Gov. Pete Ricketts recently appointed two corn farmers to the Nebraska Corn Board. Ted Schrock of Elm Creek will be director for District 6, and Andy Groskopf of Scottsbluff was named District 8 director.

Schrock replaced Dennis Gengenbach, and Groskopf succeeded Jon Holzfaster. Both Gengenbach and Holzfaster were at the end of their terms and chose not to seek re-election. In addition, David Merrell of St. Edward was reappointed to serve as the District 7 director.

Schrock farms and ranches in Phelps County and is active on and off the farm. He served on the Phelps-Gosper County Farm Bureau, and the Phelps County Planning and Zoning Commission. He is a member of the Nebraska Corn Growers Association. His farm has been in the family for over 100 years, and in 2008, Schrock Farms received Aksarben’s Pioneer Farm Award. He earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s College of Agricultural Science and Natural Resources in 1992.

Groskopf attended Western Nebraska Community College and farms with his father and uncle in Scotts Bluff County. Groskopf is a 2010 graduate of the Nebraska Farm Bureau Leadership Academy, the acting president of the Scotts Bluff County Farm Bureau and a member of the Scottsbluff FFA alumni chapter.

Nebraska Corn Board directors serve three-year terms with opportunities to be re-elected. In addition to the new director appointments, the Nebraska Corn Board held officer elections at their August board meeting.

David Bruntz, District 1 director, was elected as the chairman of the board. Bruntz has been farming for over 30 years near Friend. He grows irrigated and nonirrigated corn and soybeans, and feeds cattle. Bruntz received his education from UNL’s Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture. He has been with the board since 2013. Bruntz replaced David Merrell, District 7 director, who now serves as past chairman.

Brandon Hunnicutt, District 3 director, was elected as the vice chair of the Nebraska Corn Board. Hunnicutt farms with his father and brother near Giltner, where they grow corn, popcorn, seed corn and soybeans. A fourth-generation farmer, the operation has been in Hunnicutt's family for over 100 years. He earned his bachelor’s from UNL and has served on the Nebraska Corn Board since 2014.

Debbie Borg, District 4 director, was re-elected secretary-treasurer. Borg lives near Allen and is a partner in TD Borg Farms, a fifth-generation farm. On their farm, they raise corn, soybeans, alfalfa, feed cattle and are engaged in establishing the sixth generation in the business. Borg earned a bachelor’s degree from Colorado State University. She has served on the Nebraska Corn Board since 2013.

“It’s so encouraging to have a dynamic and passionate corn board that works hard to enhance our state’s corn industry,” says Kelly Brunkhorst, executive director of the Nebraska Corn Board. “Jon and Dennis have contributed a lot to our state’s corn checkoff, so it’s difficult to see them move on. However, we look forward to the new perspectives Ted and Andy bring to the group.”

Each of the officer positions are effective immediately and will last one year. The Nebraska Corn Board is made up of nine farmer directors. Eight members represent specific Nebraska districts and are appointed by the governor of Nebraska. The board elects a ninth at-large member.

Source: Nebraska Corn Board