Check-in on the Checkoff: Increasing Corn Farmer ROI Through the Radicle Corn Challenge

By: Paul Gieselman

Paul Gieselman is a farmer from Morning Sun, Iowa, and serves as the Iowa Corn Promotion Board (ICPB) President and on the Grassroots Network, Membership & Checkoff Committee. 

As Iowa corn farmers, we know that driving long-term profitability requires moving beyond traditional markets. That is why the Iowa Corn Promotion Board (ICPB) invests checkoff dollars in the Radicle Corn Challenge, a global effort designed to create breakthrough, high-value demand for corn. 

By partnering with Radicle Growth and other state checkoffs,  Iowa Corn is identifying companies that convert corn and corn-derived feedstocks into new bio-based solutions. The Challenge, finalized in early September, awarded $1.75 million in investments to two winners: 

• Citroniq uses fuel-grade corn ethanol to manufacture 100% bio-based polypropylene plastics, the second largest material by volume. This replaces petroleum in packaging, automotive and industrial markets. 

• Future Origins uses corn-derived dextrose in fermentation to create sustainable ingredients for home and personal care products, opening massive new markets previously reliant on palm oil and fossil fuels. 

By investing farmer checkoff dollars in bold initiatives like the Radicle Corn Challenge, we are proving how versatile U.S. corn can be as a replacement for fossil-based products. We are building scalable value chains, driving new demand and directly protecting our bottom line for generations to come.

To learn more, visit iowacorn.org. 

Thank you, 

Paul Gieslman

Iowa Corn Promotion Board President