Across local fire departments and state agencies, SoyFoam’s feel-good story is spreading throughout Minnesota.  

This spring, the farmer-led Minnesota Soybean Research & Promotion Council (MSR&PC) launched the soy checkoff-supported SoyFoam campaign, “Planting to Protect: From Farm to Flame.” The Council is offering more than 40 organized soybean counties in Minnesota the opportunity to donate SoyFoam to area fire departments, and the Swift County Corn & Soybean Growers are getting in on the action by donating SoyFoam pails to fire departments throughout Swift County.  

“We all know people who are firefighters, including a few of our board members, so we know what a dangerous job they have,” said Swift County Corn & Soybean Growers President Randy Ascheman. “SoyFoam provides them one more tool in their toolbox all while eliminating harmful forever chemicals and supporting farmers at the same time.” 

Receiving the SoyFoam donations were the Appleton, Benson, Clontarf, Danvers, DeGraff, Kerkhoven and Murdock fire departments.  

Made with soy flour, SoyFoam is the first and only Greenscreen Certified Gold Fire Foam with zero intentionally added PFAS, aka forever chemicals. Firefighters have a nearly 10% higher chance of a cancer diagnosis, and cancer is the No. 1 cause of death among firefighters. Cross Plains Solutions, the developer of SoyFoam, has partnered with the soy checkoff to continue testing and promoting the product as a safer alternative to traditional firefighting foam.  

“For our soybean farmers, your checkoff investment is helping out the environment and the firefighters who use it,” said Council Director and past Chair Tom Frisch, who has served on the Dumont Fire Department since 2000. “It’s a checkoff investment that is coming to fruition and helping build demand. For our firefighters, rural, city or anywhere in Minnesota, providing a PFAS-free alternative is our goal. For the public in general, homegrown, renewable products benefit all of us.” 

SoyFoam is compatible with existing foam inductors and aerating nozzles and is comparable in cost to traditional firefighting foam. With a shelf life of 10 years, SoyFoam can be frozen, heated and thawed and will still be fully functional.  

“By using SoyFoam, we’re not only making a smart, eco-friendly choice – we’re directly investing in the livelihoods of hardworking soybean farmers across the country,” said Benson Fire Chief Jeff Reuss. “Thank you to the Swift County Soybean Growers for their donation.” 

For more information on the “Planting to Protect: From Farm to Flame” campaign, visit mnsoybean.org/soyfoam.  

About the Swift County Corn and Soybean Growers 

The Swift County Corn & Soybean Growers Board is affiliated with the Minnesota Soybean Research & Promotion Council, a 15-person, farmer-led board that oversees the investment of checkoff dollars on behalf of the state’s nearly 26,000 soybean farmers. The Council is governed by the rules of a federally mandated checkoff program requiring all soybean producers to pay a fee on the soybeans they sell. This money is used to promote, educate and develop market opportunities for soybeans.  

Photo caption 1: Swift County Corn & Soybean Growers Treasurer Larry Mahoney (left) and President Randy Ascheman (right) present a bucket of SoyFoam to Benson Fire Department Chief Jeff Reuss, Assistant Chief Rob Lee and Fire Captain Eric Tolifson.