Grafton police purchase soy-based tires with grant from North Dakota Soybean Council

GRAFTON — The Grafton Police Department has purchased a set of soy-based tires for its patrol car, thanks to a grant from the North Dakota Soybean Council.

The GPD is one of several North Dakota organizations to receive the $1,000 grant from the Soybean Council through the council’s soybean checkoff dollars, according to a release from the council.

The NDSC hopes the grants will serve as a way to give back to its members’ communities while promoting soy-based innovation.

“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 Adam Redmann, NDSC director and soybean producer from Saint Thomas.

Grafton Deputy Police Chief Todd Lerol said the grant was a good opportunity to try out the soy-based tires.

“This grant is helpful to our department, and we thank the North Dakota Soybean Council,” he said in a statement.

Goodyear Tires has released seven lines of tires with soybean oil compounds with the support of the United Soybean Board’s soy checkoff investments, according to the release. The Ohio-based company has increased its use of soybeans 73% in the last five years, and has pledged to fully replace all of its petroleum driven oils with soybean oil by 2040.

The release adds that Walsh County produced 3.9 million bushels of soybeans in 2022, and farmers in the county harvested 92,000 acres of soybeans.

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

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