IOWA CORN’S GLOBAL IMPACT ON RED MEAT MARKETS
Iowa Corn Promotion Board (ICPB), in cooperation with the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF), works to increase demand for U.S. red meat around the world. Over the years these efforts have led to an increase in the amount of corn consumed to produce U.S. beef and pork for the world’s table. Through this partnership, ICPB and USMEF have produced significant and positive results for Iowa corn farmers and livestock producers.
“We are able to invest checkoff dollars from the Iowa Corn Promotion Board to build demand and promote U.S. red meat programs around the world,” shared John Hinners, USMEF Senior Vice President of Industry Relations. “15% of the value of a bushel of corn can be attributed to red meat exports and that is a huge return on investment for Iowa’s corn farmers.”
This year Iowa Corn supported programs in a number of countries including Mexico, Colombia and across the Central America region.
MEXICO:
Mexico remains a strong trade partner with the U.S. In 2023, U.S. pork exports to Mexico reached a record 1.1 million metric tons (mt), up 19% from 2022, while export value increased 15% to $2.35 billion. Demand for U.S. pork is surging despite heightened competition in Mexico.
USMEF works with retailers to identify and differentiate U.S. pork with consumers in Mexico through a variety of promotions. Iowa Corn invested corn checkoff dollars in USMEF’s new promotional program American Pure Pork. This program works to strengthen U.S. pork differentiation in Mexico’s retail and food service sectors. Products with the American Pure Pork label are guaranteed to not have water injected into the pork product, a common practice among retailers in Mexico.
USMEF initiated this campaign with Costco and is providing promotional support for each of the 27 locations in Mexico. Alongside the labels, the campaign also produced cooking videos with influencers and social media campaigns. In 2023, USMEF began expanding this American Pure Pork promotional program into the food service sector as a means of encouraging product identification on menus and in restaurants.
USMEF has also launched their Innovative Mobile Grill & Kitchen (MG&K) workshops, implemented in different cities nationwide as a promotional and informational platform. This program has helped to create product innovation, education and brand awareness. Through the portable culinary seminars and tasting demonstrations, USMEF is also able to highlight the range of U.S. pork items to multiple levels of buyers at various locations and areas where knowledge of U.S. products remains limited.
COLOMBIA:
In Colombia, where most U.S. pork has historically been used for further processing, the U.S. pork industry continues to make gains in the retail and food service sectors. The Colombian peso has recovered from its lows against the U.S. dollar, which has helped to support purchasing power and importer confidence.
In 2021, USMEF began their Butcher Shop Program (BSP) which has revolutionized the Colombian market by improving sales of U.S. beef and pork through structured training related to food safety, service, merchandising and marketing. The program has been widely accepted across Colombia. They have seen a massive 20% to 60% increase in sales for participating butcher shops. The initiative now works with 20 importers and has also expanded into the food service sector where the BSP has reached nearly 120
restaurants. USMEF has changed the game by providing opportunities for culinary trends, sharing new menu ideas and demonstrating the value of identifying U.S. red meat to consumers.
On a recent trade mission to Colombia, Iowa Corn farmers, Ralph Lents and Klint Cork, saw these programs implemented in real-time.
“The partnership with USMEF is truly putting our corn in the form of U.S. beef and pork on tables around the world,” said Ralph Lents, Iowa Corn Promotion Board First Vice President and farmer from Adair County. “Colombia is a developing market for trade of U.S. red meat, but it is going to take time and effort to share about the quality products we produce here in the U.S.”
Iowa Corn invested in this USMEF program to expand the “boots on the ground” training program among additional customers of targeted importers and has introduced a similar training program to the food service sector. As with retail, an important element of the food service training program will include education about the proper handling of frozen U.S. red meat items.
CENTRAL AMERICA:
Pork exports to Central America reached the second-largest record in 2023 at 137,469 mt, up 15% from 2022 and down just 1.5% from the 2021 record. Export value increased 20% year-over-year to $405.7 million, an annual record. Export volume and value were record due to leading markets in Guatemala and to Honduras, while shipments to El Salvador set a volume record.
In Central America, USMEF has focused market development activities on the primary markets of Honduras, Dominican Republic and Guatemala as well as secondary markets including Costa Rica, Panama, El Salvador, Belize and Nicaragua to build demand with existing and potential buyers. Within the region, USMEF is working to position U.S. red meat as safe and healthy—while also focusing on consistency and quality.
