Vic Miller: Growing Global Influence

For farmers, dedicating their life to caring for the land and growing a crop that feeds and fuels the world comes easily. Dedicating their time and talents to organizations working on their behalf comes naturally for some. That includes Vic and Shari Miller.

A Lifetime of Service

For the past 40 years, Vic Miller has been an active and engaged Iowa Corn Growers Association (ICGA) member.

“I can’t encourage people enough to get involved,” shared Vic. “It gets really easy to sit back and complain. But with the ICGA, you have a voice and chance to improve not only your lot, but everyone else’s as well.”

After high school, Vic’s path didn’t directly lead to agriculture. Upon graduating from college, he enlisted and served in the Navy for two and a half years. Returning to Iowa, Vic trucked and farmed on the side until he was able to fully transition into farming.

Over the last 50 years, Vic has been raising corn and soybeans in Fayette County. Vic and Shari have continued to expand the farm and have also implemented a number of conservation practices, including cover crops for erosion control and transitioning to no till on most of their acres.

Answering the Call to Serve

Vic’s involvement with Iowa Corn started early in his farming career. Following a local meeting about grain transportation on the river, Vic met with Iowa Corn leaders who urged him to get involved.

He helped establish the Fayette County Corn Growers Association, and was soon asked to run for leadership on the state board. Vic ran for the ICGA board but lost the election to the incoming president.

Encouraged by many not to give up, he ran for a vacancy on the Iowa Corn Promotion Board (ICPB) to represent District 3 the following year and won overwhelmingly. He eventually served on the executive committee as president.

Vic shared that it was the people around him who encouraged him to step up and lead. “It’s humbling to have people come to you and say, ‘I think you should apply for this.’ I thought, ‘Who am I?’ But someone saw something and I can’t begin to thank them enough for it.”

A Passion for Trade Policy

During his involvement on the ICPB board, Vic became very involved with the U.S. Grains and BioProducts Council (USGBC). He served on a number of their committees, participated in international missions to share about his farming operation and learn about the demand needs of international customers, and eventually served as chairman of the organization.

Vic truly found his passion for exports through his involvement with USGBC and saw the value of having boots on the ground around the world.

Vic recalled going to India in 2005 with USGBC. During their mission, no government officials were willing to meet with their delegation. So instead, they met with leaders within industry.

Today, USGBC is the only farm organization with an office in India, showing the value of the long-term play to develop the market and how much those initial relationships and missions paid off.

Vic Miller Recognized for Three Decades of Service

This year, Vic was recognized by the USGBC for his 30 years of dedication and involvement in the organization.

“When you’ve been with something for that length of time and you’ve seen the work and impact that your organization has, being recognized for the small part I played in that was a humbling experience,” Vic shared.

But Vic also knows he couldn’t have done it without his strong support system at home. During his time as USGBC chair he recalls being gone for more than 110 days from the farm and relying on Shari to keep the operation running.

“There are always a lot of support people behind the people who are serving on these boards and committees. But we have to band together to have a bigger voice and to be heard,” shared Shari. “I wish other people could have the same experience as us because it really does give you a whole different viewpoint of your little place in agriculture compared to the big picture.”

Local Involvement Continues Today

Today, Vic and Shari remain active members at the local level and Vic continues to serve on Iowa Corn’s Export and Grain Trade Committee. Vic still brings the same dedication to the table that he has demonstrated throughout his years of involvement.

From his first farmer meeting to representing Iowa corn farmers at the international level, Vic Miller has dedicated his time and expertise to advocating for corn farmers. Iowa Corn is grateful for his years of leadership, continued engagement and commitment to ensuring Iowa’s corn farmers have a seat at the table.