Minnesota soybean grower Glen Groth is taking Northern Soy Marketing’s (NSM) reins and leading the soy quality charge.
But well before he was elected NSM chair, Groth had reservations that farming was the path to take.
“I always had an interest in farming, but I didn’t think it’d be a viable option,” Groth said. “It was only once I was in FFA and went to college and saw other young people my age actually doing it and making it career that it became real to me.”
Groth, who farms in southeast Minnesota, grew up a few miles down the road from his grandparents’ farm. When he was in elementary school, his dad started farming on the side while working full time in town. Today, Groth has expanded the operation to encompass an array of crops.
“We grow primarily corn and soybeans,” Groth said. “We also have a lot of acres of hay and, depending on the year, sometimes we grow grain oats and canning vegetables. And we raise a few cattle from time to time.”
Eventually, Groth found his way to the Minnesota Soybean Research & Promotion Council (MSR&PC), quickly immersing himself in the soybean checkoff world. He was appointed in 2020 to fill a vacancy on the Council and was elected to his first term in 2022.
“I’d always been a checkoff supporter and I wanted to get involved in promoting our crops,” Groth said.
He quickly discovered a passion for developing international export markets.
“I’ve always believed that marketing to our international customers is extremely important,” Groth said. “We have competition from South America and other places around the world, so we need to be proactive in promoting our crops and the benefits of buying from the U.S. to maintain market share.”
As a founding member of NSM, MSR&PC has a long history of investing Minnesota soybean checkoff dollars towards expanding international markets. Comprised of the Minnesota, South Dakota and Wisconsin soybean checkoff boards, NSM promotes the quality, consistency and reliability of northern-grown soybeans and soymeal. NSM works with respected researchers to provide a more accurate picture of soybean feeding quality by considering critical essential amino acids, rather than crude protein as the true measure of soy quality.
“Soybeans leaving from the Pacific Northwest have an advantage in terms of the amino acid profiles,” Groth said. “It’s important to promote our beans so that when our international customers go to place their orders, they think of us first.”
Pretty soon, Groth, who is raising three girls with his wife, was asked to represent MSR&PC on NSM’s board of directors. Luckily, it was a logical fit.
“I made it pretty clear that I thought the international market was important from the get-go of my time on the Council,” Groth said.
The soybean industry isn’t the only realm that Groth is involved in.
“My wife and I have been very involved in the Minnesota Farm Bureau over the years, and I’ve always been a member of the Minnesota Soybean Growers Association as well as the Minnesota Corn Growers Association,” Groth said. “I’m also an FFA alumni and am involved in our church. And now our kids are in 4-H so we’re active 4-H parents as well.”
As NSM ramps up its Fiscal Year 2025, Groth is determined to continue working hard on behalf of Upper Midwest soybean producers.
“Quite simply, I want to see NSM grow our market share, particularly in Southeast Asia,” Groth said. “We’ve had great success but there is still work to be done so we’ll keep delivering our message. They need to hear from farmers about our sustainable farming practices and the advantages of sourcing soybeans and soymeal from us.”
