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Iowa Soybean Research Center

in collaboration with the Iowa Soybean Association

Iowa Soybean Research Center to Host SoyFest

August 18th, 2021

SoyFest graphicAMES, Iowa — Two new events in honor of August as Soybean Month in Iowa will be held at Iowa State University next week, hosted by the Iowa Soybean Research Center at Iowa State.

The center’s inaugural SoyFest will be held on Wednesday, Aug. 25, on central campus near Parks Library from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. This outdoor celebration of all things soy will feature several vendors and will highlight the importance of soy and its many uses from food to new and innovative products.

Join the ISRC and SoyFest sponsors for a free cookout, soy-related snacks, cooking and robotic demonstrations, giveaways, a photo booth, samples, carnival games, a special drawing for students and a visit by Cy! While the event is intended as a fun, educational event for Iowa State students during the first week of classes, the public is welcome to attend. In the event of bad weather, SoyFest will be relocated to the Iowa Farm Bureau Pavilion.

On Tuesday, Aug. 24, the ISRC will host a SoyFest kickoff event with Meals from the Heartland from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. at the Hansen Agriculture Student Learning Center. Volunteers from Iowa State University will package 20,000 meals to be sent to those in need at various locations around the world. Meals from the Heartland is a nonprofit organization working to tackle issues of global hunger and food insecurity locally and internationally.

In keeping with the ISRC’s focus on soybeans and their importance as a food high in protein that meets key human nutritional needs, the ISRC will be packaging soy-protein-based meals. Joel O’Dell with Meals from the Heartland said, “Soy protein is the most life-saving ingredient in our formula.”

The ISRC gives special thanks to Cargill and Syngenta for providing funding for the soy-protein formula, making this special SoyFest-related event possible.

Other businesses and student groups contributing to SoyFest include REG, Iowa Soybean Association, Iowa Food & Family Project, Wheatsfield Co-op, Okabashi Shoes, Iowa Smokehouse, Iowa Turkey Federation, Morning Bell Coffee Roasters, ISU Creamery, Center for Crops Utilization Research, Agricultural Research Service - U.S. Department of Agriculture and ISU Clubs: Agronomy, Culinary, Dietetics, Food Science, Grill Team and several research labs.


About the Iowa Soybean Research Center

The Iowa Soybean Research Center was established in 2014 by Iowa State University in partnership with the Iowa Soybean Association. The center at Iowa State University was founded to increase soybean production and profitability for Iowa farmers through coordinated research efforts involving Iowa State, the Iowa Soybean Association and the private sector. More information about the Iowa Soybean Research Center is available at www.iowasoybeancenter.org or by contacting center director Greg Tylka, 515-294-0878 or ISRC@iastate.edu.

Contacts: 

Greg Tylka, Iowa Soybean Research Center, 515-294-0878, gltylka@iastate.edu
Kara Berg, Iowa Soybean Research Center, 515-294-8927, kjberg@iastate.edu