:15 AM Learning Session 2 – Grain Marketing Panel

11:00 AM Learning Session 3 – Commissioner’s Corner: A Conversation with Agency Leaders

12:15 PM Lunch Speaker – Sponsored by CHS

1:00 PM SoyFoam Panel – Sponsored Session by MSR&PC

2:00 PM Afternoon Keynote – Sky is the Limit: Talking SAF with Delta’s Jeff Davidman

2:00 PM From Data to Decisions: Mastering Product Characterization - Sponsored by Beck’s

3:00 PM Trade Show Reception

3:30 PM MCGA Auction and Reception

4:00 PM Trade Show Closes

5:00 PM Dinner Keynote – The Shark Farmer

7:00 PM MSGA After Hours Social at the Loose Moose Saloon

Thursday, January 23

All Day MARL Seminar*

All Day MN Young & Emerging Farmers Workshop*

6:30 AM Registration Opens

7:00 AM MCGA PAC Breakfast

7:45 AM Early Riser Session – Markets/Economics, DTN

8:30 AM Trade Show Opens

9:00 AM MSGA Delegate Session and Annual Meeting

9:00 AM Learning Session 4 – Conservation Panel

10:00 AM From Data to Decisions: Mastering Product Characterization - Sponsored by Beck’s

10:15 AM Learning Session 5 – In This Together: Putting Mental Health First Noon Lunch Keynote – Machinery Pete

2:00 PM From Data to Decisions: Mastering Product Characterization - Sponsored by Beck’s 2:00 PM Trade Policy Panel – Protecting International Partnerships

3:00 PM Trade Show Closes

*Private event Scan the QR code to register!

MSR&PC research director rides off into sunset after lengthy career in agronomy

By Bailey Grubish

Dr. David Kee never missed an opportunity to teach. The self-proclaimed “Son of the South” used his Texas drawl and passion for agriculture for nearly a decade to help Minnesota’s soybean farmers.

“The number of acres that David has affected in a positive way, and the amount of farmers’ lives that he’s affected are immeasurable,” said Tom Slunecka, CEO of the Minnesota Soybean Research & Promotion Council (MSR&PC). “David had an amazing impact on the lives of not only our farmers and farmer leaders, but the staff he worked tirelessly with day in and day out.”

On Dec. 6, Kee worked his last day for Minnesota Soybean. The longtime researcher enters retirement leaving behind a positive, lasting impact for Minnesota soybean farmers.

Growing up in Texas, Kee earned a bachelor’s degree in animal science, a master’s degree in soil science and a Ph.D. in crop management. Those degrees and his passion for agriculture helped springboard his illustrious career.

“David understood the science behind the science,” Slunecka said. “I could always trust he would research the researchers, the theories and the science

applied to the project to better understand the value back to the farm gate.”

Research

warrior

When Kee arrived at MSR&PC in November 2015, he set out to reevaluate how soy checkoff research was categorized and conducted. Along with farmers and staff, Kee categorized how checkoff funding was spent on research for Minnesota soybeans. Kee and farmer leaders prioritized three main areas of research: pest management, soybean breeding and genetics and other agronomy..

In 2024, the Council funded 26 research projects in collaboration with Kee. These projects are designed for today, for the next five years and beyond.

“I find that the researchers and the farmers are more similar than they are different,” Kee said. “They both tend to be the long-planned type of people who look at a problem knowing it’s not going to be solved overnight. They always hope for an immediate solution, but they realize solutions take time to develop.”

The winning method

Research projects are presented by researchers

who are independent, private companies or universities for the team to then choose and fund for the next year. In his time with MSR&PC, Kee oversaw more than 200 research projects.

Soybean aphids are one pest that Kee helped direct research toward during his tenure.

“Aphids are an interesting critter,” Kee said. “Back in 2003 when it first appeared, we spent a lot of time and money on aphid control. We developed threshold levels and tested multiple products, and they worked pretty well until they didn’t.”

Over time, research saw how aphids developed resistance to pyrethroids. There were some substitutions and new chemistry but there is still a lot to learn. In science, playing the long game is typically a winning method; the work is never done.

“One thing that we need to remember in science is when people talk about the earth-shattering discoveries, those are rare,” Kee said. “Mainly, it’s an accumulation of information, until we develop enough information to effectively develop a solution. We know all solutions are short term. It must be constantly retested and reconfigured.”

