Iowa’s corn industry got a huge boost in 1967 when Walter Goeppinger of Boone had a vision of creating a state farmer-driven group and founded the Iowa Corn Growers Association (ICGA) after starting the National Corn Growers Association ten years earlier. This year marks the 50th Anniversary of ICGA which serves as the collective voice for our Iowa corn farmer-members, lobbying on ag issues at the state and federal level.;xNLx;;xNLx;One early and major accomplishment of the association was the creation of Iowa's corn checkoff program. In 1971, the ICGA began efforts in the Iowa Legislature to pass a corn checkoff authority bill. In 1977, six years after the initial bill was introduced, the corn referendum received a majority of votes and was passed into law. Iowa’s corn checkoff was the first in the nation and the model for the more than 20 other similar state checkoff programs which followed.;xNLx;;xNLx;The passage of the Iowa corn checkoff bill resulted in the creation of two organizations with two very different areas of focus. While the ICGA works towards pro-corn policy, the Iowa Corn Promotion Board (ICPB) invests in research for new uses of corn, educating consumers and developing new markets for corn in all forms. The partnership that exists between the Iowa Corn Growers Association and the Iowa Corn Promotion Board allows our state’s farmers to continue to feed and fuel the world.;xNLx;;xNLx;
Enter story info here
Enter story info here
In 1959, two typhoons struck Yamanashi Prefecture in Japan, where Mt. Fuji is located, devastating its animal husbandry industry and Iowa Corn founder Walter Goeppinger organizes airlift of Iowa hogs and corn to Japan.
Walter Goeppinger helps form the U.S. Grains Council (USGC)
NCGA’s National Corn Yield Contest began with just 20 entries and a winning tally of 218.9 bushels per acre.
The Iowa Corn Growers Association was founded as an organization of corn growers dedicated to addressing issues that support and help improve the Iowa corn industry.
Farm Bill – Agricultural Act of 1970
One of the early major accomplishments of the Association was the creation of Iowa’s corn checkoff program. In 1971, the ICGA began efforts in the Iowa Legislature to pass a corn checkoff authority bill.
Enter story info here
Enter story info here
The Environmental Protection Agency issues the first regulation to phase out leaded gasoline, creating an opportunity for ethanol to be used as an oxygenate.
Enter story info here
Enter story info here
In December of 1977, six years after the initial bill was introduced, the corn referendum received a majority of votes. The passage of the checkoff authority bill resulted in two separate organizations to serve Iowa’s corn farmers. The Iowa Corn Promotion Board was focused on market development, research and education of corn and the farmers that grow it. The Iowa Corn Growers Association maintained its focus on lobbying on ag issues at the state and federal levels.
Iowa corn growers approve checkoff rate of 1/10¢ per bushel. Survey shows growers want the checkoff to develop new uses for corn, expand domestic markets and build export markets.
ICPB begins funding U.S. Grains Council (USGC) as Iowa’s export market development arm.
On January 16, 1978 the Iowa Department of Agriculture verified the results of the December 8, 1997 referendum declaring a majority of producers voting for the establishment of the Iowa Corn Promotion Board thereby officially establishing the organization.
Enter story info here
Thurman Gaskill, a Corwith farmer then acting as ICPB’s first President, pumped the state’s first tank of ethanol in the town of Clarence. Gasohol, as it was called in those days, started small. Promoters found just five stations willing to sell the gasoline mixed with 10 percent ethanol in the towns of Clarence, Cumberland, Osage, Peterson and Fort Dodge.
Enter story info here
Enter story info here
Holds tests in Winterset, Osceola and Creston
Iowa Corn joins U.S. Meat Export Federation to work toward increasing meat exports.
By 1979, the first auto warranty covering ethanol use was issued. That fall, 1,500 farmers left their cornfields to attend a fuel alcohol symposium in Des Moines, IA. ICGA held the National Energy Expo and ICPB and the Iowa Development Commission sponsored Farm Alcohol Field Day to educate farmers about small-scale production of fuel alcohol.
Vice President Walter Mondale held a press conference in Des Moines, Iowa, Dec. 11, 1979, before addressing the Iowa Corn Growers Association. Mondale was substituting for President Carter, who was scheduled to speak at the event. Mondale denied that President Carter is a "political hostage in the White House" because of the Iran crisis.
Iowa Corn Promotion Board sponsors a food editors lunch at Salisbury House to promote HFCS use
Enter story info here
National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) establishes National Corn Development Foundation (NCDF), with Iowa directors named to NCDF’s leadership.
Enter story info here
President Jimmy Carter enforces a grain embargo as a means of punishing the Soviet Union for its invasion of Afghanistan cost the American farmer a crucial overseas market. Exports stopped growing during the 80’s, in part because of the perceived effect grain embargo.
When the Reagan administration began working on the 1981 farm bill, Reagan attempted to set an overall limit on the amount of farm spending in the bill. The administration required that most farmers had to reduce their production acres by 10 percent to qualify for support payments. Farmers did what they had in the past – took their worst acres out of production and increase production on the rest.
ICPB invests in research to lower the cost of corn production and develop new uses at Iowa State University.
Enter story info here
Enter story info here
Iowa's ethanol production reaches 10 million gallons
Enter story info here
Corn exports reach a record 2.4 billion bushels.
Enter story info here
Enter story info here
Enter story info here
The 1983 United States drought, also known as the US Drought of 1983, was an extreme drought that was accompanied by heat waves across several portions of the United States.
Enter story info here
ICPB provides Iowa’s growers with information on managing grain quality.
Enter story info here
Enter story info here
ICPB works with Coke and Pepsi to approve the use of 100% High-Fructose Corn Syrup in soft drinks.
112 bushel yield 1.4 billion bushel crop $2.51 average farmgate price
President Reagan visits Iowa and meets with leaders of the Iowa Corn Growers Association Karol King and Howard Mueller.
We'd love to hear from you. Please send questions or feedback to the below email addresses.
Before contacting us, you may wish to visit our FAQs page which has lots of useful info on Tiki-Toki.
We can be contacted by email at: hello@tiki-toki.com.
You can also follow us on twitter at twitter.com/tiki_toki.
If you are having any problems with Tiki-Toki, please contact us as at: help@tiki-toki.com
Close