Stutsman County Corn Growers Urged to Vote Jan. 16

Stutsman County corn growers received a call to participate in the upcoming county election for a representative to the North Dakota Corn Utilization Council. The election will be held at 3 p.m. Friday, Jan. 16, at the Jamestown Civic Center, 212 3rd Ave. NE, and will take place during the Winter Ag Show.

The vote is limited to qualifying “voting producers,” defined as people who plant or cause to be planted a corn crop in which they have an ownership interest and intend the crop to be harvested in the next available or immediately preceding growing season. Eligible producers must reside in Stutsman County and must not have requested a corn refund during the preceding year. The election will be conducted under the supervision of Ashley Kjellberg, Extension agent, NDSU Extension, Stutsman County.

The county representative chosen on Jan. 16 will join newly elected county corn representatives from District 4 to select the district’s member of the North Dakota Corn Utilization Council. Created by the state Legislature in 1991, the council’s statutory role is to facilitate production, development, marketing and promotion of corn across North Dakota.

For local producers, the election is more than a procedural step. County and district representatives help set priorities for programs that can direct marketing efforts, research focus and promotional activities that affect demand for North Dakota corn. Those activities, in turn, can influence farm-level returns by shaping regional markets and investment in new uses for corn. Holding the vote during the Winter Ag Show could boost turnout by concentrating participation at an event producers already attend.

Participation is especially relevant in years when commodity markets and input costs are in flux. While this election does not itself set prices, the council’s decisions on promotion and development help determine longer-term demand patterns that matter to Stutsman County operators balancing planting decisions, crop rotation and investment in equipment or storage.

Eligible producers who want to take part should plan to attend the Jamestown Civic Center at 3 p.m. Jan. 16 for the Winter Ag Show election. The result will shape who represents Stutsman County on District 4’s selection of a member for the North Dakota Corn Utilization Council.