Students race miniature cars to highlight corn herbicide trial
At a Syngenta Grow More site, Iowa State and University of Illinois students raced 1/16-scale RC cars through corn treated with Storen herbicide. The winning school directed a $2,000 donation to a charity, while the second-place school directed $1,000. The event also promoted trial results for Storen's weed control and yield potential.
The event returned for a second year at a Syngenta Grow More Experience location. Six agriculture students—three from Iowa State and three from Illinois—drove tiny remote-controlled cars through corn rows treated with Storen. AGDAILY editor Ryan Tipps started the timed rounds; fastest overall times set the matchup, with a longer final course deciding the outcome.
The top school directed $2,000 to its chosen charity, while the second-place school directed $1,000. Iowa State selected the Iowa Foundation for Agricultural Advancement, which supports 4-H and FFA youth; Illinois chose Farm Rescue, which assists farm and ranch families after major injury, illness, or natural disaster.
This promotion may shape how farmers, students, and agricultural communities view herbicide performance and charitable giving. By tying a student contest to donations, it could strengthen ties between agribusiness, universities, and rural nonprofits, while also drawing attention to weed-control and yield claims. Consumers and environmental groups may remain attentive to herbicide use and resistance issues, so the event’s influence could depend on how transparently trial results and product limitations are communicated.