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Minnesota Corn enjoys successful Farmfest

August 10, 2021
Congresswoman Michelle Fischbach (left), who represents Minnesota’s Seventh Congressional District, talks with grower-leaders Richard Syverson and Dana Allen-Tully inside MCGA’s Farmfest tent.
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Above: Grower-leaders Richard Syverson and Dana Allen-Tully talk with Congresswoman Michelle Fischbach (left), who represents Minnesota’s Seventh Congressional District, inside MCGA’s Farmfest tent.

The Minnesota Corn Growers Association (MCGA) was once again a can’t-miss stop at Farmfest, which returned to Gilfillan Estates near Morgan in early August.

Scores of farmers, families and agriculture stakeholders visited the MCGA tent during the three-day event to talk with grower-leaders, take pictures in a camper-turned-photo booth and grab sweet-corn ice cream samples.

The MCGA tent was also a popular spot for state and federal politicians, who learned about the many ways corn growers are building a sustainable future for the state’s agriculture sector and all Minnesotans.

Here is a brief rundown of MCGA’s presence at the event.

[More: Read additional Farmfest coverage.]

Day one

MCGA grower-leaders and staff were ready bright and early to scoop ice cream and chat with political leaders, farmers and the larger ag community about topics vital to rural Minnesota and farming. Grower-leaders also conducted the first of many radio, print and TV interviews with outlets throughout the state and Upper Midwest.

MCGA board member Harold Wolle (left) is interviewed live on KELO, a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, radio station.

Almost immediately, the photo booth, which was new to the MCGA tent this year, proved to be a hit, as visitors enjoyed posing with fun hats, sunglasses and corn-themed props as they shared their photos (and support for Minnesota agriculture) on social media.

Visitors also eagerly grabbed samples of sweet-corn ice cream, which is produced by the University of Minnesota exclusively for the MCGA tent at Farmfest. The 39 gallons MCGA brought to the event for just day one were gone before the end of the afternoon!

[More: Get the recipe for sweet-corn ice cream.]

Meanwhile, MCGA grower-leaders were hard at work renewing memberships and signing up new members. As a thank you, new and renewing members received a free five-gallon MCGA-branded bucket for signing up at Farmfest. Over the course of the three days, MCGA eclipsed our previous Farmfest record with more than 100 new and renewed memberships.

Former Minnesota Corn board and council member Mickey Peterson, who is known for his prolific recruiting skills, helps visitors to MCGA’s Farmfest fill out membership forms.

Throughout the first day, a smattering of state politicians visited the MCGA tent. They included Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka, Sen. Michelle Benson, Sen. Gary Dahms, former Sen. Scott Jensen and House Agriculture Committee Chairman Mike Sundin and former Rep. Jeanne Poppe.

Congressman Tom Emmer and Congresswomen Angie Craig and Michelle Fischbach also visited the MCGA tent to hear from farmers about the critical issues impacting their farms.

Day two

The second day of Farmfest started just after sunrise for MCGA President Tim Waibel, who was interviewed live by Blois Olson on the WCCO Radio Morning Show. MCGA is the official radio broadcast partner for WCCO’s live Farmfest coverage, bringing agriculture issues to a statewide listening audience.

Later that morning, Craig returned to the MCGA tent, and former U.S. House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson also stopped by. Also visiting that morning was the 2021-22 Minnesota FFA student board.

Other notable visitors that day included Gov. Tim Walz, who appeared in the MCGA tent alongside multiple state commissioners, such as Thom Petersen (agriculture), Roslyn Robertson (labor and industry) and Sarah Strommen (natural resources). Also in the tent were Speaker of the House Melissa Hortman, Reps. Kaohly Vang Her, Ginny Klevorn, Nathan Nelson, Paul Torkelson and Dan Wolgamott and Sens. Erin Murphy and Melisa Franzen, who became an MCGA member.

KFAN “Power Trip” morning show host and Unleaded 88 fan Chris Hawkey.

Waibel and MCGA board member Tom Haag were among the farmers and agriculture leaders who participated in Farmfest panels that day in the Wick Building.

[More: View livestreams of the panels.]

Day three

While fewer people appeared to be in attendance on the final day, per ususal, the photo booth and ice cream remained just as popular.

A steady line of kids and adults alike took pictures in the photo booth. And the last of the 100-plus gallons of ice cream MCGA ordered for the event were gone by early afternoon.

Dignitaries visiting the MCGA tent that day included University of Minnesota President Joan Gabel; Brian Buhr, dean of the university’s College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences; and Beverly Durgan, dean of the university’s Extension Center for Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources. The day also featured a visit to the tent from KFAN “Power Trip” morning show host and Unleaded 88 fan Chris Hawkey, who greeted and took pictures with fans.

State Reps. Tony Albright, Tony Jurgens and Kristin Robbins also stopped by.

  • Visitors to the Minnesota Corn tent who renewed or became new members at Farmfest received free five-gallon, MCGA-branded buckets as a thank-you gift.