Wilson elected U.S. Grains Council chair

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The delegates of the U.S. Grains Council elected Mark Wilson of the Illinois Corn Marketing Board as chairman of its USGC Board of Directors at its 65th annual board of delegates meeting.

“I am humbled for the opportunity you have given me to represent you around the world, and I want to thank you for the confidence that you have in me,” Wilson said.

“I want to thank all of the past chairmen for their leadership and dedication that they have given to this organization who have encouraged and inspired me to get more involved with the council.”

Wilson operates a farm in Toulon in central Illinois, where he grows corn and soybeans and has farmed full-time since 1988.

Wilson has served as a council delegate for 10 years and is a member of the Illinois Corn Marketing Board. He previously served as the corn sector director, Innovation & Sustainability A-Team lead, Asia A-Team lead, Farm Progress Show manager for USGC and ICMB chairman.

In addition to Wilson, the delegates elected Jay Reiners of the Nebraska Corn Board as vice chairman and Jay Fischer of the Missouri Corn Growers Association as secretary-treasurer.

Dylan Rosier of the Missouri Corn Merchandizing Council and Greg Alber of Iowa Corn Growers Association were also elected as at-large directors.

The newly elected sector directors are Sean Broderick from CHS as the agribusiness sector director, Jolene Riessen of the Iowa Corn Growers Association as the corn sector director and Matthew Horlacher of Washington Grain Commission and Cold Stream Malt & Grain as the barley sector director.

The USGC Board of Directors now includes:

• Chairman — Mark Wilson, Illinois Corn Marketing Board.

• Vice chairman — Jay Reiners, Nebraska Corn Board.

• Secretary-treasurer — Jay Fischer, Missouri Corn Growers Association.

• Past chairwoman — Verity Ulibarri, United Sorghum Checkoff Program.

• At-large director — Jennie Schmidt, Maryland Grains Producer Utilization Board.

• At-large director — Curt Mether, Iowa Corn Growers Association.

• At-large director — Dylan Rosier, Missouri Corn Merchandizing Council.

• At-large director — Greg Alber, Iowa Corn Growers Association.

• Agribusiness sector director — Sean Broderick, CHS.

• Ethanol sector director — Craig Willis, Eco-Energy.

• Corn sector director — Jolene Riessen, Iowa Corn Growers Association.

• Sorghum sector director — Adam Schindler, United Sorghum Checkoff Program.

• State checkoff sector cirector — Josh Roe, Kansas Corn Commission.

• Barley sector director — Matthew Horlacher, Washington Grain Commission and Cold Stream Malt & Grain.

• President and CEO — Ryan LeGrand, U.S. Grains Council.

Wilson shared his goals for the year and unveiled his chairman’s theme during his incoming remarks.

“To assure you that the council understands the urgency of the current trade climate, I want to reveal my chairman’s theme for the year, ‘The Time Is Now,’” Wilson said.

“I promise that I will do everything that I can to keep your crops and products moving because I know how important this is for you.”