After a summer promoting soy-based tires, Minnesota Soybean is nearing the finish line of the “Driving Soy” campaign. The final stretch takes place during the Big Iron Farm Show Sept. 14-16 at the Red River Fairgrounds in Fargo, North Dakota. The Minnesota Soybean Research & Promotion Council (MSR&PC) and the Minnesota Soybean Growers Association (MSGA) will share a booth.

Minnesota Soybean will be stationed in booths C9 and C10 in the C-Expo Center. The Council will highlight soy oil uses and wind down its Driving Soy promotion, a summer-long event that Minnesota soybean checkoff dollars helped fund to promote the diverse uses of soy oil, while also giving back to their local sheriff’s departments. Nearly all of Minnesota’s 44 organized soybean counties have participated. Visitors at Big Iron can register to win a set of tires after completing a scavenger hunt to learn more about soybeans. As part of the “Checkoff Challenge,” completed scavenger hunt cards can be turned in to win a set of Goodyear’s soy-based Assurance WeatherReady tires. 

MSR&PC Director of Research David Kee will be engaging with attendees on production concerns and priorities, and spotlighting the latest checkoff-funded research projects. The Council and Growers will also be promoting the Ag Innovation Campus in Crookston, which broke ground in July.

“We’re looking forward to coming back to Big Iron to talk more about the Ag Innovation Campus crushing facility that started construction this summer,” Council Director Kris Folland said. “We are happy to share how MSGA and MSR&PC work together for our state’s farmers.”

The MSGA section of the booth will be selling raffles of the custom-built soy-based 8-by-18 foot Outdoor Getaway Fish House. MSGA President Mike Skaug and Director Theresia Gillie will be on-hand to meet with active and potential members. Not an MSGA member? No problem! Visitors can sign up for a membership during Big Iron. Any member who stops by the booth will receive a free gift.

“As MSGA president and a native to northwest Minnesota, I’m excited to visit with our region’s producers and discuss our legislative successes and priorities,” Skaug said. “As we look ahead to MSGA’s 60th anniversary, it’s more important than ever to underscore the importance of membership to MSGA’s mission.”

Established in 1980, Big Iron also showcases more than 900 exhibit booths providing education in agriculture technology, health, innovation and business.