The Minnesota Corn Podcast

Chris Nicholas, co-founder and president of Låkril Technologies, talks about the company's efforts to develop a bioacrylic acid.

In this episode, Minnesota Corn Growers Association Board of Directors Member Angela Guentzel says Minnesota is one of just two states with county corn grower associations. She also explains how people can get involved with their local county corn organization and how they host fuel events and farm events, and sponsor tractor pulls and educational opportunities.

Learn more about Minnesota's county corn grower associations here. Minnesota Corn also has resources online available for county corn grower associations. Those can be found here.

Episode Highlights:
0:33: Why Angela got involved with MCGA
1:33: The roles farmers can have within MCGA
2:47: The types of events hosted by county corn grower associations
4:00: What's important to tell the non-farming public
5:22: How a corn farmer can get involved
6:50: Angela's message to someone on the fence about getting involved

A new study shows that a plug-in hybrid flex fuel vehicle has major advantages over full battery electric vehicles, says RFA Senior Vice President, Industry Relations & Market Development Robert White.

Last year, RFA outfitted a 2022 Ford Escape plug-in hybrid electric vehicle with a kit that allowed it to run on flex fuels like E85. RFA conducted rigorous emissions testing and a lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions analysis on the vehicle and put over 34,000 miles of real-world driving on it.

The study was funded in part by Minnesota Corn along with other state corn grower associations. You can learn more about the plug-in electric hybrid flex fuel vehicle here.

Episode Highlights:
0:26: How did RFA get the idea for the plug-in hybrid FFV?
2:28: What did you learn after putting more than 30,000 miles on the concept vehicle?
6:24: Will you highlight the study to members of Congress?
9:02: Can you talk about different aspects the flex fuel conversion kit, such as how it works, where you get it, etc.?
11:37: What's your message to corn growers in Minnesota as they think about the future of the transportation sector and the federal push for EVs?

Minnesota Corn Executive Director and CEO Adam Birr highlights the organization's new sustainability report, which details the organization's investments in research, rural communities, market development, best management practices, and more. 

Minnesota Corn Research Director Maciej Kazula and grower-leader Nick Peterson provide an overview of the organization’s 2024 research portfolio.

University of Minnesota Assistant Professor Lindsay Pease highlights her research into phosphorus fertilizer management in northwest Minnesota.

Nancy Miller, owner of Vinna Human Resources in Willmar, summarizes key Minnesota labor laws, including several that passed during the 2023 state legislative session.

University of Minnesota Professor Fabian Fernandez highlights a corn check-off-funded study of how much nitrogen is lost to the environment when the nutrient is applied at different rates.

The U.S. Grains Council’s Alexander Grabois talks about a Minnesota Corn-funded study that compared U.S. and international corn varieties as a poultry feed source.

U.S. Grains Council Vice President Cary Sifferath explains how the 2023 market year saw some encouraging signs for corn exports, including from the top U.S. trading partner. Minnesota Corn supports USGC as part of its efforts to develop international markets for corn growers.