November Stand Up with Stan

By: Stan Nelson

Stan Nelson is a farmer from Middletown, Iowa, and currently serves as the Iowa Corn Promotion Board (ICPB) President and on the Animal Agriculture and Environment Committee.

A remarkable part of the Iowa corn industry is that the product I grow on my farm can end up in the hands of someone clear across the globe in the shape of something entirely different than what I see it as on my farm – a kernel of corn.

I recently had the opportunity to attend the 2023 Textile Exchange Conference in London, where I saw the possibilities of a kernel of corn come to life. Brands like lululemon and Target were in attendance along with industry professionals from the entire supply chain of textiles, including farmers like me. As clothing brands look at their carbon footprint, they are resorting to more plant-based products, like biosynthetic fiber made from corn, that can reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and replace the use of petroleum-based products.

As a farmer, conversations at events like these are vital to my farm and agriculture as we know it. It’s important for businesses who are turning to farmers for sustainability purposes to understand that it’s not a one size fits all approach when it comes to conservation practices. As farmers, we know our land, we know what works and what doesn’t depending on the soil types we have, locations of fields, weather and many other factors.

However, conversations with major brands like these wouldn’t be made possible if it wasn’t for the investment of the Iowa Corn Promotion Board, which works to defend and expand markets, promote new uses of corn and educate consumers on the value of corn in their everyday life. Corn is everything and I stand by that.

To learn more about the investment of your checkoff dollars and how you can stand up for your farm, visit iowacorn.org.

Thank you,

Stan Nelson