Grilling and barbecuing are growing in popularity in Central America and USMEF has developed promotional strategies for the trade, retail and HRI sectors as well as communications strategies for consumers. With funding support from Iowa Corn, USMEF has expanded its work with importers and distributors in Central America to develop mobile, on-site education and promotional workshops for their retail and food service customers about grilling and cooking techniques for high-quality cuts of U.S. pork.
One program was the recent Love & Grill event in El Salvador. At this popular event, USMEF showcased a great selection of prepared dishes featuring U.S. red meat. During this event, they also hosted a popular culinary social media influencer as the headline cooking segment featuring U.S. beef.
Through this program, customers of importers learn about quality attributes of U.S. pork, including sustainability practices, grain-feeding, food safety and the attributes that contribute to superior flavor. New cooking applications are demonstrated on the grill and through varied cooking methods such as Crockpots and Instapots.
The industry had another impressive year in 2023 as global demand for high-quality U.S. red meat continues to grow. Iowa Corn’s partnership with USMEF’s international marketing efforts have added significant value to U.S. red meat growing markets. With a substantial amount of corn produced destined to be consumed by the livestock sector, Iowa corn farmers benefit directly from value-added exports of U.S. red meats. An increasing level of Iowa corn is making it onto tables around the world in the value-added form of U.S. beef and pork.
TOMORROW’S AG LEADERS: THE IOWA CORN COLLEGIATE ADVISORY TEAM
Iowa Corn takes great pride in bringing in and developing the next generation of agriculture leaders. From the farmers who will one day sit in the board rooms or be involved as grassroots members, to those who will work in the industry, Iowa Corn hopes to connect with these individuals early and keep them engaged for years to come.
One program that Iowa Corn utilizes is the Iowa Corn Collegiate Advisory Team (CAT). Every year Iowa Corn recruits for their CAT program, and each year around 20 students pursuing degrees related to agriculture at Iowa’s colleges and universities are selected to join. Over the last 13 years over 250 students have graduated from the Iowa Corn CAT program.
During the school year CAT members learn about top policy issues impacting corn farmers, meet with legislators at the Capitol, visit top corn markets such as ethanol plants and livestock producers, learn about their personal strengths and how to best leverage them, experience leadership training, provide input to Iowa Corn on student programs and recruit new members to join ICGA.
“Being a part of the Iowa Corn Collegiate Advisory Team has been an enriching experience, allowing me to learn about policy affecting corn, tour facilities of key corn customers and contribute directly to student programming and outreach initiatives,” shared Maddie Klemme, Iowa State
student and member of 2023-2024 CAT. “My favorite part of being a part of Iowa Corn’s CAT program was getting to connect and meet agricultural students from across the state, which not only expanded my network but also allowed me to learn more about each person’s passion for the success of Iowa’s corn industry.”
The advisory team also helps ICGA and ICPB in developing programs that target and enhance Iowa Corn’s relationship with students and the future of agriculture. As agriculture continues to evolve, Iowa Corn must find new and innovative ways to connect with and engage members.
“As a graduate of the CAT program, I understand the value that this program brings to our collegiate students,” shared Adam Bierbaum, ICGA District 7 Director and Grassroots Network, Membership & Checkoff Committee Chair. “CAT may be the first touch base for many of these students with Iowa Corn, but it will not be their last. CAT is a great steppingstone for many of these students to take on leadership roles further down the line.”
The leadership of Iowa’s agriculture is built on generations of individuals who made agriculture their cause, not just a job. Iowa Corn recognizes that the future of agriculture depends on developing new leaders who share that same passion. That is why we will continue to invest in leadership development as a core priority of our organization.
SUPPORTING INNOVATION AT THE NEW VET DIAGNOSTIC LAB
This spring marked the opening of the new Vet Diagnostic Lab (VDL) at Iowa State University (ISU) and the groundbreaking of the VDL phase two, a project in which the Iowa Corn Promotion Board has been involved and invested in. The state-of-the-art Vet Diagnostics Laboratory will continue to meet the demand for maintaining and supporting a healthy livestock industry in Iowa, the United States and globally.
