Following a $1,000 grant, the Wahpeton Police Cruiser now has wheels made of soybeans

Wahpeton, North Dakota – Thanks to a grant from the North Dakota Soybean Council, first responders are now using tires made of soybeans.

Each charity will get a $1,000 grant from the council to buy Goodyear soy-based tires. Included in this is the Wahpeton Police Department, which just bought plant-based tires for a squad car.

“The Wahpeton Police Department has a small budget for tires,” says Deputy Chief Tim Appell of Wahpeton Police Department. “One of our patrol vehicles did not have pursuit-rated tires. Without pursuit-rated tires, driving the vehicle at high speeds endangers officers and others. Soy-based Goodyear tires are a good quality product, and we thank the North Dakota Soybean Council for their generosity.”

Since 2018, Goodyear has boosted its reliance on soybeans by 73% and promised to completely phase out the use of petroleum-based oils by the year 2040.