2026 Director Elections - District 1
July 1, 2026
Cody Gradert – Le Mars
Cody Gradert grows soybeans, corn and operates a beef cattle feedlot alongside his wife Katelyn and four kids, his dad and two brothers. He implements no-till practices and manure management to better his natural resources and improve soil health.
He graduated from Iowa State University with a bachelor’s degree in ag systems technology.
Gradert is an Iowa Soybean Association Advocate member, a member of the Iowa Corn Growers Association, Iowa Farm Bureau and his local church. He was previously a territory manager selling farm machinery and a sales engineer providing precision farming solutions to customers all over the world.
Why are you interested in serving on the ISA board?
I'm interested in serving on the Iowa Soybean Association board so I can collaborate with other industry leaders and bring real-world insight to the problems Iowa soybean farmers face today. My background working with farmers across the world and designing precision solutions offers a unique perspective to help make meaningful change for Iowa farmers. I value thoughtful, data-driven decisions while also considering the people and communities impacted.
What’s the biggest issue facing Iowa soybean farmers right now, and how can the board address it?
I believe the biggest issue is the uncertainty of the biofuel industry. The board can address this by collaborating with various industry partners and decipher how that can progress to increase domestic demand for our product. First, we need a stable, viable market for our product. Next, we must identify long-term partners who can utilize soy-based fuel to ensure a profitable market for soybean farmers for years to come.
Paul Kassel (Incumbent) – Spencer
Paul Kassel and his wife, Julie, grow soybeans and corn in Clay County. They grow soybeans in a no-till system. Cereal rye has been grown as a cover crop on part of the soybean acres the last eight years.
Kassel earned a bachelor’s in agronomy and horticulture from Iowa State University and a master’s in agronomy from Iowa State University.
He is currently an Iowa Soybean Association director, and a member of the Grace United Methodist Church in Spencer and the Spencer Daybreakers Kiwanis. He is also treasurer of the Northwest Iowa Ag Stewardship Alliance. Paul is a retired Iowa State University Extension and Outreach field agronomist. Kassel received the Exceptional Service to Agriculture award by the Iowa Master Farmer Foundation in 2022.
Why are you interested in serving on the ISA board?
I would like to continue my service to Iowa soybean farmers on the ISA board and continue to help address challenges that we’re facing as farmers. I would like to promote the ISA programs and research projects that support the reduction of soil and nutrients from Iowa farm fields. There are also programs that support agronomic research and pest management. I want to continue ISA’s efforts in supporting market discovery and market development.
What's the biggest issue facing Iowa soybean farmers right now, and how can the board address it?
There is a need to continue research, education, and market development to assure that Iowa soybean production will continue to be relevant in future. Efforts to promote policy that benefit soybean farmers are also essential for the vitality of the industry.
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