Check-in on the Checkoff: Increasing Corn Demand with USMEF

By: Ralph Lents

Ralph Lents is a farmer from Menlo, Iowa, and currently serves as the Iowa Corn Promotion Board (ICPB) President and on the Industrial Usage & U.S. Production Committee.

As a corn and beef cattle farmer, I know how much one commodity impacts another. If the U.S. has a low-yielding corn crop, my cattle feed prices go up. If beef exports go down, the price of my corn goes down, too. In Iowa, one in two farmers raise livestock and those livestock consume a lot of corn. That’s why the Iowa Corn Promotion Board invests in the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF).  

The purpose of USMEF is to create new opportunities and further develop existing international markets for U.S. corn-fed red meat. USMEF represents red meat producers, packers, processors, traders, farm organizations, grains producers and supply and service organizations. When united, USMEF amplifies the voices of these organizations, increasing red meat exports around the world.  

In partnership with USMEF, Iowa corn farmers host international trade teams, allowing customers from around the world to learn more about corn and livestock produced in Iowa. Additionally, Iowa corn farmers have traveled internationally to share the farming and conservation practices they use to ensure they are raising a high-quality product for consumers. For every dollar ICPB invested into USMEF’s export programs, a median net return of $3.87 and $7.42 for the beef and pork industries is generated.  

If it weren’t for our state’s livestock production, Iowa corn farmers would face lower demand for corn. Similarly, without being the top producers of corn, we would likely not be a leader in red meat production. Our partnership with USMEF is extremely valuable, and we look forward to continuing to support Iowa’s livestock farmers. 

For more information on Iowa Corn’s partnership with USMEF, visit www.iowacorn.org/corn-market-development/us-corn-exports/.

Thank you,

Ralph Lents

Iowa Corn Promotion Board President