Friend of the farmer

Dearer to Kee’s heart than research is sharing the research. But not just with anyone. Kee had a knack for talking with farmers, especially at their farm or in the field. He started conducting County Research Assessment Meetings around Minnesota to hear directly from the farmers on what they’re seeing across their operation.

“David knows more about research than anybody I know,” said Minnesota Soybean Growers Association (MSGA) Director Steve Brusven, who worked closely with Kee over the years. “I’m very happy to have met him and I am able to call him my friend.”

Brusven also sits on the Yellow

Medicine County Corn & Soybean Growers board, which hosted Kee for meetings. Those long conversations often gave Kee firsthand knowledge of the issues and concerns that mattered most to producers.

“I enjoy the farmers, and it’s hard for me to talk to a farmer for only 15 minutes,” Kee said. “I found that once a farmer finds out that you’ve got an inkling of what they’re dealing with, they’re more inclined to talk to you for hours.”

Kee was a research road dog. He traveled around Minnesota to meet farmers and researchers and attended events to collect information and to improve research proposals and offer better feedback to his researchers.

He noted what he sees as future research that will be ongoing after he retires. He spoke on soybean cyst nematode, frogeye leaf spot, soybean gall midge, tentiform leafminer and many more.

“I see a continual need for solid agronomic research, and that means properly randomized, adequately replicated research,” Kee said.

Retirement plans

A few weeks before his retirement, University of Minnesota Extension researchers, Council and MSGA directors and colleagues came

together to celebrate Kee’s career.

“He’s certainly been a very important person for us to interact with,” UMN Extension researcher Seth Naeve said. “I would say the one thing that characterizes David, is that David (would) call us and say, ‘Hey, the farmers are interested in something, why don’t you and I have a cup of coffee?’ David was the guy that always wanted to get together and just hash things out in person.”

UMN Extension educator Angie Peltier said that Kee’s previous experience at the Texas Agricultural Extension Service brought valuable insight to her research work.

“Any day David would come up to northwest Minnesota was a good day,” Peltier said during the retirement lunch. “He knows a little bit about a lot, and he’s a great guy.”

The Texas native plans to retire to his home state, where he will continue to collect and share research all while spending time with his family.

“It’s been stimulating,” Kee said of his time with MSR&PC. “It’s allowed me to grow in ways that I didn’t think I could grow before. It’s made life interesting and exciting. And it’s going to be hard to repeat.”

Once a teacher, always a teacher. David Kee visits with producers during a 2024 field day in Norman County.

By Kelsey Barchenger

Deadline nears to apply for 2025 Council seats

Shaping the future of the soybean industry is at the heart of the Minnesota Soybean Research & Promotion Council’s (MSR&PC) mission, but a big piece of accomplishing MSR&PC’s goals is finding a set of leaders who take the proverbial pulse of their fellow farmers.

MSR&PC is extending an invitation to those interested in directing soybean checkoff funds to file for one of five available board seats that expire in 2025. Terms expire in 2025 for five seats in Districts 4-9.

“I wholeheartedly encourage anyone with an interest in soybean marketing or enhancing rural Minnesota to apply to be an MSR&PC director,” said MSR&PC Vice Chair Gail Donkers, who also serves as election chair. “It’s truly an eye-opening experience to see just how much the Council does at not only the state, but the global level. Representing our state’s soybean farmers

is a great responsibility and an even bigger privilege.”

Board member benefits include the ability to attend one national United Soybean Board (USB) board meeting per year, the opportunity to develop and enrich strategic business management skills and a chance to guide the direction of Minnesota soybean checkoff dollars. Three-year terms for each of the five Council seats begin July 1, 2025.

Candidates must be 18 years of age and a soybean producer who directly shares in the risk or loss from soybean production. Interested candidates must fill out a candidate certification form and a candidate biography form and email completed forms to Melinda Roberts at melinda@mnsoybean.com or mail completed forms to the Minnesota Soybean office no later than Jan. 27, 2025. Ballots will be mailed by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture on March 17, 2025, and all ballots must be postmarked by April 2.

