South Dakota Corn Growers, Utilization Council elect officers

Two organizations that represent South Dakota’s corn farmers have elected officers for the following year.

The South Dakota Corn Growers Association board of directors elected Troy Knecht of Houghton as president, Doug Noem of Bryant as vice president and Scott Stahl of Emery as secretary/treasurer.

Directors of the South Dakota Corn Utilization Council have re-elected Ryan Wagner of Roslyn to serve as president, Robert Walsh of Elk Point as vice president and Laron Krause of Clear Lake as secretary-treasurer.

Knecht, who has served on the SDCGA board since January 2010, raises corn, soybeans and alfalfa, has a stock-cow operation and manages a Wensman Seed dealership. He serves on the American Coalition for Ethanol board of directors, Britton-Hecla School Board and Brown County Weed and Pest Board.

Noem has a diversified crop and livestock operation. He joined the SDCGA board in early 2012. His public service includes serving as a Hamlin County commissioner, president of a local cooperative and member of the Pork Producers public policy committee.

Stahl joined the board in early 2017. He and his family raise corn, soybeans and oats, have a cow-calf operation and a feedlot, and do custom fertilizer spreading. He is a member of the Syngenta Agri-Edge Advisory Board and the Bridgewater-Emery School Foundation Board.

Wagner joined the SDCUC board in March 2014. His family’s farm has been 100-percent no-till since the late 1980s. They use a rotation of 40 percent corn, 40 percent soybeans and 20 percent spring wheat. Wagner also is a commodity broker.

Walsh, who joined the board in 2016, farms in Union and Clay counties. He and his family grow corn and soybeans, and raise seed soybeans for several seed companies. They farm both dryland and irrigated ground, mostly near the Big Sioux River.

Krause joined the board in 2015. He raises corn, soybeans and wheat on his farm and is a partner in Supreme Pork, a farrow-to-finish operation, for which he finishes hogs. He previously served on boards representing the soybean and pork industries.

The Corn Growers Association, one of the largest commodity groups in the state, promotes corn, represents corn producers on public policy issues and serves as a legislative voice.

The Corn Utilization Council is responsible for the collection and administration of a one-cent-per-bushel corn check-off program. Money raised through that program funds research and development of new uses and markets for corn and corn byproducts that benefit South Dakota economically and environmentally.