Tire Grant has McIntosh County Sheriff’s Department Riding on Soy

May 3, 2023 FARGO, ND – North Dakota and McIntosh County farmers, through their soybean checkoff dollars, are giving back to local first responders this year while promoting soy-based innovation at the same time. The North Dakota Soybean Council (NDSC) recently provided a grant to the McIntosh County Sherriff’s Department for the purchase of Goodyear soy-based tires for their squad car.

 

“Our sheriff’s office was in the market for new tires for one of our department vehicles,” says Victor Fischer, deputy with McIntosh County Sherriff’s Department. “We decided this was a great opportunity for our department. We’re grateful and very appreciative of how accommodating the North Dakota Soybean Council was with this grant process.

 

The NDSC provided grants, up to $1,000 per organization, for the purchase of Goodyear soy-based tires. The farmer led board of directors wanted to give back to their communities, while also supporting the various uses for soybeans.

 

“These grants provide an excellent opportunity to give back to first responders and show off the many uses North Dakota agricultural products play in our everyday lives,” says Jennifer Meyer, NDSC director and soybean producer from Wilton, North Dakota.

 

Since 2017, Goodyear, supported by the United Soybean Board’s soy checkoff investments, has released seven lines of tires with soybean oil compounds. The Akron, Ohio based company has increased its use of soybeans by 73% since 2018, according to the company, and pledged to fully replace all of its petroleum driven oils with soybean oil by 2040.

 

“These new tires were installed right before a major snowstorm giving us a greater advantage through the harsh road conditions,” says Fischer. “If anyone is on the lookout for a new set of tires for their vehicle, we’ll be the first to recommend soy-based Goodyear tires. They have far exceeded our expectations.”

 

McIntosh County produced 3,220,000 bushels of soybeans in 2022. Farmers in the county planted 124,000 acres and harvested 122,900 acres of soybeans.

 

“The soy checkoff continues to conduct research and partner with industry to find new ways to utilize soybean oil,” says Shireen Alemadi, NDSC outreach and education coordinator. “With these grants, we’re able to help the promotion of our soybeans, but most importantly help our community, which is very rewarding.”