The ISU VDL originally began in 1947 and is a fully accredited laboratory that today has the largest number of food animal cases of any laboratory in the U.S. With the need for continued growth, efficiency and biosecurity measures, construction on the new VDL began in 2021. The new VDL will test more than 120,000 cases annually for both domestic and foreign animal diseases interpreting more than 1.6 million different tests. Some of the services that are provided at the VDL include sample receiving and processing, pathology, bacteriology, necropsy, histopathology and an incinerator. The final phase of the VDL is expected to be completed in 2026.
“We are extremely appreciative of Iowa Corn’s generous contribution towards making the new ISU VDL a reality. The new ISU VDL is designed to meet the needs of the most progressive livestock and poultry producers in the world, many of which are right here in Iowa,” shared Dr. Patrick Halbur, Executive Director of the VDL. “The new VDL has better positioned our faculty and staff to respond quickly and efficiently to health challenges that arise, to provide the latest diagnostic technologies for surveillance that help producers keep diseases out of their herds and flocks and the VDL will continue to play a major role in preserving and growing access to global markets for animal protein products produced here in Iowa and across the U.S.”
Iowa Corn understands the importance of a safe and thriving livestock industry not only here in the state but across the
country and the investment in the VLD is critical to both the livestock and corn industry. For every dollar that the ICPB invested into the VDL facility, someone else invested $283, leveraging your corn checkoff investment.
“As one of the top consumers of Iowa corn, livestock plays an important role in our state’s demand for corn,” said Jerod Flaherty chair of Iowa Corn’s Animal Ag and Environment Committee and farmer from Clarke County. “The investment in the new Vet Diagnostic Lab not only supports our partners in the livestock industry but ensures continued demand for our corn products.”
Iowa Corn was recently recognized for our checkoff investment in the VDL along with other ISU projects and programs with the 2024 Order of the Knoll Corporation and Foundation Award. This award is presented to a corporation, foundation or association that has demonstrated generosity to ISU through significant leadership giving, dedicated and long-term service and assistance to students and faculty that has significantly transformed the campus and student experience.
This corn checkoff investment in the Iowa State University Vet Diagnostic Lab will not only provide our industry with state-ofthe-art diagnostic testing but will continue to meet the need for expertise in testing and innovation that will continue to protect animal health and the nation’s food supply.
CULTIVATING SUCCESS: LARRY BUSS
With his Iowa Corn hat always atop his head, Larry Buss is a familiar figure to many of those involved with Iowa Corn, especially to the hundreds of members he has recruited throughout the years. Driven by his unwavering determination to succeed, Larry has always set ambitious goals not only to grow his farming operation and hold a successful engineering career but also to increase membership for the Iowa Corn Growers Association (ICGA).
Larry’s story didn’t start like many farmers. Faced without the opportunity to farm after high school, Larry knew he would have to pursue a career outside of agriculture. After attending Iowa State University and earning his bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Engineering, Larry began his engineering career with the Department of the Navy, as a civilian in California where he worked for two years, before his service in the U.S. Army.
But he and his wife Bunny felt the call to come back to Iowa. They settled in Missouri Valley, and Larry soon began his remarkable 41-year career with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Throughout this career, he focused on fighting floods, reducing flood risk and proper flood plan management. He was recognized as an expert both nationally and internationally within these fields.
Despite his successful engineering career, and achieving a master’s in civil engineering, Larry’s connection to the land and farming remained. The pull and passion to start farming no matter what it took, did not stop and led Larry to purchase his first 19 acres of bare land in 1972. No tractor, no equipment, just a pickup truck, a vision and a lot of ambition. This land purchase came before Bunny and Larry even purchased a home. “I have always been a goal-setter,” shared Larry. “I see where I want to go, make the related decision quite fast and I do it.” For him,
farming was no different. “I was always in an expansion mode and I still am.”
Along with his career in the Corps, farming also became a full-time career. His life became the pursuit of two distinctly different careers at the same time. “I didn’t boat, I didn’t golf, I didn’t bowl. My careers were my recreation and my passion. During the regular hours of Monday through Friday, I was doing engineering. During the evenings and nights, weekends and holidays, I was farming. I thoroughly enjoyed and loved both careers.” With a clear vision of where he wanted to go in life, Larry continued to grow, turning his vision of success into reality.
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“ I have always been a goal-setter, I see where I want to go, make the related decision quite fast and I do it.
