Members of the Wisconsin Corn Growers Association are calling for a rate increase of the state’s corn checkoff.

During the group’s annual meeting this month, delegates passed a resolution to boost the checkoff rate to one-half cent per bushel from the current rate of one-tenth of one percent per bushel. As a result, members of the WCGA board of directors are actively developing a plan to fulfill the membership’s decision and increase the checkoff.

“Wisconsin’s corn checkoff hasn’t changed in more than 20 years although our markets and the way we run our businesses have changed significantly,” said WCGA President Tom Novak. “We often get proposals for research and marketing activities but lack the resources to enact them which is very frustration to us.”

The primary objective of the corn checkoff, which is governed by a state marketing order, is to maintain and expand corn sales. It includes such efforts as development of new products and markets; improving corn production, marketing and handling methods, educational programs for producers, handlers or consumers relating to the quality or nutritive value of corn and corn products.

In additional to funding ethanol studies and helping bring ethanol plants to Wisconsin, checkoff funds support the U.S. Grains Council, distiller’s grains research and development of other value-added uses, but cannot be used for lobbying. The Wisconsin corn checkoff is administered by a board of producer-elected corn growers. Every affected corn grower in the state can have a say in how these funds are spent.

Wisconsin’s corn checkoff, which is governed by a state marketing order collects the check-off from every bushel of Wisconsin corn sold in the state. The farmer-elected Wisconsin Corn Promotion Board that oversees the checkoff often sees opportunities to fund research and marketing efforts, but lacks the resources to so because it collects only an estimated $180,000 annually.

The state has one of the oldest checkoff laws in the nation.

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