Inside This Issue: 

• Golf Tournament Raises Over $1,000
• Sign Up Growers for the Iowa Seed Corn Cover Crops Initiative
• Seed Science Center Workshops
• Dr. Susana Goggi Retires From ISU
• Upcoming Iowa Seed Association Events
• Thank You to Our Sponsors!

The 2026 annual golf tournament and education event was held June 17 at Veenker Memorial Golf Course in Ames. Heavy morning rain did not prevent golfers from having a great day of golf and networking with fellow seed industry professionals. Golfers got to hear from Dr. Chad Hart, ISU Professor of Economics, for the last time as he retires in August. Dr. Hart has given an economic outlook and answered many questions from the golfers for the past four golf events.

With eight foursomes from seven companies competing, Bratney Companies’ team was the overall champion. Cornelius Seed won the first flight. Rob Eland was closest to the pin. Josh Weitl had the longest drive. Drew Skatebo sunk the longest putt. Congratulations!



The event raised over $1,000 for the Iowa Seed Association’s scholarship fund. Thanks to GreenLeaf for sponsoring the beverage cart. Next year’s event is tentatively planned for June 16, 2027, at Veenker in Ames. We need more golfers so we can raise more money for scholarships. Mark your calendars! 

The Iowa Seed Association is once again proud to offer financial incentives for cover crops planted on seed corn acres through the Iowa Seed Corn Cover Crop Initiative. The project has received a three-year grant extension from the Iowa Department of Ag and Land Stewardship (IDALS). Growers are encouraged to sign up as soon as possible, as IDALS requires growers to have applications submitted prior to planting cover crops. 

Through the Iowa Seed Corn Cover Crop Initiative, growers can receive financial incentives on 100% of their seed corn production acres. For cover crops planted this fall, incentives are $20/acre for winter-hardy cover crops like cereal rye or $10/acre for winterkill cover crops like oats. An additional $10/acre is available for first-time cover crop users. 

For more information on how to apply, visit Iowa Seed Corn Cover Crops Initiative | Grower Resources. Erica Lydolph, project coordinator, can be reached at covercrops@agribiz.org. With the project extension, we have set ambitious goals to get cover crops on more seed corn acres. Please share this information with seed production representatives and growers!

The Seed Science Center at Iowa State University is offering another summer of training and workshops for seed industry professionals. Upcoming workshops include:

• Soybean and small grain conditioning on July 7-9
• Gravity separation on July 22-23
• Seed corn conditioning on August 4-6
• Seed quality on August 10-12

The workshops will be held at the Seed Science Center in Ames. For more information, visit Workshops & Events – ISU Seed Lab.

The Iowa Seed Association congratulates Dr. Susana Goggi on over 30 years of service to Iowa State University and the seed industry. Goggi has served as the chair of the Iowa Seed Association Scholarship Committee since 2014 and presents the scholarships at the Iowa Seed Forum in February. In 2019, she was named an honorary member of the Iowa Seed Association.

For more information, visit Celebrating a Legacy of Seed Science: Dr. Susana Goggi Retires After More Than Three Decades at Iowa State University | Seed Science Center.

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