Award Winners Recognized
December 1, 2020

At the past annual meeting four individuals were highlighted for going above and beyond for the agriculture and corn industry. ICGA wanted to take a moment to recognize them again. Randy Stauffer passed away this past year and will leave an incredible legacy behind. He will be truly missed.
Randy Stauffer - Environmental Award
Brian West - Ethanol Award
DeLoss Jahnke - Media Award
Representative John Shimkus - World of Corn

By Lindsay Croke
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June 30, 2025
When we think of Independence Day traditions, sweet corn on the cob is as iconic as fireworks and often even more central to the celebration. According to Instacart, purchases of sweet corn surge by 380% over the annual average heading into July 4th, outranking other grilling staples like baby back ribs and burgers. But corn's role in your Fourth of July celebration goes far beyond your plate. In Illinois alone, 8,300 acres of sweet corn are harvested annually, averaging 155 cwt per acre. That’s more than 128 million pounds of locally grown sweetness fueling summer cookouts across the state. And while sweet corn makes a big impression on the grill, most of Illinois’ corn crop isn’t sweet corn - it’s field corn. Less than 1% of the state’s crop is sweet corn, while the rest is used in products that are often invisible to consumers but vital to everyday life: fuel, packaging, fireworks, and even spirits.