On July 28, Tom Slunecka, CEO of the Minnesota Soybean Research & Promotion Council (MSR&PC), toured the University of Minnesota’s Southern Research Outreach Center (SROC) in Waseca. During the alumni dinner tour, Slunecka received research updates from SROC leaders and visited with Brian Buhr, dean of the U of M’s College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences (CFANS) and director of the Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station (MAES).

The Council directs checkoff resources toward CFANS. During the event, Slunecka showcased the checkoff’s impact on University research projects over the decades.

“The soybean checkoff invests in SROC to support their research efforts, and it was exciting to visit with my industry peers and exchange thoughts about the unique ways in which ag is forging new paths,” Slunecka said.

Slunecka also participated in a demonstration of the Plasma Blue unit, a checkoff-supported project developed by SROC Researcher Shaobo Deng. Plasma Blue creates biodiesel at a dramatically lower production cost, using a new energy source, while integrating easily into all biodiesel plants, as well as ethanol plants.

The center, which hosts 10 unique sites across Minnesota, conducts innovative basic and applied research in the areas of agricultural production, human health, renewable energy and the environment. It is committed to contributing to sustained social and economic development, the wise use of natural resources and an enhanced quality of life in communities across Minnesota and around the world.

Look for a feature on MSR&PC’s ongoing collaborations with SROC in an upcoming issue of Soybean Business magazine.