Альянс соевых бобов Индианы передал шины с соевым маслом службам скорой помощи округа Бентон

Soybean-Based Tires Donated to Benton County EMS Indiana Soybean Alliance donates Goodyear tires containing soybean oil to help local first responders while creating new markets for Indiana soybeans. BENTON COUNTY, Ind. (WLFI) - From the Farm, to the road. The Indiana Soybean Alliance is putting a different kind of soybean product to work in Benton County. The alliance is donating a set of Goodyear tires containing soybean oil to Benton County EMS. The tires are designed to provide another use for one of Indiana’s largest agricultural products while helping support local first responders. According to the Indiana Soybean Alliance, Goodyear researchers found that replacing petroleum oil with soybean oil can improve tire performance in snow and icy conditions. For Benton County EMS, reliable tires are especially important when responding to patients during difficult weather conditions. “When weather is inclement, sometimes ambulances can’t always get to where they need to go, so we use other vehicles, service vehicles, to get to patients,” Benton County EMS Director Jason Fisher said. The donation also helps address the rising cost of maintaining emergency vehicles. “In 2026, maintaining all of our emergency vehicles in the fleet continues to increase, like everybody else’s maintenance cost,” Fisher said. “Any offset donation that we get definitely helps, especially with a small, rural community county budget.” The donation is part of a larger effort by the Indiana Soybean Alliance to support rural communities and create new markets for Indiana soybeans. Alliance representative Allen said first responders play an important role in communities across the state. “We feel like they’re really the backbone of our small communities across Indiana,” Allen said. The soybean alliance has been making donations to first responders, fire departments, food pantries and other organizations that provide services in rural communities for more than three years. This marks the third year of donations to local first responders. The soybean-based tires are another example of how soybeans grown by Indiana farmers can be used beyond traditional food and agricultural products, while providing practical support to rural communities. Copyright 2026 WLFI. All rights reserved.