Delegates attending the 2018 National Corn Congress in mid-July re-elected Iowan Bruce Rohwer from O’Brien County to the National Corn Growers Association Board for a three-year term. Rohwer joins NCGA directors Chris Edgington of Mitchell County and Kevin Ross of Pottawatomie County on the board. Ross will serve as first vice president-elect for fiscal year 2019.

"NCGA is unique as it brings together corn farmers from across the country to create a cohesive, unified voice in dealing with their shared issues," Rohwer says. "I look forward to the opportunity to serve on this board and, more importantly, to assist the board in its efforts to guide NCGA as a positive force for our nation's corn farmers."

Rohwer is past chair and president of the Iowa Corn Growers Association and is the corn board liaison to the Risk Management Action Team. Rohwer operates a corn and soybean farm, along with his son and daughter, in addition to owning a drainage tiling business. Along with a neighbor, he also owns a sow farrow-to-finish operation.

Issues corn growers need to address
Rohwer places high priority on maintaining NCGA's role as the leading advocate for the corn industry. NCGA brings stakeholders together to find a strong voice advocating for issues such as trade, ethanol and livestock exports as well as addressing consumer concerns. He says corn farmers have several opportunities to be farmer-advocates:

• go before government regulators with a new crop insurance program to help protect farmers

• advocate for the farm bill before congressional committees

• assist as ambassadors for our crop with international buyers

• volunteer as partners with fellow farmers in other associations such as the U.S. Grains Council and U.S. Meat Export Federation

ANOTHER TERM: Bruce Rohwer farms at Paullina in northwest Iowa.

“These opportunities to affect issues of policy and economics come to us as members of NCGA. It’s incumbent on each of us to do the advocacy for agriculture,” Rohwer says.

Iowa Corn has new farmer leaders on board

Iowa Corn announced July 23 results of the board of directors’ elections for Iowa Corn Growers Association (ICGA) and Iowa Corn Promotion Board (ICPB).

Those elected as ICGA directors will continue to bring grassroots policy issues forward and be the collective voice for the nearly 8,000 corn farmer-members in Iowa, lobbying on ag issues at the state and federal level.

The ICGA directors include:
District 2. Stuart Swanson, Wright County
District 5. Dennis Friest, Hardin County*
District 6. Lance Lillibridge, Benton County
District 7. Carl Jardon, Fremont County*
District 8. Steve Kuiper, Marion County
*Denotes growers who were re-elected.

ICPB election results
Since 1978, Iowa corn farmers have elected their peers to serve on the ICPB to oversee investment of funds generated by the Iowa corn checkoff. ICPB directors will continue to promote a thriving Iowa corn industry through research into new and value-added corn uses, domestic and foreign market development, and education on corn and corn products.

These individuals include:
District 4. Larry Buss, Harrison County*
District 5. Michael Fritch, Jasper County
District 8. Gary Petersohn, Ringgold County*
District 9. Stan Nelson, Des Moines County*   
*Denotes growers who were re-elected

Both ICGA and ICPB are charged with creating opportunities for long-term Iowa corn grower profitability. Elected directors begin to serve Sept. 1.

Source: Iowa Corn Growers Association