SSGA growing opportunities at Minnesota events

SSGA was greeted by enthusiastic audiences at two Minnesota events in January to discuss identity preserved field crops and opportunities for the upcoming growing season.

At MN Ag Expo Jan. 17-18, SSGA hosted a panel about options and opportunities for farmers to diversify their operation. Minnesota farmers Keith Schrader and Jon Thoreson spoke about the challenges, benefits and opportunities of growing identity preserved field crops while Mark Querna from Farmers Independent Research of Seed Technologies (FIRST) spoke about is third-party trials of non-GMO varieties.

Although growing identity preserved field crops requires extra care to ensure traceability, the panelists stressed that their operations would not undergo the extra work  if it didn’t make sense financially.

“It’s very beneficial for your farm but make sure you know the process,” Querna said about growing identity preserved.

SSGA Manager of Strategic Programs Shane Frederick moderated the panel, and representatives from several regional exporters also joined the conversations and were available to talk to growers interested in trying an identity preserved variety on their farm.

SSGA also exhibited at the MN Ag Expo trade show, a show that attracts more than 90 exhibitors and 1,600 growers and industry members from Minnesota and beyond.

At the Minnesota Organic Conference, put on by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, Jan. 11-12, Frederick presented updates in specialty soybeans, which included organic food-grade soybeans exported by SSGA members, and highlighted SSGA programs that support the industry during a breakout session sponsored by the Minnesota Soybean Research & Promotion Council.

SSGA also exhibited at the MN Ag Expo trade show, an event that attracts more than 90 exhibitors and 1,600 growers and industry members from Minnesota and beyond.