MSGA Welcomes Three New County Soybean Organizations

MANKATO, MN (04/30/2009)(readMedia)-- The Minnesota Soybean Growers Association (MSGA) is proud to announce the organization of three county Soybean Grower Associations in northern Minnesota. The newly organized county associations include Kittson, Roseau/Lake of the Woods and Marshall.

"This expansion not only highlights soybeans as a profitable and versatile crop, it also illustrates the desire for grassroots involvement by today's soybean farmers," said Bill Zurn, MSGA president and soybean producer from Callaway, Minn. "We thank all of the soybean growers who worked so hard to grow membership and become "organized" county associations. We look forward to working with them."

MSGA is the only American Soybean Association (ASA) state affiliate that establishes county boards and works with the producers at the county level. Per MSGA bylaws, once a county has reached 30 MSGA members they can elect officers and a select a state director to represent them on the MSGA board of directors.

Home to the fastest growth of soybean acres in the U.S., Northwestern Minnesota has gone from 260,000 acres of soybeans to 1,069,000 acres with yields increasing from 22 to 34 bushels per acre since 1988.

As part of the effort to meet the growing needs of the soybean producers in that area, MSGA along with the Minnesota Soybean Research & Promotion Council (MSR&PC) worked with the Minnesota Association of Wheat Growers (MAWG) and Prairie Ag Communications to establish a Northwest Regional Soybean Office. This cooperative effort has not only led to expanded producer involvement, it has also increased educational and outreach programs specifically aimed at the unique needs of northern growers.

MSGA is a non-profit, farmer-controlled membership organization established in 1962. Its goal is to assure profitable soybean farming by monitoring government policies and supporting research and market development activities.