Sustainability Resources

True Sustainability is a Journey

Minnesota Corn has made significant investments for decades in three important elements of sustainability including People, Planet, and Profit. Minnesota Corn’s approach to sustainability is a journey. The Minnesota Corn Sustainability Report details the investments to date in projects and programs that comprise the three pillars of sustainability. This establishes a baseline for tracking progress in the years to come.

Future versions of the Minnesota Corn Sustainability Report will track Minnesota Corn’s continued progress in its sustainability journey. By aligning People, Planet, and Profit, Minnesota Corn is charting a path toward a more resilient agricultural future—one where farmers thrive, communities prosper, and natural resources are safeguarded for generations. The complete 2025 Minnesota Corn Sustainability Report is available here.

People

• Increased Agricultural Literacy & Leadership: Invested $1.5M since 2021 to reach 160,000+ K–12 students annually and support thousands of emerging leaders through scholarships and leadership programs.
• Strengthened Rural Community & Consumer Connections: Invested $3.4M since 2021 to engage 1.5M Minnesotans in 2024 through events, sports sponsorships, and educational programming— supported by 6,500+ members and 52 county associations.
• Expanded Farmer Knowledge & Innovation: Invested $7M since 2008 in farmer education and outreach, including Nitrogen Smart training for 1,200+ farmers on 1M+ acres and 100+ Innovation Grants that improved profitability and resource stewardship.

Planet

• Secured State & Federal Funding: Advocated for targeted water-quality efforts—such as nitrate reduction in southeast Minnesota and expanded soil-health assistance— to help farmers protect natural resources.
• Improved Production & Environmental Stewardship: Invested $12M+ since 2008 across 60+ long-term research projects, enabling improved nitrogen efficiency, increased soil carbon, and reduced input costs.
• Documented On-Farm Environmental Benefits: Demonstrated 52% less erosion, 98% lower emissions, 15% less nitrogen loss, and 19% less phosphorus loss over three years, based on current practices compared to a conventional baseline on Minnesota Corn farms.

Profit

• Advanced Ethanol Promotion & Infrastructure: Invested $35M+ since 2008 to expand ethanol access and awareness— delivering strong returns to farmers, raising corn basis by 15¢/bu (+$71M/year), and saving Minnesota drivers $25M in 2024.
• Enhanced Global Engagement & Market Access: Strengthened export opportunities through international outreach and partnerships, supporting efforts to expand global markets by 15%.
• Accelerated Innovation & New Uses: Invested $4M+ since 2014 to advance biobased products such as Låkril and Valerian Materials, which, if scaled, could unlock 1B+ bushels of future corn demand.