Four Iowans from Des Moines, Chariton, Urbandale and Perry are the first group of winners in the Iowa Corn Fed Sweepstakes, but tour organizers note that all Iowans benefit every day from ethanol’s effect on fuel prices and the Iowa economy.
Josh Barron, Spencer Snyder, Josh Menz, and Dan Miller are the first four weekly winners in the sweepstakes drawings, each taking home $100 in ethanol certificates. The sweepstakes, part of the Iowa Corn Fed Tour, is emphasizing the many ways Iowans and the Iowa economy are corn fed, so the next four weekly winners will receive beef bucks in recognition of Iowa’s corn-fed cattle industry.
Weekly drawings will continue through May 22. The grand prize, a 2009 Chevy Silverado, will be awarded at the Iowa Corn Indy 250 race on June 21 in Newton.
The E85-compatible truck, provided by Iowa’s Premier 10 Chevy Dealers, will be on tour until late May, promoting the Iowa Corn Fed message at major events like the Iowa girls and boys state basketball tourneys. Promotions have already been held at an Iowa Chops game, a Drake men’s basketball match, and the state wrestling tournament.
“This campaign is a way of recognizing and celebrating our many benefits from corn,” said Shannon Textor, market development director for Iowa Corn. “With corn-based ethanol, we get multiple benefits – jobs and economic development here in Iowa, more demand for our corn, cleaner air and less reliance on oil imports from foreign countries.”
The Iowa Corn Fed Sweepstakes is part of a broader information campaign developed by the Iowa Corn Promotion Board and the Iowa Corn Growers Association to showcase corn’s importance. Textor thanked sweepstakes partners Kum & Go, the Iowa Speedway, Mediacom and the Premier 10 Chevy Dealers for their contributions to the campaign effort.
Consumers can enter the drawing at tour stops, online at www.iacornfed.com or at Premier 10 Chevy dealerships. In addition to the weekly winners of beef, pork, dairy products, Iowa Corn Indy 250 race tickets or ethanol certificates, ten lucky winners will attend the 2009 Iowa Corn Indy 250 on June 21, where one will draw the key that opens his or her new Iowa corn-fed truck.
For ongoing corn- fed information, details about the FFV, contest entry rules, and a complete listing of Iowa Corn Fed tour dates, consumers can turn to www.iacornfed.com.