A Checkoff at Work for TN Corn Farmers

Tennessee Corn Promotion Board (TCPB) is funded through a one-cent- per-bushel checkoff assessed on all corn marketed in the state. TCPB collects and administers the corn checkoff funds. This fund is exclusively used to make much needed investments into market development, promotion, education, and research, all which benefit the Tennessee corn industry, agriculture, and economy.  With just two years into operations, the work has already begun to really make an impact for Tennessee corn producers.

This farmer-funded, farmer-led organization determines how checkoff funds will be invested and continually looks to the future with your best interest in mind. Here are a few ways your board of directors are working to create a sustainable agriculture economy for you:

  • Strengthening and expanding our foreign and domestic markets for corn and corn co-products

  • Building infrastructure and demand for higher blends of ethanol fuels

  • Investing in youth and young growers

  • Working to educate consumers and cutting through misinformation about corn farming and agriculture

  • Ensuring our growers have access to the most innovative technology and production practices to grow profitable and sustainable corn crops

For the checkoff to really provide results on the farm, it is crucial to collaborate with partners with the same mission in mind: long-term profitability for Tennessee corn farmers.

The Tennessee Corn Promotion Board funding is a partnership program in which UT and UTM Agriculture Research and UT Extension provide a 1:1 match in the form of faculty salary or unrecovered overhead costs. In addition to exploring solutions with the awarded funds, the faculty is able to leverage TCPB funds to seek additional funding from other organizations.

In the first two years of operations, The Tennessee Corn Promotion Board was able to invest $433,195 in university agriculture projects to fund research to improve the producer’s bottom line. This is just one example of valuable programs that make a real difference in your operation.

This investment program has just started and is already making investments to guarantee lasting success for your operation, not just in your bank account, but in the image of corn farmers in your community, state, and world.

Stacie McCracken