As part of its 100th anniversary celebration, the American Soybean Association is going back to its roots in Camden, Indiana. Congressman Jim Baird was on hand to talk about the contribution the area has made to agriculture.
“The contributions that Purdue University has made and the Fouts family has made to improving agriculture for us is extremely important,” Baird states.
Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb added, “The now legendary Fouts family perfected the seed here, sold it here, the revolutionary soybean harvester was invented here, and finally, ASA, the American Soybean Association, sprang to life here.”
With support from the Indiana Soybean Alliance, the 100th anniversary celebration included a historical marker dedication. ASA was formed when brothers Taylor, Noah, and Finis Fouts hosted the first Corn Belt Soybean Field Day at their Soyland Farms on September 3, 1920.
“We couldn’t be more proud of those seeds that were planted here in Camden in 1920, have really grown into this premier ag industry,” Gov. Holcomb said. “We couldn’t be more proud that Indiana is home to 22,000 soybean farms and 200,000 ag related jobs. So, we too have just grown along the way with this industry.”