Cenex®, the energy brand of CHS Inc., announced today that the Norborne Soybean Festival in Norborne, Missouri, has won the Hometown Throwdown $100,000 grand prize. The other two finalists, the Hayward Musky Festival in Hayward, Wisconsin, and the Roseau Fall Harvest Festival in Roseau, Minnesota, will each receive $25,000. These prizes are intended to elevate these unique community celebrations.
Norborne, known as the "Soybean Capital of the World," has celebrated its agricultural heritage since 1982 with the Norborne Soybean Festival. Held each August, the festival is organized entirely by volunteers and features a variety of events such as a soy coin hunt, soy donuts, agricultural education, and the crowning of a King or Queen Soybean. The festival's deep-rooted traditions, community involvement, and family-friendly activities have made it a standout celebration in the United States.
The Hometown Throwdown contest, launched by Cenex on social media last fall, encouraged people to showcase what makes their hometown festivals special. Over 500 entries were submitted between October 3 and December 15, 2023.
"We couldn't be more pleased with the response we received for Hometown Throwdown. We love seeing the pride people have for their local communities, and it's clear there's no shortage of that in Norborne, Missouri," said Erin Wroge, senior director of energy marketing at CHS Inc. "A big congratulations from all of us at Cenex to the Norborne Soybean Festival. We were truly impressed with all three festivals in the running for the grand prize, and we're looking forward to fostering community pride across the Cenex footprint for years to come."
The Hometown Throwdown initiative is part of Cenex's commitment to supporting local communities. The brand operates over 1,400 retail locations across 19 states, all run by community members. To date, Cenex has awarded more than half a million dollars in grants to support local projects, including improvements to baseball fields, athletic workshops in schools, food shelters, and local festivals.
