Fairgoers across the Midwest are invited to add their voices to a national movement celebrating the farmers who feed the world
MINNEAPOLIS, Aug. 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Year of One Million Thanks Buddy Seat Tour presented by Pivot Bio, is heading to three of the biggest state fairs in the country this summer, giving fairgoers in Wisconsin, Iowa and Minnesota an opportunity to join a national celebration of America’s farmers.
Last month, the Year of One Million Thanks kicked off a more than 1,500-mile journey across rural America, sending a working family tractor – dubbed the Grati-Tractor – on the road to collect one million messages of gratitude for farmers and spark conversations about what it will take to keep American agriculture strong for generations to come. Now, the tour is bringing that celebration to state fairs, where agriculture and the communities it supports have long come together.
“State fairs are a natural stop on our Year of One Million Thanks journey,” said Chris Abbott, CEO of Pivot Bio. “For generations, state fairs have been where farm families and rural communities come together, where young people show the results of months of hard work, and agriculture’s newest ideas are shared. They bring people closer to agriculture and give us an opportunity to celebrate the farmers who make so much of our everyday lives possible. We hope people will stop by the tractor, think about the farmers behind the food on their tables, the clothes they wear and the fuel in their tanks, and leave a message letting them know their work is seen and appreciated.”
State Fair Schedule:
- Wisconsin State Fair — West Allis, Wisconsin
Aug. 7–9, 2026 - Iowa State Fair — Des Moines, Iowa
Aug. 22–23, 2026 - Minnesota State Fair — St. Paul, Minnesota
Sept. 5–7, 2026
At these state fairs, visitors can capture a photo with the Grati-Tractor and add their own message of gratitude to the growing collection of thank-yous from across the country.
Unable to attend a Year of One Million Thanks tour stop in person? Visit our website to leave a virtual message of thanks and see where the tractor will be going next.
About A Year of 1 Million Thanks
The Year of One Million Thanks Buddy Seat Tour will be visiting states around the nation to celebrate and thank farmers.
Beginning July 20 at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, and over the course of the next 12 months, Pivot Bio CEO, Chris Abbott will travel more than 1,500 miles across America’s rural communities with a working family tractor, meeting with farmers in their fields and communities to listen to their experiences, celebrate their contributions and explore the ideas that will shape the next generation of agriculture.
The tour is built around a simple belief: the best ideas for agriculture begin with the people who live it every day. Just as importantly, the tour is intended to spark action. By bringing together farmers with leaders from business, government, academia and the broader agricultural community, Pivot Bio hopes the conversations will identify practical partnerships and solutions that can help farmers address today’s challenges while preparing for tomorrow’s opportunities.
Every journey needs the right vehicle. For a journey as impactful as the Year of One Million Thanks Buddy Seat Tour, that meant finding more than simply a tractor to make the trip. It meant finding one that represents the resilience and spirit of American agriculture. The search led to 69-year-old Missouri farmer Tom Boedeker of Boedeker Brothers Farm, a fourth-generation family operation near Elsberry, Missouri, whose roots date back to 1936. The Grati-Tractor is a real working tractor owned by Boedeker Brothers Farms and Tom serves as an honorary farm ambassador as part of the tour.
About Pivot Bio
Pivot Bio is one of the world’s leading agricultural biotechnology companies, delivering breakthrough crop nutrition technologies that help farmers improve productivity, profitability and sustainability through the power of science. Guided by its purpose of improving the lives of farmers and the health of the planet, Pivot Bio partners with farmers to advance innovation, strengthen food security and help shape the future of agriculture. Currently available in North America and soon in Brazil, the company’s products represent a breakthrough innovation and one of the agriculture industry’s most promising solutions. Pivot Bio has been recognized three times by TIME magazine on its annual list of Best Inventions, by Fast Company on its World Changing Ideas and World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies lists, by CNBC on its Disruptor 50 list, by Fortune on its Impact 20 list, and by MIT Technology Review as one of 15 climate tech companies to watch. For more information, visit PivotBio.com.
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SOURCE Pivot Bio, Inc