One step at a time Larry worked to grow his farm operation and related agriculture businesses to what they are today and after 50 years, Larry looks with pride over all that he has accomplished. Today, Larry farms alongside his son Jason, daughter-inlaw Jennifer and grandson Jordan. Larry shared how he takes great pride in farming alongside his family and knowing that they will continue to carry on the legacy.
“I am confident the legacy will continue. My son Jason has the same drive that I have and is highly successful,” shared Larry. “My grandson is moving in that direction too. About two years ago, I helped Jordan buy his first farm. It felt great to help him, and this year he bought another and wants to expand more.”
Larry’s involvement with Iowa Corn didn’t start until later in his career but once he was asked to join, he jumped in and quickly got involved. After retiring from the Corps, Larry knew that he was ready to dedicate more time and involvement to local groups and agriculture organizations.
In January 2012, he was asked to be an ICGA member. Shortly after that he was asked to consider serving as Harrison County Corn Growers President and began his seven-year-long term. His involvement did not stop there and was elected as an ICPB District 4 Director and eventually served as vice president, president and chair of the ICPB.
Larry shared that this involvement at the local, regional and state level is what helped him and Bunny achieve being named Iowa Master Farmers in 2019. An award given to Iowa farmers who not only demonstrate outstanding management in their farming operations but also provide leadership in their local community and in state and national organizations. The Iowa Master Farmer’s motto is: “Good farming, clear thinking, right living.” Larry served this organization as secretary, vice president, president and chair.
Through his involvement in Iowa Corn, Larry has been able to combine his passion gained through his professional career with the Corps and farming by serving on the board of the Coalition to Protect the Missouri River and attending several Waterways Council meetings. Larry shared that the role that inland waterways play in the marketability of corn products makes it vital to be engaged with these groups.
Larry is wrapping up his last year on the executive committee of the ICPB. Through his time on the board, he has enjoyed helping to share the messages and work done to grow global markets, share education with consumers across the state and develop new corn uses through research.
During his involvement, Larry has also been recognized for being the top ICGA recruiter for several years and is one of the top recruiters of all time. He firmly believes you cannot have a strong organization without members. “I see recruiting ICGA members
as a top responsibility of Iowa Corn leaders,” shared Larry. “I have led by example, we are all busy and we might not enjoy it but it is something we all need to do.”
“The thing I appreciate most about Larry is he is such a humble person. He has everything he has because he has worked so hard for it,” shared Janelle Kracht, District 4 Field Manager. “Larry continues to do what he is best at and grows for the next generation, but he also continues to give back to his community not only through Iowa Corn but through Kiwanis, his church and other organizations. Some people could say they are just too busy, but Larry always makes time and continues to give back.”
As a farmer who grew his farm from nothing, Larry knows that it isn’t always an easy or clear path but shares that having a vision and ambition can help you get a long way. He shares with any beginning farmers to remember that a lot of farmers don’t start where you see them today. Start at step one, you may not have the best equipment or not enough acres but build it over time and just keep going after your goals.
Larry shares that his passion to grow and be better, would not have been the same without the support of his family and wife Bunny. We can all take a lesson from Larry, when you set your mind to it you can do anything.
Thank you, Larry, for your years of commitment to Iowa Corn and continuing to help our organization grow.
At Iowa Corn, we do many things. We develop and defend markets for corn across the globe. We fund research that unearths new uses for corn. And we spearhead education and promotional efforts to communicate the many benefits and uses of corn and corn products. Why do we do what we do? Because we believe in the corn growers of Iowa. What corn farmers do impacts people worldwide, and it’s our mission to support corn farmers’ interests. We’re here to work for the corn farmer. And we’re proud to do it.
TO UNLOCK THE POTENTIAL OF CORN TO SUSTAINABLY MEET THE NEEDS OF A GROWING WORLD
IOWA CORN PROMOTION BOARD DIRECTOR ELECTIONS
ICPB di rector elections are quickly approaching. Crop reporting districts 4, 8 and 9 are up for election. To request a petition or to learn more about the election process, please contact Iowa Corn: 5505 NW 88th Street, Johnston, Iowa 50131 or 515-225-9242. Visit iowacorn.org for further details and more information.
ICPB ELECTION TIMELINE:
July 9 E lections held at local county extension offices. Absentee ballots must be postmarked on or before July 11.