Missouri Corn Announces New Leadership

(JEFFERSON CITY, Mo.)–With Missouri’s corn harvest in full swing, the Missouri Corn Merchandising Council (MCMC) and the Missouri Corn Growers Association (MCGA) kick off a new fiscal year with new leadership and a new board member.

The election of the 2011-12 MCMC officer team took place during an August board meeting held in Branson, Mo. The following MCMC leaders assumed their new roles Oct. 1:

Chairman	Rob Korff	Norborne, Mo.	District 2
Vice Chairman	Kevin Hurst	Tarkio, Mo.	District 1
Secretary	Kyle Kirby	Liberal, Mo.	District 4
Treasurer	Morris Heitman	Mound City, Mo.	District 1

 

Also elected in August, the 2011-12 MCGA officers are:

President	Billy Thiel	Marshall, Mo.	District 5
Vice President	Jim Stuever	Dexter, Mo.	District 7
Secretary/Treasurer	Gary Porter	Mercer, Mo.	District 2

 

New MCMC board member Jay Schutte of Benton City, Mo., was recently elected by growers in District 3 and assumed his new role Oct. 1. Schutte will be nominated to the MCGA board at the organization’s annual meeting in February. Schutte replaces retiring board member Kenny McNamar of Gorin, Mo. McNamar served the maximum nine years on the board and held multiple leadership roles including MCMC chairman and MCGA president.

Several Missouri Corn grower-leaders have been appointed to serve on National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) action teams and committees. Kevin Hurst has been reappointed to the Ethanol and NASCAR Committees; Billy Thiel will serve on the Corn PAC; Jim Stuever was named to the Trade and Biotechnology Action Team; Kyle Kirby was appointed to the Bylaw Committee; John Moreton of Charleston, Mo., was named to the Research and Business Development Action Team; and Mark White, executive director of the Environmental Resources Coalition (an affiliate of Missouri Corn), will serve on the Production and Stewardship Action Team and Mycotoxin Task Force. Additionally, Mike Geske of Matthews, Mo., is currently a director on the National Corn Board and will serve as the liaison to the Ethanol Committee. He will continue his work with the Missouri Corn board as an ex-officio member.

MCMC is also a longstanding partner with the U.S. Grains Council in working to enhance commodity values through strong international exports. Representing Missouri corn farmers on the U.S. Grains Council include: Gary Porter, Rest of the World Programs; Morris Heitman, Value-Added; Missouri Corn Vice President of Operations and Grower Services Gary Wheeler, Asia Programs; and Jim Stuever, who will serve as chairman of the Biotechnology Advisory Team.

The MCMC board of directors is comprised of 14 farmers elected from across the state. This volunteer board was formed in 1984 with the passage of a corn checkoff and is dedicated to market development, research and education. MCGA is a grassroots organization of more than 2,000 members dedicated to increasing the profitability of corn production through sound policies, continued market development and strong involvement in the political process. To learn more, visit www.mocorn.org.