ICPB Contributes Funds in Effort to Jumpstart Key Lock and Dam Project

The Iowa Corn Promotion Board (ICPB) has partnered with the Soy Transportation Coalition, the United Soybean Board, and several farmer-led organizations to provide funding for pre-engineering and design costs associated with Lock and Dam 25 along the Upper Mississippi River. Pre-engineering and design must be completed for inland waterways projects prior to construction start, which is a top priority for Iowa Corn. This coalition effort, which has raised $1 million collectively from farmer-funded organizations, aims to help accelerate key infrastructure investment to improve Lock and Dam 25, which is essential to shipping corn, soybeans and other commodities down the Mississippi River to the Gulf of Mexico for export. Funds will be sent to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers after the agency confirms it can accept private sector dollars for this project development phase. 

Below is a statement from the chair of the Iowa Corn Exports and Grain Trade Committee, Mark Mueller: 

“The Iowa Corn Promotion Board is proud to support this coalition effort as it is critical that corn farmers have access to inland waterways to export corn and co-products. These dollars will assist in preparing for construction that will reduce delays and the risk of lock closure, increase efficiencies and lower costs along the entire river system that ships corn and other commodities to international markets.”  

Together with the Iowa Corn Promotion Board, investments were also made by the United Soybean Board, the Soy Transportation Coalition, the Illinois Soybean Association, the Iowa Soybean Association, the Minnesota Soybean Research and Promotion Council and the Missouri Soybean Merchandising Council. Investments by all listed groups totaled $1 million. 

For More Information:

Brandi Strautman, Public Relations Manager, bstrautman@iowacorn.org, 515-513-3227