Fields of dreams became reality: ICGA celebrates 50 years of advocacy

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — It was an evening of reminiscing, getting reacquainted with old friends and celebration as the Illinois Corn Growers Association observed its 50th birthday Aug. 8.

The DoubleTree Hotel ballroom was packed with past and current ICGA board members, staff, family and friends to reflect on the organization’s roots and accomplishments over five decades.

Rolland Main, Victoria; John Curry, Victoria; Housel Roberts, Altona; John Block, Gilson; and Donald Love, Galva, incorporated the ICGA on July 30, 1971, and held its first official meeting in 1972 at the Knox County Farm Bureau in Galesburg.

Main, who served as ICGA president from 1973 to 1982, was among many the honored guests at the celebration.

“I’m just tickled to death of the accomplishments and everyone taking hold and keep pushing the ball forward. It looked tough to do in the beginning and it was. It was hard to get done, but we planted the right seed, the dedication and intestinal fortitude, and once you get producers motivated and involved, it’s going to go,” Mann said.

He added it was “greatly gratifying and very humbling” to see how that seed has grown into a vibrant organization.

“It was hard to get done, but we planted the right seed.”

—  Rolland Main, past president, Illinois Corn Growers Association

“Rollie led the development of our organization, creating bylaws, drawing districts and growing membership, all on a thin dime because he saw a need for an organization to support corn farmers. We stand on his shoulders today,” said Marty Marr, New Berlin, ICGA president.

Marr said one of the highlights of the celebration was listening to past leaders talk about their experiences and history across five decades.

“It’s been just a great evening catching up with each other, sharing a lot of stories. There was a lot of hard work that went along the way with Illinois Corn. It’s an organization that I know I’m personally proud and honored to be a part of this year as president,” Marr noted.

“We had a roomful here tonight with some really great people that made a real impact on agriculture.

“When I think about my farming career, it really takes you back about how many challenges there really were, and will always remain, but also all of the opportunities that came along with it. There were some real wins. Especially, like tonight, ethanol was a big focus here for Illinois Corn because there has been such a great effort in that regard.

“There’s a lot to be proud of here with all of the people that contributed to that effort in the end and all of the positive things that came out of all of the work that they did and the boots on the ground.

“It’s been just a great evening. We had an awesome crowd, and it was great to see people here from all of the commodity groups.”

Far-Reaching Impact

Max Armstrong, renowned agriculture journalist and Farm Progress Companies broadcasting director, served as master of ceremonies. He commended the ICGA for its impact that reaches far beyond Illinois farms.

“Not only did you make a tremendous contribution to agriculture in Illinois, but you’ve also made a tremendous contribution to agriculture all over the nation,” Armstrong said.

“Think if you hadn’t championed ethanol tirelessly the way you did, it wouldn’t have carried elsewhere. The Iowans couldn’t have done it by themselves, and Nebraska, they couldn’t have done it by themselves. It was you guys, working with ADM, working with U.S. Grains Council, to take the mission overseas.

“You never stopped, and that has made a difference in small towns all over America where the agriculture industry was able to thrive because of the ethanol market where farmers were able to sell more corn at higher price because of ethanol.

“And you’ve benefited me as a consumer. I thought about you every time I filled up with E85 this summer. In my particular area it was 70 cents under unleaded regular, 90 cents in a couple of instances. I’ve been driving with E85 for 13 years. I love it. I think it’s good for me. I’ve seen the benefit of it. It wouldn’t have happened without the drive and enthusiasm of the people in this room and your association and your members behind you.”

Panelists

A highlight of the evening was a panel discussion featuring leaders from each of the last five decades.

Joining Main as panelists were Floyd Schultz, Plainview, president in 1985; Kent Kleinschmidt, Emden, 1993; Len Corzine, Assumption, 2000; and Jeff Jarboe, Loda, 2016.

After sharing stories of their time with ICGA, the panelists offered advice to the next generation of leaders. Here’s what they said.

Jarboe: Illinois Corn really had some strange bedfellows with some strange relationships. Don’t be afraid of those. The Carpenters Union, the Council of Best Management Practices, Syngenta, Farm Bureau, Illinois Corn, Illinois Pork and others all got together and started to understand each other from their point of view how to take care of the waterways. Make sure you don’t leave any rock unturned. Try to find somebody that could help you look outside the box.

Corzine: Don’t be afraid to get started. I went to my first meeting and I’m thinking how do these guys know all of this stuff. The deal is to not be afraid and also our staff, which I don’t call them staff, they’re part of the team, and we’ve got the best team to give us the background that we need.

We all have to do some homework. Farmers want to hear farmers. Our team is great, and they push us out there and they need to because we’re representing farmers and farmers want to hear from that part of the team. So, you’ve got to get outside of the box, you’ve got to get out of your comfort zone and do those things and who knows what might happen.

You cannot let those that don’t know much about farming, whether it’s in D.C. or in Beijing or in Moscow or in California or wherever you end up, don’t let them make decisions about what you do when they don’t have a clue without you being at the table.

We’ve got to be at the table. We’ve got to be in the tent and that is the biggest deal that should drive us all or we will lose ground.

You’ve got to be resolute. You’ve got to do some homework and you’ve got to get to the microphone, get to the table and meetings and never be a wallflower.

Kleinschmidt: Farmers want to hear from farmers. Legislators want to hear from farmers. Staff can only do so much. They want to hear from people on the farm, not staff. My motto has always been the world is run by those who show up.

If you haven’t been on one of the boards, it’s kind of scary at your first meeting, you don’t know what’s going on, but the Corn Growers staff really did a good job of getting us all background as you move up through the chairs. So, by the time you’re president, you know what the issues are, you know what the answers are, and you just get comfortable with it.

Schultz: Never back down. I don’t remember when it was, but we were discussing a farm bill and they said everybody is going to have to take a cut. So, the National Corn Growers said, OK, we’ll volunteer to take a cut. They cut us twice.

Don’t ever take a cut. Don’t ever volunteer to take a cut. Stick by your guns and go for all you can get because that’s what everybody else does and you’ve got to do the same thing, otherwise they’re going to cut you down.

Main: You need to lead like you mean it. Do onto others as they would do onto you. That’s at least part of the culture that I grew up with. Keep it simple, but be fair and honest.

You should have that dedication that I enjoyed as a founder and principle leader early on. The only reason I was in there that long was I was afraid to step out for fear they wouldn’t keep going until we got some things done, so we could stand on our own.