Green Ribbon Fairs program to showcase soybean products at 11 fairs

ST. LOUIS — This summer, U.S. soybean farmers will show some of their products at 11 state, county and regional fairs.

The soybean checkoff’s Green Ribbon Fairs program will introduce millions of fair attendees — from both rural and urban areas — to the benefits of soy-based consumer and industrial products.

The United Soybean Board and soybean checkoff will reimburse the fairs for using soy-based products as part of fair operations, activities or facilities improvements. They’ll use a variety of soy-based products, including soy biodiesel, cleaning products, dust suppressants, hand sanitizer, ink, insulation, maintenance products, paint and more.

The 11 fairs, spread across nine states, could draw as many as 2.6 million people combined.

The list of participating fairs includes:

• Heart of Illinois Fair, Peoria, Ill., July 8-16

• Delaware County Fair, Manchester, Iowa, July 11-17

• Michigan Soybean Festival and Fowler County Fair, Fowlerville, Mich., July 25-30 (fair) and Sept. 10-11 (festival)

• Ohio State Fair, Columbus, Ohio, July 27-Aug. 7

• Ozark Empire Fair, Springfield, Mo., July 27-Aug. 7

• Finney County Fair, Garden City, Kan., July 28-30

• Schoharie County Sunshine Fair, Cobleskill, N.Y., July 29-Aug. 6

• Missouri State Fair, Sedalia, Mo., Aug. 11-21

• Dutchess County Fair, Rhinebeck, N.Y., Aug. 23-28

• Maryland State Fair, Timonium, Md., Aug. 25- Sept. 5

• Dyer County Fair, Dyersburg, Tenn., Sept. 5-10

Thanks, in part to soybean checkoff funding, more than 1 billion pounds of U.S. soybean oil could go to industrial uses this year.

The United Soybean Board is made up of 69 farmer-directors who oversee the investments of the soybean checkoff on behalf of all U.S. soybean farmers.