This column by MSGA President Darin Johnson first ran in the January-February 2026 issue of Soybean Business. Click here to read the digital issue. 

In both farming and hockey, it takes a team to be successful. The same selfless mindset applies to working on behalf of our farmers to protect their interests at the state and federal level.

Sometimes we even need to work with other teams, like our friends at Minnesota Corn. Not only do we team up with the Minnesota Corn Growers Association (MCGA) for events such as MN Ag Expo, but also to protect our farmers from unfair policies. Our combined advocacy recently led the MPCA to withdraw the rulemaking process for pesticide treated seed disposal — one of the biggest regulatory wins MSGA has earned in over a decade. Well played, I say!

The state of Minnesota is very diverse when it comes to farming, so one part of MN Ag Expo that excites me is visiting with farmers from across our unique regions of the state, each with varying crop rotations and farm practices, to talk about agriculture and what’s going on not only in Minnesota, but also across the whole United States. MN Ag Expo is a great venue to learn from one another and make new friends.

MSGA President Darin Johnson is ready to start 2026 with a clean slate.

One of our big goals as we head into 2026 is to continue to play strong defense at the state level and make sure our farmers don’t lose any of the tools they need to grow their crop now and into the future, along with staying on top of water and drainage issues. We can’t let those issues slip through the five-hole.

Another goal for MSGA is to be a stronger home team and strengthen our soybean market domestically, whether that’s using soybeans as feed for our livestock, using SoyFoam or continuing to build our robust biofuels industry. Minnesota is on top of the power rankings when it comes to biofuels, and it needs to stay that way. Getting sustainable aviation fuels off the ground — pun intended — is a perfect way to add value here at home.

The away schedule will get busier for me in 2026: I’m replacing George Goblish as one of Minnesota’s six directors on the American Soybean Association. Those are big skates to step into, but luckily our officer team has a “next person over the boards” mentality; if one of us is busy, another person is always willing to step up and help wherever and whenever needed. That goes for our entire MSGA team, be it directors or staff. Everyone steps up to assist and get the job done. In joining ASA, I’m looking forward to getting up close and personal and crashing the net on federal policy and regulatory issues in D.C., along with helping build new markets for our producers.

Whether we’re talking about seed treatments, tax reform, trade news or crop protection products, these are issues that impact all farmers, so we need help from all of the key players, which includes…you. Everyone has a role to play, and your membership in MSGA makes you a part of the team and allows you to have a voice in the locker room heading into these big matchups. I appreciate your support, and we’ll see you on the ice at MN Ag Expo. Join MSGA and let’s get moving as a team.

It’s 2026: Game on, and see you at MN Ag Expo!