ILLINOIS CORN GROWERS ASSOCIATION

The Illinois Corn Growers Association was officially incorporated July 30, 1971. The first president of the organization was John R. Block, who went on to become U.S. Secretary of Agriculture; the vice president was Rolland E. Main; and Robert Tracy was elected Secretary/Treasurer.

The first ICGA board included these officers and John Curry, Don Love, Housel Roberts, Al Lambin and Ralph Froelich. On March 15, 1974 Larry L. Groce was named Coordinator, ICGA’s first staff position, and By-Laws were adopted. ICGA started as an affiliate of the Illinois Agricultural Association (Illinois Farm Bureau family of affiliates).

The first annual membership meeting of ICGA was conducted April 5, 1975 in Bloomington, Illinois. The entire state was divided into 15 Districts (based on farmer population and corn production) and a Director was elected to represent the producers in each District. In addition, three At-Large board members are elected as statewide representatives.

The organization was formed in order to respond to producers perceived need for organized legislative representation that was corn specific at the state and national level. ICGA gradually increased its membership and as numbers grew so did the magnitude of legislative success.

ICGA was instrumental in the passage of the Illinois Corn Marketing Act in 1982, which initiated the Ľ cent-per-bushel voluntary state corn checkoff program. The Illinois Corn Marketing Board (ICMB), which administers the corn checkoff fund, expanded ICGA’s effectiveness once again by allowing the majority of ICGA membership dollars to be diverted to legislative efforts.

ICMB funding of ICGA allowed the group to expand its market development, education and promotion efforts.

In 1997, ICGA dedicated its new building in Bloomington and celebrated its 25^th anniversary. ICGA has nearly 5,000 members and a staff of seven full-time and one part-time employees.