Check-in on the Checkoff: Generating New Demand Through Investment

By: Joe Roberts

Joe Roberts is a farmer from Belmond, Iowa, and serves as the Iowa Corn Promotion Board (ICPB) President and on the Exports and The Grain Trade Committee. 

One of our favorite things to say at Iowa Corn is that “Iowa doesn’t just grow corn, Corn Grows Iowa,” and it really is the truth. Corn not only fuels our vehicles and feeds our livestock, but it is also in over 4,000 everyday products found in our homes and at the grocery store. The versatility of the crop is limitless, which is why the Iowa Corn Promotion Board (ICPB) continues to invest in companies that discover new uses for corn. 

The National Corn Growers Association’s (NCGA) Consider Corn Challenge is one way ICPB is investing in growing corn demand. The challenge announced its 2025 winners as Aerterra – the first bio-based, renewable air filters made from U.S.-grown corn; Terragia – a company developing technology to enable cost-effective biological conversion of biomass to fuels and products; and Arizona State University – for their technology focused on corrosion mitigation for crude oil pipelines that employs corn-derived inhibitors. Each winner received a $100,000 grant through funding from NCGA, state corn organizations and other partners to further develop and scale their companies, thus increasing corn demand. 

Additionally, Iowa Corn partnered with Radicle Growth and supporting state corn grower organizations to create the Radicle Corn Challenge, sponsored by U.S. Corn Farmers. The Radicle Challenge set out to invest a minimum of $1.5M in start-up and growth companies worldwide whose innovative technologies and business models create new uses as well as long-term sustainable demand for corn. Lakril Technologies, one of two winners of last year’s challenge, was recently recognized as one of the Chemical and Engineering News’ Top 10 Start-ups to Watch, further proving that investing in new uses for corn creates real value for corn growers. 

To learn more about how Iowa Corn is finding new uses for corn, visit www.iowacorn.org/corn-production-research/new-corn-uses. 

Thank you, 

Joe Roberts 

Iowa Corn Promotion Board President