Farmers vote to increase checkoff rate

Illinois corn farmers voted in favor of increasing the corn checkoff rate established in the Illinois Corn Marketing Act in a vote held March 29, 2022, according to Illinois Department of Agriculture. The referendum, which passed in an 88%-12% vote of all farmers subject to the act, will result in the current 5/8 cent corn checkoff rate increasing to 7/8 of a cent-per-bushel. The program will retain the right to refund and the new rate will take effect October 1, 2022. “We understand that it is important that we continue to invest these checkoff dollars with integrity to achieve the goals and meet the needs of corn farmers in Illinois,” said Mark Wilson, ICMB Chairman. ICMB is governed by a volunteer board of corn farmers elected by their peers. These farmers invest the checkoff funds.