Greatest Association

create_table(:minors) do
  primary_key :id
end

create_table(:states) do
  primary_key :id
  foreign_key :minor_id, :minors
  String :state, :size => 10
end

SELECT minors.*, sm.state
FROM MINORS
INNER JOIN (
  SELECT
    states.id, states.state, states.minor_id
  FROM
    states
  LEFT OUTER JOIN states AS maxstates
  ON
    maxstates.minor_id = states.minor_id
    AND maxstates.id > states.id
) sm ON sm.minor_id = minors.id