The first Minnesotan elected president of the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) since 2005-06 has assumed his new position. Meanwhile, a western Minnesota farmer has begun his term as president of the Minnesota Corn Growers Association (MCGA).

Tom Haag, who farms corn and soybeans in Eden Valley with his son Nathan, began his yearlong term as NCGA president today.

A farmer for over 40 years, Haag has served on the MCGA board since 2010 and the NCGA board since 2016 and was NCGA’s first vice president in 2021-22. He is the first Minnesotan to serve as NCGA’s president since Gerald Tumbleson held the position in 2005-06.

Among other topics, Haag said he’s excited about higher ethanol blends, noting the federal Next Generation Fuels Act, which would lower fuel prices and reduce transportation-related carbon emissions.

He also said crop insurance will be NCGA’s top priority in the upcoming farm bill and that he’ll work to ensure all the state corn grower associations on the same page.

“Working for the same things, there’s nothing we cannot do,” he said.

Also today, Richard Syverson, who grows corn and soybeans and raises sheep on a fourth-generation family farm in Pope County, became MCGA’s 2022-23 president. He took over the presidency from Lake Wilson farmer Bryan Biegler.

First elected to the MCGA board in 2018, Syverson served as MCGA’s first vice president this past year. Before he was elected to the MCGA board, Syverson was a regional representative for MCGA in western Minnesota.

He said he’s excited about serving as president and that it’s been rewarding to serve in MCGA leadership in recent years.

Also today, Dana Allen-Tully became MCGA’s vice president, Jim Kanten became treasurer, and Wes Beck became secretary. Allen-Tully, an MCGA board member since 2019, runs a dairy and crop farm in Eyota with her parents and brother. Kanten, also a board member since 2019, grows corn, soybeans and sugar beets on his family farm in Milan. Beck has been on the MCGA board since 2020 and raises corn, soybeans, and pigs in St. James.

Founded in 1957, NCGA represents nearly 40,000 dues-paying corn farmers nationwide and the interests of more than 300,000 growers who contribute through corn checkoff programs in their states. NCGA and its affiliated state organizations, including MCGA, work together to create and increase opportunities for corn growers.

Meanwhile, with more than 6,600 members, MCGA is one of the largest grassroots farm organizations in the United States. Working in close partnership with the Minnesota Corn Research & Promotion Council, MCGA identifies and promotes opportunities for Minnesota’s 24,000 corn farmers while building connections with the non-farming public.

Read more about the new leadership roles of President Haag and President Syverson in Leader Update, Minnesota Corn’s weekly e-newsletter, this Tuesday. Sign up for Leader Update here.

The Minnesota Corn Growers Association congratulates President Haag for his new role and looks forward to seeing the positive impact he has on corn farmers across the U.S. MCGA also thanks President Biegler for his service and congratulates President Syverson in his new role, as the organization looks ahead to continued advocacy efforts in support of those issues important to our state’s corn farmers, their families, and local communities.