2025 MN SOYBEAN RESEARCH & PROMOTION COUNCIL ELECTIONS

Minnesota Soybean Research & Promotion Council, in conjunction with the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, holds commodity council elections each spring. In 2025, ve Council positions are up for election. Interested candidates need to ll out a candidate biography form and a candidate certi cation form and return to Minnesota Soybean by Jan. 27, 2025.

Dates to Remember:

• Ballot requests and candidate forms are due to melinda@mnsoybean.com by Monday, Jan. 27

• Ballots will be mailed by MDA on Friday, March 17

• Ballots must be postmarked by Monday, April 2

Learn more about applying for a Council position by visiting with Minnesota Soybean at MN Ag Expo in Booth #28-31!

to be reappointed to USB. Five new farmer-leaders will also join the board representing 16 states. In total, 17 USB directors and alternates will begin three-year terms, and one director will begin a two-year term.

In addition, MSR&PC Chair Tom Frisch was elected to USB’s executive committee during its December board meeting in Missouri.

“We’re a lot of likeminded individuals working for the U.S. soybean farmer,” Frisch said of USB. “Anytime we can move a pile of beans on the national level, it’s only going to help us at the state level.”

Frisch and O’Leary are joined on USB by fellow Minnesota farmers Gene Stoel and Lawrence Sukalski. USB, which administers national soy checkoff investments, increases farmer profitability through initiatives and partnerships that grow domestic and global demand for U.S. soybeans and protect on-farm resiliency. Board members are soybean farmers nominated by their respective Qualified State Soybean Boards (QSSB) and appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture.

Stoel represents ag at global climate change conference

MSR&PC Director Gene Stoel has never been one to shy away from a conversation about agriculture, even if that conversation takes him halfway across the world. In recent years, he’s represented soybean farmers on visits to Japan, Morocco and multiple visits to Uzbekistan, but in November 2024 he found himself along the Caspian Sea in Baku, Azerbaijan, on behalf of USB and the U.S. Soybean Export Council. While there, conversations centered around climate change in agriculture during COP29, aka the 2024 United Nations Climate Change Conference.

Stoel took part in a panel and roundtable discussion about agriculture’s role in climate change and what U.S. farmers are doing in response.

“My message to them was that as farmers, we want the land to be protected to ensure the next generation and the generation after that has the ability to make a living off

Tom Frisch

of the land like we do,” Stoel said. “To do that we have to do things right and we need to put carbon back in the soil. Showing them that was important, and it was a message that I feel was well received.”

Stoel met with farmers and agricultural leaders from all around the world, including Hon. Jose Abelardo Mai, Belize’s minister of agriculture. Stoel tag-teamed the conference with Arkansas farmer Brad Doyle, a director with the American Soybean Association. Stoel said that while agriculture is just a small aspect of the nearly two-week climate change conference, it’s sure to take center stage at COP30.

“At the first few meetings, farmers were ignored,” he said, “but I think we’re getting our voice now. “

Redwood County farmers earn Minnesota’s first Leopold Conservation Award

Dawn and Grant Breitkreutz of Redwood Falls have been selected as the recipients of the inaugural Minnesota Leopold Conservation Award. The award honors farmers, ranchers and forestland owners who go above and beyond in their management of soil health, water quality and wildlife habitat on working land.

The Breitkreutzs, who own and operate Stoney Creek Farm, were presented with the $10,000 award at the Premier Soil Health Event Dec. 3 in Mankato. Given in honor of renowned conservationist Aldo Leopold, the award recognizes landowners who inspire others with their dedication to environmental improvement. The Leopold Conservation Award in Minnesota is made possible thanks to financial support from numerous organizations, including MSR&PC.

Applications for the 2025 Leopold Conservation Award are expected to open this spring.

Strategic Farming: Let’s Talk crops! sets 2025 dates

With checkoff support from MSR&PC, the “Strategic Farming: Let’s Talk Crops” webinar series has set its 2025 agenda, including a live episode from MN Ag Expo. This live, online program will provide up-to-date, research-based information to help optimize your crop management strategies for 2025. Sessions will be held over Zoom, which can be accessed via computer, phone or other mobile device, and will run from 9-10:00 a.m. Wednesdays, Jan. 8-March 26, 2025.

Sessions are informal and open to all interested. Each session will start with a brief presentation by the discussion leaders for the day, followed by discussion framed around farmer/participant questions on the topic.

