After two years as vice president, Jamie Beyer is stepping into the big chair.

The Wheaton farmer was elected president of the Minnesota Soybean Growers Association (MSGA) Wednesday during the organization’s quarterly meeting, replacing Michael Petefish. Beyer is the third female president in MSGA’s history, joining Kristin Weeks-Duncanson (2002-2003) and Theresia Gillie (2016-2017), respectively.

“I’m very excited to serve on behalf of Minnesota’s farmers,” Beyer said. “I’m looking forward to building on the huge wins we had during this year’s legislative session and developing our policy priorities for 2020.”

Beyer farms in Traverse County with her husband, Rodd, and their three daughters. She chairs MSGA’s advocacy action team, and appeared at a bill signing ceremony last week in St. Paul alongside Gov. Tim Walz.

Mike Skaug (Beltrami) was elected vice president; Mark Brown (St. James) was named treasurer and Darin Johnson (Wells) assumed the role of secretary. MSGA’s board also reelected Vesta farmer George Goblish to the American Soybean Association Board.

Aside from legislative priorities, Beyer says one of her top goals as president will be aimed at increasing statewide membership in MSGA, which is one of the nation’s largest state soybean membership organizations.

“We really caught lightning in a bottle this year in St. Paul,” she said, “but we can’t do that year-after-year without support from our farmers.”