Brown County farmer Cole Trebesch was elected chair of the Minnesota Soybean Research & Promotion Council (MSR&PC) Monday during the Council’s quarterly meeting.

Trebesch, 36, farms near Springfield on the family farm with his wife, Miranda, and their two children, Oliver and Elsie. He raises soybeans, corn, hogs and cattle. He is a member of the Brown County Corn and Soybean Growers Board. On the Council, Trebesch previously served as vice chair, and has been active on MSR&PC’s environmental stewardship and production action teams.

“I’m honored and humbled that my peers have put their faith in me to lead the Council,” says Trebesch, the Council’s District 8 director. “We know these are challenging times in agriculture, but I’m eager to continue working alongside my fellow directors to enhance the profitability of Minnesota’s soybean farmers.”

Trebesch replaces Benson farmer Patrick O’Leary, who stepped down after two years as chair but remains the District 4 director. Joe Serbus (Bird Island) was named vice-chair; Pat Sullivan (Franklin) remains as secretary and Ben Storm (Dover) was elected treasurer.

Earlier in the meeting, retiring Director Keith Schrader was honored after nine years on the Council. Rice County farmer Gail Donkers will replace Schrader in District 8; Tom Frisch is the new District 4 director, taking over for Paul Dahlseng, who is stepping down after three years on the Council.

MSR&PC directors serve three-year terms and are elected by Minnesota soybean farmers within their district.