The Kentucky Corn Promotion Council makes much-needed market development, promotion, education, and research possible by collecting and administering a .0025 checkoff remitted on corn at the first point of sale when it is sold at any grain merchandiser who is a registered business with the Kentucky Department of Agriculture.

The Kentucky Corn Promotion Council is a board of 7 farmers within the state who direct the funds as they relate directly to the goals of protecting Kentucky corn farmer profitability.

Your ¼ of 1% of the gross marketed price (gross value) investment combines with other corn growers’ investments to increase the profitability of corn production by developing and maintaining markets for corn and corn products.

On average, 50% of the checkoff funds go to market development and promotion; 25% of funds are invested in research to find new uses and improve farming practices; 20% of funds support educational programs and efforts; and around 5% of your checkoff is used for administrative expenses that covers the cost of overhead for board, staff, meetings, board expenses and running the overall organization. We strive to keep administration costs very low to ensure the resources are invested in programs to boost profitability for all Kentucky corn farmers.

The Kentucky corn checkoff was established through referendum KRS.247.6001. It is declared to be in the interest of the public welfare that Kentucky farmers who are producers of corn shall be permitted and encouraged to act jointly and in cooperation with all producers, handlers, dealers, and processors of corn in promoting and stimulating, by utilization research, market maintenance and expansion, and education, the increased use and sale, domestic and foreign, of corn and corn products; and for the prevention, modification, or elimination of trade barriers which obstruct the free flow of corn and corn products to market.

The assessment is one-forth of 1% (.0025) of the gross marketed price (gross value) of the corn due to a producer for the sale of corn.  Gross value is defined in KRS 251.010 (14).

The gross marketed price (gross value) is the payment due to a producer after normal price discounts, such as deductions for moisture, test weight, and foreign matter, have been calculated but, before deductions for storage or marketing charges.

Yes. The assessment applies to any sale or transaction when corn is purchased as the first point of sale from the producer in Kentucky. The assessment does not apply to a non-producer transaction, such as a sale from dealer to dealer.

The assessment is deducted from the purchaser’s payment at the time of payment to the producer. Therefore, if corn is received and full payment is delayed or partial payment is made, the assessment based on the partial payments is made at the time of the actual payments.
The full Kentucky Revised Statute regarding Assessment for Corn Promotion can be found online here. (See Section .6001-.6035)

This assessment is an investment to promote a farmer’s product.

If you have further questions about the checkoff, please contact Laura Knoth at 1-800-326-0906 or laura@kycorn.org