During the Minnesota Soybean Growers Association’s Annual Meeting, MSGA and the Minnesota Soybean Research & Promotion Council honored the Lincoln County Soybean & Corn Growers Board with the County of the Year to recognize local leaders for their advocacy and checkoff-promotion efforts.

MSGA Executive Director Joe Smentek presented the board with the award:    

The winner of our 2025 County of the Year is synonymous with leadership within our unique county program, and this was no different in 2025.  

The Lincoln County Soybean & Corn Growers Board has demonstrated exceptional, proactive dedication to supporting local agriculture, investing in youth programming and promoting the value of soybean advocacy and checkoff ROI through hands-on outreach.  

The board’s annual meeting continues to be a major highlight for the county, celebrating 25 years this past year, making it a gold standard in community involvement. More than 125 community members attended this event. It was an impressive turnout – and I saw this firsthand: I attended their 2025 annual meeting to celebrate Director Bob Worth’s retirement from the county board. The event also included a recognition recognizing the founding members and past board members. The board once again hosted its annual auction, with proceeds going toward youth scholarships. For the upcoming year, the board plans to award over $25,000 in scholarships. Over the course of this program, Lincoln County soybean farmers, through the county program, have helped raise hundreds of thousands of dollars in scholarships that help grow the leaders of tomorrow. 

MSGA Executive Director Joe Smentek (left) and Treasurer Rose Wendinger Karau (second to right) visit with MSGA directors at Lincoln County’s 2025 Annual Meeting.

Board members remain active throughout the year, participating in events such as the Ag Bowl in Marshall, where they assist with judging and providing sponsorships. The county fair is another significant opportunity for outreach. The board hosts an Ag Awareness Breakfast, serving around 500 meals each year. Attendees pay only what a farmer receives for the ingredients. Last year, that cost was just 40 cents per plate, making the breakfast an affordable and educational way to highlight agriculture. The board also supports youth heading to the State Fair and provides county T-shirts for 4-H participants, in addition to assisting with various 4-H activities and helping fund local agricultural education.    

To reach broader audiences, the board invests in radio and video sponsorships on stations such as KMHL and KLOH, which promote the work of soybean growers and emphasize the importance of checkoff-funded programs. For anyone not listening to the radio, you will still see the presence of the association through six different corn and soybean promotional signage within the community, which keeps agriculture visible.     

The board also participated in the statewide SoyFoam campaign and donated 10 pails to five local fire departments throughout the county. This campaign showed community members how diverse soybeans are and provided a safer product for first responders to use when putting out Class A and B fires.   

Lincoln County has also had strong representation on MSGA, from past President Bob Worth to retired ASA Director Ron Bunjer to current Directors Joel Schreurs and Brian Fruechte, who both serve on our governing board. The Lincoln County Soybean & Corn Growers consistently demonstrate strong leadership, creativity and a deep commitment to their community, making them a clear choice for our County of the Year.