Commodity Classic Short Course Ben Gleason, Sustainable Program Manager September 2, 2015

IOWACORN.ORG | #IACORN Outline Iowa Corn Local Activities Iowa Corn Projects 2

IOWACORN.ORG | #IACORN Iowa Corn Iowa Corn is a joint organization of the Iowa Corn Promotion Board and the Iowa Corn Growers Association Mission: Create opportunities for long-term Iowa Corn grower profitability 3

IOWACORN.ORG | #IACORN Iowa Corn ICPB is a board of peer-elected farmers who direct funds collected through the Iowa corn checkoff program. Checkoff funds can only be used for research, market development and education. Lobbying is prohibited. The checkoff program currently collects one cent per bushel and is refundable. 4

IOWACORN.ORG | #IACORN Iowa Corn ICGA is a grassroots membership organization funded by its dues-paying members. It lobbies on agricultural issues on behalf of its 8,000 members. All policy positions begin at the grassroots level. Any member can propose resolutions that may be added to ICGA’s official policy book. 5

IOWACORN.ORG | #IACORN Local Activities Iowa Corn Grassroots Structure 3

IOWACORN.ORG | #IACORN Local Activities Types of local and district ICGA activities Policy activities: Roundtables Promotional activities: Pump promotions, grocery store visits Educational activities: Crop fairs, test plots, county fairs, ag in the classroom Social activities: Golf, trap shoots, tractor rides, banquets 7

IOWACORN.ORG | #IACORN Local Activities ICGA districts & counties are seeking activities! If your SWCD needs local participation, contact me or our district field managers. –Field days –Watershed projects –Banquets –Commissioner candidates 8

IOWACORN.ORG | #IACORN Iowa Corn Projects Soil Health Partnership Iowa Agriculture Water Alliance Iowa Nutrient Research & Education Council Nutrient Use & Land Management Research Watershed Projects 9

IOWACORN.ORG | #IACORN Soil Health Partnership National Corn Growers Association’s initiative to demonstrate the economic and environmental benefits of soil health practices including: –Cover crops –Reduced tillage –Nutrient management 10

IOWACORN.ORG | #IACORN Soil Health Partnership 20 farms added every year for 5 years 23

IOWACORN.ORG | #IACORN Iowa Ag Water Alliance (IAWA) Accelerating the pace and scale of quantifiable water quality improvements in Iowa –Conservation –Communications –Resource Development –Coordination 12

IOWACORN.ORG | #IACORN Iowa Nutrient Research & Education Council (INREC) Mission: –Progress measurement using retailer records –Validation of products and services –Education by ag retailers and crop advisors to deliver environmental technology to farmers 13

IOWACORN.ORG | #IACORN Nutrient Use & Land Management Research with ISU and IDALS –Improve drainage, improve yield, improve water quality –Collect nutrient application data from farmers in six drainage districts in Clay, Palo Alto, and Pocahontas counties –Combine with water quality monitoring 14

IOWACORN.ORG | #IACORN Watershed Projects Iowa Corn support –Checkoff funds for research or education –ICGA member involvement –Promotion –Letters of support 15

Questions? Ben Gleason, September 2, 2015