Marketing Your Non-GMO Grain

Blog by Roger Rudolph, Spectrum Sales & Marketing Manager

I get asked several times a year, “Where can I sell my Non-GMO corn for a premium?” Most growers know about the national grain companies in their area that have a Non-GMO grain market such as Bunge, Cargill, ADM, CG&B, Scoular’s, Anderson’s, etc. There are also independent grain companies like H&B Specialties that offer contracts for Non-GMO corn. Premiums offered have shifted over the past few years, why… grain buyers have had more opportunity to find producers of Non-GMO corn. There are a lot more Non-GMO acres being grown now vs. a few years ago. I recommend making the buyers aware of your intentions to plant Non-GMO, start a relationship with them, find out what requirements they have on purity, delivery options, etc.

The following are some examples of how some customers have moved up the value chain and marketed their Non-GMO grain. One grower, noticed bagged Non-GMO ear corn in Tractor Supply for a pretty penny, he grew a pivot of Spectrum 6515 and shelled half the pivot and picked the other half and bagged it. He utilized Craigslist, and then word of mouth took over, and sold out in 6 months.

Another grower put an ad in local paper, he was surprised at the amount of phone call inquiries he received. Some were backyard flocks he didn’t want to mess with, but a couple turned into a load or two a month. Growers feeding out cattle and selling for custom butchering have begun advertising about their cattle being fed Non-GMO grain and asked for, and received, a premium.

I have had growers stop at country feed mill and ask if they have customers asking for Non-GMO grain mix? Owner did not know that he had Non-GMO corn acres in the area. Feed companies, like Kalmbachs, have started making Non-GMO grain mixes. Vertically integrated poultry companies such as Bell & Evans, Perdue and others have started buying Non-GMO corn. It seems like most of the new opportunities for Non-GMO corn are coming from the livestock sector, these opportunities take and little time and initiative, but usually reward the grower far more that the 15-25 cents that grain companies offer.

EDITED: We’ve compiled a list of grain buyers who have non-GMO programs in order to help you make the most with your Spectrum Premium Non-GMO corn. Click here to find a location near you.