Created in 1984, this market order board has nine members who represent some 15,000 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 $1.9 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 produced 552 million bushels of corn for grain in 2023 on just over three million acres.
About 50% of all the corn grown in Wisconsin is used for livestock. Recently, much of Wisconsin's corn is used for ethanol production for fuel. A byproduct of ethanol production—dried distillers grains with solubles—is used in livestock feed. Wisconsin corn also is used as corn sweetener for soft drinks or corn gluten meal for livestock feed. In addition, some of the corn grown in the state enters the world market through the Milwaukee port or is loaded onto barges and sent down the Mississippi River.
Wisconsin Corn Promotion Board directors, each of whom serves a three-year term, are:
- District 1: Randall Woodruff, Chippewa Falls
Includes 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 - District 2: Shane Goplin, Osseo (Secretary/Treasurer)
Includes St. Croix, Dunn, Pierce, Pepin, Buffalo, and Trempealeau counties - District 3: Zachary Soltvedt, Seymour
Includes Forest, Florence, Marinette, Langlade, Oconto, Shawano, Door, Outagamie, Brown, Kewaunee, Winnebago, Calumet, Manitowoc, Fond du Lac, and Sheboygan counties - District 4: Calvin Dalton, Endeavor
Includes Monroe, Juneau, Adams, Waushara, Marquette, and Columbia counties - District 5: Mike Berget, Darlington
Includes LaCrosse, Vernon, Crawford, Richland, Grant, Iowa, and Lafayette counties - District 6: Ryan Ripp, Dane (President)
Includes Sauk and Dane counties - District 7: Ken Rosenow, Oconomowoc
Includes Green Lake, Dodge, Washington, Ozaukee, Milwaukee, and Waukesha counties - District 8: Casey Kelleher, Whitewater (Vice President)
Includes Jefferson, Walworth, Racine, and Kenosha counties - District 9: Randy Hughes, Janesville
Includes Green and Rock counties
Contact
More information about the board is available by writing to the Wisconsin Corn Promotion Board at 672 Johnson St., Watertown, WI 53094; phoning (262) 372-3289; or emailing brenda@wicorn.org.
Questions regarding elections may be directed to:
DATCP Market Orders Program
(608) 224-5046
DATCPMarketOrders@wisconsin.gov