SD Growers, 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 Doug Noem of Bryant as president, Scott Stahl of Emery as vice president and Jeff Burg of Wessington Springs as secretary/treasurer. Noem and Stahl move up from vice president and secretary/treasurer, respectively.

Directors of the South Dakota Corn Utilization Council have elected Robert Walsh of Elk Point to serve as president, Laron Krause of Clear Lake as vice president and Grant Rix of Groton as secretary/treasurer. Walsh and Krause also move up from vice president and secretary/treasurer.

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.

Burg, who joined the board in 2017, raises corn, soybeans, small grains and alfalfa. He and his family also have calving cows and a beef herd. Other service includes president of the Wessington Springs Township Board, Farm Credit Services nominating committee and Lake Mitchell Advisory Board and watershed committee.

Walsh, who joined the SDCUC 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 has served on the board since 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.

Rix, who joined the board in 2018, raises corn, soybeans and wheat. He has served as a Brown County Watershed District officer and on the SDSU Northeast Research Farm advisory board. Other service includes the Groton Area School District board of education, the Northeast Special Education Co-op and township board.

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

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