2026
January 23, 2026
Corn Edition Iowa Corn Growers Association
GROWING LEADERS
Young farmers urged to get involved in Iowa Corn Growers Association By LORI BERGLUND Farm News writer
G
rowing corn? Maier found that the only way That’s big he could make it was to find business in Iowa. an off-farm job — sometimes G r o w i n g working two or three jobs at leaders? That can be a lot the same time as farming. harder on this land between Slowly, he was able to build two rivers that produces more his own successful operation. corn than any other state in the It is perhaps because of these nation. struggles that he sees the value “I grow it, so I want to in becoming involved in an help move it and protect it,” organization such as the Iowa said Jerry Maier, a long- Corn Growers. time activist with the Iowa “My dad always thought Corn Growers Association that if you are going to be and member involved, of the then do Iowa Corn something; Promotion you need Board. to put A 1977 something graduate of back into Eagle Grove it,” he said. High School, “The Corn Maier grew Growers up helping on was a good his family’s organization W r i g h t to do that.” County farm. His dad After high also set school, he a strong headed off example of to Iowa State taking an University, active role earning a in one’s degree in community. agriculture in “Dad was 1981. on the fair “I started board for a d r i v i n g lot of years; — Jerry Maier a tractor he was on when I was Iowa Corn Promotion the co-op probably 8 Board member board, and or 9 years that’s just the old,” he way we were recalled. “I brought up,” just enjoyed Maier said. “You give back to working the ground and your community.” growing crops. Farming is Maier’s own involvement something new every year.” But the early 1980s was with the Iowa Corn Growers a tough time to return to the Association began in 1981, family farm. His parents but in those early years he would actually leave Iowa for chose to only do things at the Tennessee before the decade local level. “When I started, I stayed of the Farm Crisis was over. “The ’80s were really local for a long time because hard on my mom and dad’s of the amount of time it takes,” operation,” Maier said. “I he recalled. “It’s only three shared some equipment meetings a year, but if you with my folks when I was in really want to be involved, it’s college, but I never really did a lot more than that.” For young farmers, farm any of the ground that they did.” Like many small farmers, See MAIER, Page 7C
“My dad always thought that if you are going to be involved, then do something; you need to put something back into it. The Corn Growers was a good organization to do that.”
-Photo courtesy of Jerry Maier
IOWA CORN PROMOTION BOARD MEMBER JERRY MAIER enjoys spending time in the field with sons Brandon, left, and Brett, right.
-Photo courtesy of Iowa Corn Growers Association
TOP PHOTO: Iowa Corn Promotion Board member Jerry Maier talks with a corn grower during a scavenger event at the Iowa State Fair in 2021.