Chad Willis, a farmer from Willmar, M.N., representing the Minnesota Corn Research and Promotion Council, was elected as chairman of the U.S. Grains Council’s (USGC’s) Board of Directors at its 61st Annual Board of Delegates Meeting, held in Des Moines, Iowa, in late July.
“I was drawn to the Council because I need dependable markets to sustain my farming operation. But as I’ve served the Council and as I’ve been able to see firsthand by traveling to other countries, it’s a two-way street – to be successful, we need each other,” Willis said in his incoming remarks.
“As we recognize the importance of our grain markets, we must continue to build on our value-added markets for DDGS and ethanol. The value of global trade has so much potential if we work together to access them.”
Willis has been farming since 1997 and has worked in both the corn milling and feed industries. He was a member of the Minnesota Corn Research and Promotion Council before serving on its board. After joining the Council, he served on both the Value-Added Advisory Team (A-Team) and was a vocal advocate for creating the Council’s Ethanol A-Team before serving on the Council’s Board of Directors and being in the Council’s officer rotation.
Together in Trade, the theme chosen by Willis for his year of service, represents the work required by all participants to make trade successful around the world – from world governments to U.S. farmers, buyers from around the world to Council staff in those markets, it truly requires the dedication of many to ensure success in the global grain trade.
Willis is joined on the board by:
– Joshua Miller, Indiana Corn Marketing Council – Vice Chairman
– Brent Boydston, Bayer Crop Science – Secretary-Treasurer
– Jim Raben, Illinois Corn Marketing Board – Past Chairman
– Duane Aistrope, Iowa Corn Promotion Board – At-Large Director
– Don Duvall, Illinois Corn Marketing Board – At-Large Director
– Jay Fischer, Missouri Corn Growers Association – At-Large Director
– Verity Ulibarri, United Sorghum Checkoff Program – At-Large Director
– Greg Hibner, J.D. Heiskell Hawkeye Gold – Agribusiness Sector Director
– Rick Schwarck, Absolute Energy – Agribusiness/Ethanol and Co-Products Sector Director
– Nathan Boll, North Dakota Barley Council – Barley Sector Director
– Mark Wilson, Illinois Corn Marketing Board – Corn Sector Director
– Jim Massey, United Sorghum Checkoff Program – Sorghum Sector Director
– Tadd Nicholson, Ohio Corn Marketing Program, State Checkoff Sector Director
– Ryan LeGrand, U.S. Grains Council – President and CEO