Nebraska Corn Board elects Reiners as new at-large director and Merrell, Bruntz and Borg as officers at August meeting

Jay Reiners was elected as the new at-large director of the Nebraska Corn Board.

director on the Nebraska Corn Board,” said Reiners. “Alan left big shoes to fill, but I’m ready to hit the ground running to serve our state’s corn farmers.”

Reiners graduated with an associate’s degree in general agriculture from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) before serving in the Army National Guard. He currently grows field corn, seed corn and soybeans on his 1,700 acre farm. Jay is also very active in a variety of leadership roles. He is the vice president of the Adams County Lutheran Education Association, is involved with the Adams-Webster Corn Growers Association, the Nebraska Corn Growers Association and is the vice chair of the National Corn Growers Market Access action team.

Nebraska Corn Board directors serve three year terms with opportunities to be reelected. Reiners began his role directly following the election. In addition to the at-large director selection, the Nebraska Corn Board also held officer elections at the August 25 board meeting.

David Merrell, District 7 director, was reelected as the chairman of the

David Merrell, District 7 Director

board. Merrell, who has been with the Nebraska Corn Board since 2006, has farmed for over 20 years on his farm near St. Edward, Nebraska. His family farm consists of 1,200 acres of corn and soybeans. He is active in the National Corn Growers Association, U.S. Grains Council and the Nebraska Corn Growers Association. He is a graduate of UNL with a bachelor’s degree in mechanized agriculture (mechanized systems management).

“It’s been a true privilege to work with the other eight members of the Board to help advance and expand Nebraska’s corn industry,” said Merrell. “Each board member is extremely dedicated. They bring unique interests and viewpoints to the table, which represent all of our state’s corn farmers.”
David Bruntz, District 1 director, was reelected as the vice chair of the

Dave Bruntz, District 1 Director

Nebraska Corn Board. Bruntz has been farming for more than 30 years near Friend, Nebraska. He grows irrigated and non-irrigated corn and soybeans, and he also feeds cattle. Bruntz received his education from UNL’s Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture where he majored in production agriculture. He has been with the Board since 2013.

Debbie Borg, District 4 director, was elected secretary/treasurer of the

Debbie Borg, District 4 Director

Board. Debbie lives near Allen, Nebraska and is a partner in TD Borg Farms, a fifth generation farm. On their farm, they raise corn, soybeans, alfalfa, feed cattle and are proactively engaged in establishing the sixth generation in the business. Borg earned a Bachelor of Science degree in agribusiness from Colorado State University. She has served on the Nebraska Corn Board since 2013.

“We are fortunate in Nebraska to have a corn checkoff that actively works to engage in strategies to positively impact our corn farmers,” said Kelly Brunkhorst, executive director of the Nebraska Corn Board. “Each director devotes a significant amount of time and effort to promote the value of corn by creating opportunities.”

Each of the officer positions are effective immediately and will last one year. The Nebraska Corn Board is made up of nine farmer directors who serve three-year terms. Eight members represent specific Nebraska districts and are appointed by the Governor of Nebraska. The Board elects a ninth at-large member.

The Nebraska Corn Board is a state funded agency funded through a ½-cent-per-bushel checkoff on all corn marketed in the state. The mission of the Nebraska Corn Board is to promote the value of corn by creating opportunities. Checkoff funds are invested in programs of market development, research, promotion and education.