This column by MSGA President Darin Johnson first appeared in the March-April 2026 issue of Soybean Business. Click here to read the digital issue. 

As spring approaches, I’d like to reflect on another memorable MN Ag Expo. Hats off to our staff and farmer leaders for putting in the effort to make this year’s event one for the record books. Our trade show was bigger and better than ever: We had a fantastic lineup of panels and speakers, including a “gold medal” keynote from John Harrington of the “Miracle on Ice”; and of course, lots of great opportunities to network with farmers from across Minnesota.

One of my favorite aspects of MN Ag Expo is the Young & Emerging Farmer Workshop. I had the opportunity to join a panel and enjoyed conversing with the participants. It’s so much fun for me to see the excitement and engagement from some of those young folks who are getting involved in agriculture. The future is yours!

As the temperatures continue rising, the atmosphere is likely to heat up at the Capitol during the 2026 legislative session. This abbreviated session will be more of a defensive year for MSGA, and we anticipate having direct conversations with individual agencies, where we could see more action versus in the legislative body. If you’re an MSGA member, make sure to tune in to our weekly state legislative updates each Friday during the session to keep up to date with what’s happening at the Capitol. And if you’re not a member, well, there’s no time like the present to join! Among our top goals this session is maintaining critical crop protection tools our farmers need to succeed.

We did earn a major win toward crop protection at the federal level with the EPA approving a new dicamba label, which will allow soybean farmers to maintain access to a critical weed management tool. On the federal side, we finally saw updated guidance on the 45Z tax credit, which gives priority to domestically produced biodiesel over imported used cooking oil. We are expecting big things in the world of biodiesel this year, which is important because, as I told Sen. Amy Klobuchar at MN Ag Expo, the soybean industry needs a shot in the arm, and biofuels provide a timely solution.

I also want to recognize our local county soybean programs, which provide a big shot in the arm for MSGA in supporting our membership and representing our organization at the grassroots level. Like so many other directors, that’s where I started my journey. The county level is where the rubber meets the road to promote the many promising policies and promotions within the soybean industry. To that end, I want to congratulate Lorri Ann Hartel, who has been involved in our county program for the last 20 years. She helped launch many of the county organizations in northwest Minnesota and has been an integral part of our team. Thank you, Lorri Ann, for your dedication to MSGA!

I also want to thank our partners at the Minnesota Soybean Research & Promotion Council for publishing their Annual Report in this issue. While MSGA reaches the regulatory, legal and legislative channels to protect farmers, the Council continues working every angle via the soy checkoff to build on-farm resilience and strengthen the farm economy. While you’re hard at work this spring, you can depend on MSGA and MSR&PC to promote soy across the globe and bring value back to our farms and communities.