Iowa Corn Farmers Honored at the Iowa State Fair

A sea of Iowa Corn Growers Association (ICGA) member blue t-shirts descended on the Iowa State Fairgrounds on Friday, August 21, to celebrate Iowa Corn Day at the Fair. Fairgoers visited with members from around the state as they took part in a scavenger hunt across the fairgrounds to complete corn trivia while learning about corn’s impact on the state. 

Throughout the fair, many ICGA members and families were recognized for their outstanding leadership in agriculture, those families and their achievements are as follows:  

The Wergin Good Farm Neighbor Award is made possible by the Coalition to Support Iowa’s Farmers, recognizing Iowa livestock farmers who take pride in caring for the environment, their livestock and being good neighbors.   

• Will Longinaker, farmer from Fremont and Mills County, raises row crops, hay and a commercial cow/calf herd. 

The Way We Live Award, sponsored by Iowa Farmer Today and WHO Radio, The Big Show, recognizes Iowa farm families who have demonstrated their dedication to agriculture and strong Iowa farm values.  

• Moeckly Farms was homesteaded in 1854 and today is an eighth-generational farm that continues to work the ground their past generations farmed in Polk City. ICGA members Tyler and Anna Moeckly, farm alongside Steve and Paula Moeckly, and Jonathan, Jacob and Nicholas Moeckly growing corn, soybeans, seed corn, seed beans, hay and custom forage harvesting. Additionally, the raise Angus and White Park cattle. 

The Iowa Farm Environmental Leader Award is a joint effort of the Governor, Lt. Governor, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and Iowa Department of Natural Resources, recognizing the exemplary voluntary efforts of Iowa’s farmers as environmental leaders committed to healthy soils and improved water quality.  

• Sharon Chism, Palo Alto County 

• Gene DeBruin, Mahaska County 

• Jeff & Paula Ellis, Lee County 

• Caleb and Ted Hamer, Scott Beenken and Kyle Mesch, Black Hawk County 

• Chris Hansen, Black Hawk County 

• Scott Hilgerson, Clayton County 

• JD and David Hollingsworth, Jefferson County 

• Phil and Amy Patterson, Adair County 

• Joe and Paige Roberts, Wright County 

• Joe Rowe, Mitchell County 

• Gene Ver Steeg, Mike and Sarah Ver Steeg, and Cody and Kaylee Ver Steeg, Lyon County 

Additionally, the Iowa Corn Promotion Board (ICPB) was proud to sponsor Fergie, the corn-fed steer in the 2026 Iowa Governor’s Charity Steer Show. This year’s steer was accompanied by Iowa Corn Promotion Board President Joe Roberts, a corn farmer from Wright County, and Garett Cash, son of Ryan and Shana Cash. Garett will be a freshman at Iowa Central Community College this fall. Together, they took home fifth overall steer and contributed to a record-breaking year of donations, raising $572,000 for the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Iowa.  

For more information on Iowa Corn Day at the Fair visit https://www.iowacorn.org/education/iowa-corn-day-at-the-iowa-state-fair. 

For More Information:

Sydney Garrett, Public Relations Manager, sgarrett@iowacorn.org, 515-225-9242