IOWA CORN GROWERS ASSOCIATION

As the country’s oldest and largest state corn grower organization, the Iowa Corn Growers Association brings producers together to proactively manage issues that advance the Iowa corn industry. Over the last 42 years, Iowa has been in the forefront, laying the foundation of several key aspects relating to the corn industry, specifically, the creation of the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) and the implementation of checkoff legislation.

One of the most prominent figures in Iowa Corn Growers Association history is Walter Goeppinger. Goeppinger understood the need to establish a national association the represent and further the interests of corn growers not only in Iowa but also nationwide. This insight would lead to the organization of the National Corn Growers Association with Goeppinger becoming the first NCGA President in 1957. During that same year, Iowa was able to take an active role in hosting both the 1957 Midwest Farm Policy Symposium in Boone, Iowa and the first annual NCGA meeting held in Ames, Iowa.

The Iowa Corn Growers Association, created from a statewide grassroots effort, was formed in 1967 with the distinct purpose of furthering the interests of Iowa corn producers. Specifically, the association’s goal was to promote the domestic utilization of corn, increase corn exports, conduct educational programs, and monitor and influence legislative and regulatory developments of interest to corn producers.

In 1971, the Iowa Corn Growers Association began efforts in the Iowa legislature to pass a corn checkoff authority bill. Five years later, in 1976, the Iowa legislature passed a bill authorizing the corn referendum and levy which was not to exceed one-tenth of a cent per bushel with the option of allowing the grower to request a refund. However, in October of 1976, the referendum failed to obtain a majority vote of Iowa’s corn growers. It was not until 1977, six years after the initial bill was introduced, that the corn referendum received a majority vote and was passed into law. The checkoff program went into effect immediately. Iowa became the first state to introduce the voluntary corn checkoff program, which became the model that is currently used by 18 other state corn checkoff organizations. The checkoff program was so successful that in 1986 the checkoff was increased to one-quarter of a cent and increased again in 1995 to one-half of a cent per bushel for Iowa corn producers.

Currently, Iowa is the nation’s top corn-production state and has the largest membership base of any corn grower association in the nation. The association’s 5,500-plus membership has allowed the Iowa Corn Growers Association to expand in areas such as policy development and to build improved relationships with business and industry, both nationally and internationally.

Corn is the foundation of Iowa’s agriculture industry, playing a vital role in Iowa’s economy and way of life. The mission of the Iowa Corn Growers Association is to create greater profits for Iowa corn growers. With the continued support of its members and grassroots efforts, the Iowa Corn Growers Association will continue to strive to make a significant impact on the industry’s future and, in doing so, preserve Iowa’s role as a leader in the industry.