DES MOINES, Iowa – Today is Iowa Corn CyHawk Day.
Shortly after 11:30 a.m., Governor Terry Branstad signed a proclamation declaring June 9, 2014 as Iowa Corn CyHawk Day. Since 2011, the Iowa Corn Growers’ Association and the Iowa Corn Promotion Board have sponsored the annual competition as an opportunity to share information about corn, its uses, and its impact on Iowa’s economy.
Iowa Corn Promotion Board Vice President Chris Edgington underscored in his remarks the goal of the series’ sponsorship as addressing the knowledge gap between Iowa’s agriculture industry and those outside of it.
University of Iowa Atheltics Director Gary Barta drew similarities between the CyHawk series raising awareness of Iowa’s corn industry Hawkeye head coach Hayden Fry’s efforts in the 1980s to raise awareness of the Farm Crisis through use of the America Needs Farmers logo.
In his remarks, Iowa State University Athletics Director Jamey Pollard personally thanked Iowa’s corn farmers for their help in organizing the series.
The annual athletic competition between the Iowa State University Cyclones and the University of Iowa Hawkeyes began in 1934. From 2004 through 2011, Hy-Vee sponsored the series, which was called the Hy-Vee CyHawk Series.