Topics and speakers include:

Jan. 8: N management given current crop & input economics

Jan. 15: Targeted Spray Technology - Rodrigo Werle, Extension cropping systems weed scientist, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Jan. 22: Live at MN Ag Expo – Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF)

Jan. 29: Soybean crop modeling to help farmers make successful decisions

Feb. 5: Managing weeds with more than just herbicides

Feb. 12: Navigating the corn maize – new trends in corn production

Feb. 19: Using multi-state trials to address key cover crop questions in soybean

For the full list of episodes, and to watch recordings of previous sessions, visit z.umn.edu/strategic-farming. Checkoff-supported researchers will also be available to visit on the MN Ag Expo trade show floor.

FACES OF MSGA

By Bailey Grubish

Dan Widmer

Farming just south of Gaylord, Dan Widmer grows soybeans and corn while also raising awareness of the importance of agriculture in his community.

He farms full time on a farm he bought. Widmer is married to his wife, Kyla, and they have three children, Abigaile, Rachel and Jessica, who also contribute to the farming operation.

Widmer earned an associate’s degree in diversified agricultural production from the University of Minnesota Waseca.

Widmer serves on the Nicollet-Sibley County Corn & Soybean Growers board, a volunteer group that was named the Minnesota Soybean Growers Association’s (MSGA) County of the Year in 2021. He was approached to be on the board when he started hosting one of the board’s corn plots. He has served for six years and is currently board vice chair.

Being a three-year member of MSGA, Widmer saw the benefits of joining and what he wanted out of his membership and time on his local board.

“I became a member because of the product development and trade relations information and to stay informed,” Widmer said. “Being a member (of MSGA) keeps you involved, and hopefully you get all the information. It’s about the support, so we appreciate what they do.”

In addition to his farmer leadership, Widmer is also the president of the parish council at St. Michael’s Church and is the secretary for the Knights of Columbus.

Nathan Serbus

Renville County farmer Nathan Serbus doesn’t have a surplus of free time, but he does spend his small pockets of idle moments volunteering in his community.

He is a basketball official for local tournaments and games. He serves as clerk for the Flora Township board and is a member of the grounds committee for his church’s fall festival.

When he was asked to get involved with his local Renville County Corn & Soybean Growers board, it was a no-brainer.

Serbus credits a former board member, Jerry Mulder – who was also Serbus’ school bus driver growing up –with encouraging him to join. Mulder died in late 2020 but he left a large impact on those he worked with. Mulder served as a past president of the county board and now Serbus fills his late mentor’s role as president.

Serbus farms full time on his southwest Minnesota family farm with his parents, Norb and Cindy, and his younger brother Jaden, growing soybeans and corn. He attended Ridgewater College in Willmar, earning an associate degree in farm operation with a crop emphasis.

In addition to his many volunteer endeavors, Serbus is also an active member of MSGA.

“I’m an MSGA member because we need to advocate for ourselves as soybean growers,” Serbus said. “We need to represent ourselves, to speak up about what’s going on (in farm country).”

A High-Five to Our Members!

The Minnesota Soybean Growers Association thanks the 50+ members who joined MSGA or renewed their memberships to cap 2024.

Our policy work for 2025 has only just begun. Join us Jan. 22-23 at MN Ag Expo in booth #28-31 and visit with our team to learn more about our 2025 policy priorities and how it pays to join the longest-running state soybean advocacy organization – from member benefits to big policy wins that put your operation in position to profit.

Together, we’re working to improve the outlook for agriculture by fighting on your behalf in St. Paul and Washington, D.C. To join the nation’s premier state soybean association, visit mnsoybean.org/msga/invest. Membership levels start at just $20 for students, and a 3-year membership costs less than a quarter per day!

Cut on the line and return today

3 Year Membership: $250 (includes Minnesota Soybean jacket and $100 biodiesel rebate) Jacket size (circle one): S M

or Women’s (circle one) Biodiesel Coupon (Value $100)

1 Year Membership: $120

Yes I want to save $20! 1 Year Membership: $100 (with auto renew payment via credit card). By checking this option, I understand my annual membership to MSGA will renew automatically, charging the credit card on file at the time my membership expires

Young Professional (age 35 and under) & Retired: $70

Student (age 22 and under): $20