Press Release

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The South Dakota Soybean Research & Promotion Council (SDSRPC) partnered with the City of Sioux Falls to build longer-lasting roads using environmentally friendly, farmer-grown, soy-based sealant.

Weather in South Dakota creates a challenge in maintaining quality roads. That’s where soy-based PoreShield™ comes in. Developed with funding from the Soybean Checkoff, PoreShield™ is a soy-based concrete sealant that is proven to provide protection against water, freezing/thawing, and salt to increase the life of the concrete by over 5 times.

On September 9, the South Dakota Soybean Checkoff funded the application of PoreShield™ on the new construction on Marion Road beginning at the intersection of Madison Street.

“We’re always looking for new, innovative ways to improve roadways in our community, especially when we can use bio-based products,” said Nick Rezac, Engineer for the City of Sioux Falls. “The application was fairly simple and will bring great value for years to come.”

Each 60-pound bushel of soybeans contains approximately 12.4 pounds of soybean oil. There are 7.7 pounds of soybean oil per gallon of PoreShield™, in the form of Soy Methyl Ester. On average, PoreShield™ utilizes 200 bushels of soybeans per mile of highway joint.

PoreShield™ isn’t just used in road and bridge maintenance; it has been applied on patios and walkways at universities, the sidewalks of a fire station, on hundreds of driveways and can be used in other construction and architectural projects including parking lots and garages, curbing, buildings, dams, and pipelines.

SDSRPC Chairman Tim Ostrem commented on the benefit of bringing soy-based products to the community, “We value partnerships with the communities we all work and live in.” Ostrem said, “Opportunities where we can bring quality products to our communities and drive demand of soybeans for our farmers are a win-win for everyone.”

The South Dakota Soybean Checkoff is dedicated to driving soy demand through market development, research, and promotion. To learn more about the South Dakota Soybean Checkoff, visit sdsoybean.org and follow SD Soybean on Facebook and Twitter. More information on PoreShield™ is available at Poreshield.com.

Full blog and photos are available here.