Staff photo by Fritz Busch. Jax Espenson of Bingham Lake hits a golf ball on artificial turf made of soybeans at the Minnesota Soybean Research and Promotion Council tent during the farm festival on Tuesday.

MORGAN – On the first day of Farmfest, a three-day event that features agricultural industry networking and demonstrations, the Minnesota Soybean Research and Promotion Council shared soybean industry news and goals and unveiled a SYNLawn miniature golf course to promote agricultural sustainability.

SYNLawn supports farmers and environmental protection by using soybeans in its products, replacing up to 60% of traditional polyurethane with polyols. Farmers and researchers continue to expand the global market for soybeans. Most recently, 150 tons of soybeans were exported to Uzbekistan earlier this year. Soybeans are used to produce biofuels, which is a large economic outlet for various applications and can support rural infrastructure.

Facts and statistics on the sustainable use of soybeans are presented at each hole of the golf course.

“We are extremely passionate about ensuring that soybeans have the highest possible value in as many different ways,” Tom Slunecka, CEO of the Minnesota Soybean Research and Promotion Council, said: “Minnesota farmers, the leadership here, are quite capable and willing to take risks that few commodity organizations are willing to take… I think our leaders have become the most entrepreneurial, innovative and willing to take the

risk because they know that (in soybean use) it is what is cutting edge that will make the difference.”

Rose Wendinger, treasurer of the Minnesota Soybean Growers, has a farm in St. James and grows soybeans.

“We invite everyone to come out and play a few holes and play golf. At each hole there will be some educational information about what our levies bring to the industry and what our goals are for the future to ensure that farmers can operate with all available means and be profitable and successful,” said Wendinger. “Golf requires work and precision, and it’s no different in the world of soybeans. Everyone has a different swing and the way they apply it, but at the end of the game we’re all striving for the same success.”

Wendinger grew up on a dairy farm with five older brothers and studied agricultural economics at Southwest Minnesota State University. Because her parents focused on dairy farming, she was inspired to devote her life to advocating for the needs of farmers.

“I really got a good education and learned how important it is that we as farmers are the ones who spread the message,” said Wendinger. “We stand up for what we believe in and what we need to make our operations successful. I participated in the Corteva Young Leader program and was very welcomed by the older generation in soybean leadership… They saw a spark in me that allowed me to speak up and do that.”

Biofuels are the oil extracted from soybeans, a clean fuel that benefits the environment.

Through her work with Soybean Growers, Wendinger is committed to ensuring farmers continue to have everything they need to operate a sustainable biofuel operation.

“We need to ensure that we are not limited in the expansion of biofuels and clean fuel options,” said Wendinger. “Advocating for making sure we have the chemicals and applications we need to produce a good crop for both consumption and oil use.”

Wendinger is also committed to providing financing and tax relief to young farmers so they can compete or collaborate with older landowners and farmers.

Mike Youngerberg, Director of Product Development at Ag Management Solutions, specializes in the production of biodiesel from soybeans and the future development of this industry.

Youngerberg said soybean meal sold well in the late 1990s, but the price of soybean oil fell.

“Some programs were terminated, so the price continued to fall,” Youngerberg said. “So the question was raised, ‘Okay, how can we turn a resource like soybean oil into fuel?’ That was done, and that’s how the biodiesel market came about. From there, the question then became, ‘Okay, we have a product. How do we get it to market?'”

Market entry occurred through federal standards because these included requirements to reduce oil dependence.

“Since then, Minnesota and a number of other states and even nationally have moved more products,” Youngerberg said. “We develop more products. Sometimes that’s an incentive. Sometimes, like the state of Minnesota, we have a mandate. That creates markets.”

Only about two years ago, renewable hydrocarbon diesel was developed that meets the current goal of lower carbon intensity in soybeans.

“Renewable hydrocarbon diesel is diesel fuel produced using a different process. Instead of our traditional biodiesel plants, old oil refineries are converted to produce the product,” Youngerberg said. “This promotes sustainability and less CO2. The aviation industry is really interested… You can actually take renewable diesel and refine it even further to make jet fuel.”

Farmers are currently working on their soy cultivation in order to continue producing more sustainable fuels.

“Our challenge now is to figure out how to produce the fuels. How can we help reduce carbon intensity? What can farmers do to maybe produce products by just using more conservation tillage… Be able to demonstrate that carbon levels are going down,” Youngerberg said. “This is now part of the development area.”

Gail Donkers is a farmer leader for the Minnesota Soybean Research and Promotion Council and an outreach organizer for the Minnesota Farmers Union.

Donkers said corn and soybeans are the main crops grown in Minnesota. A big difference between the two is that the Checkoff Council for corn is a state program, while soybeans are national.

The levy is a specific dollar amount that is withheld when a product is sold at market and is used to fund farmers’ advancement and research. The Minnesota Growers, with whom Wendinger works, is an advocacy group funded by memberships that listens to what farmers need at the state and national level and talks to partners in the legislature.

When a farmer in Minnesota sells soybeans, he is deducted half a percent of the market price. Currently, soybean farmers receive $12.34 back for every dollar they pay into the deduction.

“We are being audited. We have to prove where our money is going.” said Donkers. “We need to show our farmers that we are spending the money on research, education and the like.”

Because corn is grown in this state, less stringent rules and regulations apply to this crop.

“We give our county organizations so much money to spend, but they have to spend it in the categories that are available to them. We can’t just say, ‘Here’s a couple thousand, just do whatever you want.’ We can’t do that. With corn, you can. So that’s different.” said Donkers.

“I was a member of the Dakota, Rice, Corn and Soy Association. So I see the difference… We (soybean farmers) are audited. We have to prove where our money is going.”

Farmefest continues today and Thursday, showcasing various products, demonstrations, activities, training sessions and technologies.