Iowa Agriculture Secretary Bill Northey and the Iowa Corn Promotion Board recently announced plans to conduct a referendum Tuesday, July 8, to increase the corn checkoff by one-quarter cent per bushel. Any producer who raised and marketed at least 250 bushels of corn during 2006-07 is eligible to vote at any county extension office in the crop reporting district where they live from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. July 8.<BR>
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The current corn checkoff, last increased in 1995, is one-half cent per bushel marketed. For an average Iowa yield of 170 bushels per acre, it translates to a checkoff contribution of 85 cents per acre of corn. The checkoff is collected on corn that enters commercial channels but not on grain used on-farm. Producers are able to request a refund of their checkoff contribution and that will not be affected by the vote.<BR>
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The Iowa Corn Checkoff was established by producer referendum in 1977. The Iowa Corn Promotion Board, made up of farmers elected by their peers, invests checkoff dollars for research, education, promotion and market development. For more information on how checkoff dollars are used, contact the Iowa Corn

 

Promotion Board at (515) 225-9242 or find out more online at www.IowaCorn.org. <BR>