ISRC to Host SoyFest 2023 on August 23
By Kara Berg, ISRC
In celebration of Soybean Month in Iowa, the ISRC will host its second biennial SoyFest on August 23, 2023, on Iowa State University’s central campus near Parks Library. This free, outdoor celebration of all things soy is held during the first week of fall classes at ISU and features Iowa vendors, ISU research labs and student clubs highlighting the importance of soy and its many uses in everyday life from food to new and innovative products. SoyFest will offer grilled pork and soy-veggie burgers, soy-related snacks, robotic and other technological demonstrations, soy-themed prize giveaways, carnival games, a special drawing for students, soy-based ice cream and a visit by Cy.
Two new games will be featured at SoyFest this year: a putting green hosted by SYNLawn made with artificial soy-backed grass and a wooden “Soyhole” beanbag toss game donated by Columbia Forest Products and made with their PureBond® soy-based adhesive plywood.
Participating businesses and groups at SoyFest 2023 include the Iowa Soybean Association, Iowa Food & Family Project, ISU Creamery, Corteva Agriscience, Chevron-REG, Iowa Turkey Federation, Hy-Vee, Iowa Smokehouse, Old Capitol Food Co., Okabashi Shoes, Laura Soybeans, Ames Ford Lincoln, USDA and numerous ISU undergraduate student clubs. Several ISU researchers will provide hands-on learning experiences, including Eric Cochran, chemical and biological engineering (of soy asphalt fame); Arti and Danny Singh, agronomy; Daren Mueller, Erin Hodgson and Matt O’Neal, plant pathology, entomology and microbiology; and Lie Tang, agricultural and biosystems engineering, who will provide some hands-on learning experiences. For more information, visit: https://iowasoybeancenter.iastate.edu/soyfest.