Corn Promotion Board

Created in 1984, this market order board has nine members who represent some 18,000 corn growers. Its purpose is research, new product development, international marketing, and education.

This board is responsible for the oversight of an annual assessment of about $1.7 million. The assessment is $0.005 or one-half of a cent per bushel of corn.

Wisconsin is a major corn-growing state, and it ranked 10th in the production of corn for grain with 525 million bushels produced in 2011. Last year's crop averaged 160 bushels per acre, with better yielding varieties available for growers in the central and northern regions of the state. State corn production contributed $820 million to the Wisconsin economy in 2007.

About 50 percent of all the corn grown in Wisconsin is used for livestock. Recently, much of Wisconsin's corn is used in ethanol production for fuel. With some used for corn sweetener for soft drinks, and corn gluten livestock feed. In addition, some of the corn grown in the state enters the world market through the Milwaukee port or is loaded on barges and sent down the Mississippi River.

The Wisconsin Corn Promotion Board directors, each of whom serves a three-year term, are:

• District 1 (Douglas, Bayfield, Ashland, Iron, Vilas, Burnett, Washburn, Sawyer, Price, Oneida, Polk, Barron, Rusk, Lincoln, Chippewa, Taylor, Eau Claire, Clark, Marathon, Jackson, Wood, Portage, and Waupaca counties): Randall Woodruff, Chippewa Falls.
• District 2 (St. Croix, Dunn, Pierce, Pepin, Buffalo, and Trempealeau counties): Tom Gillis, Roberts.
• District 3 (Forest, Florence, Marinette, Langlade, Oconto, Shawano, Door, Outagamie, Brown, Kewaunee, Winnebago, Calumet, Manitowoc, Fond du Lac, and Sheboygan counties): Ron Fenner, Ripon.
• District 4 (Monroe, Juneau, Adams, Waushara, Marquette, and Columbia counties): Cal Dalton, Pardeeville.
• District 5 (LaCrosse, Vernon, Crawford, Richland, Grant, Iowa, and Lafayette counties): Joe Zenz, Lancaster.
• District 6 (Sauk and Dane counties): Howard Hartmann, Prairie du Sac.
• District 7 (Green Lake, Dodge, Washington, Ozaukee, Milwaukee, and Waukesha counties): Ken Rosenow, Oconomowoc.
• District 8 (Jefferson, Walworth, Racine, and Kenosha counties): David J. Adams, Lake Geneva.
• District 9 (Green and Rock counties): Randy Hughes, Janesville.

More information about the board is available by writing to the Wisconsin Corn Promotion Board at W1360 Highway 106, Palmyra, WI 53165 or phoning 262-495-2232.