May 8: Today, the National Corn Growers Association expressed appreciation to Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) for co-authoring a letter to USDA Secretary Vilsack and USTR Acting Ambassador Marantis addressing international regulatory challenges for agricultural products derived from biotechnology. Biotech varieties accounted for 88 percent of corn planted in 2012. As the world’s leading exporter of corn, NCGA strongly supports efforts to ensure the uninterrupted flow of …

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May 2: Key members of the U.S. agricultural value chain have joined together to applaud the work of the United States and like-minded governments to promote the importance of science-based regulations to facilitate trade of agricultural commodities derived from agricultural biotechnology.

In a joint statement, the United States was joined by the governments of Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada and Paraguay to announce their intention to work collaboratively to remove …

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Apr. 4: This week, the National Corn Growers Association and the American Soybean Association convened key industry stakeholders to continue a dialogue on ways to improve cooperation and communication on biotechnology and trade issues. The discussions highlighted a broad array of opportunities to establish improved, more transparent communication regarding issues that potentially threaten the development, production or delivery of products derived from modern crop biotechnology.

“We are encouraged …

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Mar. 27: Farmers looking for information about the approval status of U.S.-grown corn hybrids in certain export markets now have access to the most current data through the National Corn Growers Association’s Know Before Your Grow program. Recently updated, Know Before Your Grow, featured on the association’s website, provides a comprehensive look at this vital information in an easily accessible format.

“It’s important for farmers and others to …

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Mar. 11: The National Corn Growers Association is pleased to announce that it has become a signatory to the Accord: Generic Event Marketability and Access Agreement. Along with NCGA, the American Farm Bureau Federation and the American Soybean Association also became signatories to the GEMMA portion of the Accord, which was created by Biotechnology Industry Organization and the American Seed Trade Association.

“Having the Farm Bureau, ASA and NCGA …

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Feb. 1:  The National Corn Growers Association is pleased to announce that the enhanced Compliance Assurance Program, which includes on-farm refuge assessments, an online survey and IRM education and awareness, is seeing strong success and an increase in the number of growers planting their corn refuge.

The CAP is designed to improve compliance with Insect Resistance Management requirements. The Agricultural Biotechnology Stewardship Technical Committee, a consortium of Bt …

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By Rick Tolman

CEO, National Corn Growers Association

General Mills, the maker of Cheerios and other foods, is catching grief from a small group of Internet bullies because of its use of genetically engineered ingredients.  Oddly and ironically enough, these social media loudmouths have chosen a product that is predominantly made from oats, a commodity that is not genetically modified. But of course, Cheerios was not targeted because it …

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Dec. 5: The National Corn Growers Association reminds farmers that early refuge planning helps ensure a smooth planting season. As many complete planting planning, the time to make concrete preparations is now.

“Refuge planning is important for all farmers because it supports the continued viability of important tools,” said NCGA Trade Policy and Biotechnology Action Team Chair Jim Zimmermann. “While seed companies work hard to keep a pipeline of …

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Nov 20: With the failure of a California ballot initiative to require labeling of some foods with biotech ingredients, the National Corn Growers Association reiterated its support of federal efforts to provide guidance for voluntary labeling that indicates whether goods have been developed using biotechnology.

“We were pleased voters in California saw through this misleading campaign,” NCGA President Pam Johnson said. “Roughly 70 percent of food in the grocery …

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Oct. 26: The National Corn Growers Association recognizes the European Union for opening its markets to U.S. corn-based ethanol co-products, including distillers dried grains with solubles and corn gluten feed, through the official approval of MIR 162 Agrisure Viptera, a Syngenta corn variety.  The decision follows years of industry leadership and efforts orchestrated by the U.S. Grains Council, of which NCGA is a founding member, and its partners in the …

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Oct. 25: It is hard to ignore the fact that the topics of GMOs (genetically modified organisms) and biotechnology are getting a lot of attention. Every day there seems to be more information from all kinds of sources bombarding people about GMOs and biotech. How do consumers know what to believe?

As people raising America’s food, CommonGround farmer-volunteers want to assure grocery shoppers that biotechnology is not something to …

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Sept. 20: Yesterday, a group of primarily French researchers published a paper questioning the safety of Roundup Ready corn and glyphosate, commonly known as Roundup. The National Corn Growers Association, after reviewing this study, has concluded that the research is questionable, at best, and does not offer credible evidence that biotechnology in agriculture negatively impacts animal health.

“There has been a strong backlash against the validity of this study …

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Sept. 18:  Citing numerous concerns about a fundamentally flawed ballot measure, the National Corn Growers Association has joined a large and broad coalition to oppose California Proposition 37, which, if approved by voters in November, will require labeling of some food products sold in that state that contain genetically engineered ingredients.

“We have several good reasons to oppose Prop. 37,” said NCGA President Garry Niemeyer.  “First and foremost, while …

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Aug. 30: The second edition of the National Corn Growers Association’s Research Glossary is now available online. This glossary, which covers the terms most frequently used in agricultural discussions of genomics, genetics and biotechnology, provides a simple, accessible resource for those looking to better understand and communicate on programs such as the corn genome sequence.

Click here for the online glossary. A pocket guide version is also available …

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This week, National Corn Growers Association Corn Board member Bob Bowman participated on a panel at the U.S. State Department National Foreign Affairs Training Center.  Bowman, who also serves as board liaison to the Trade Policy and Biotechnology Action Team, was the first agriculture producer invited to speak during the State Department's course.  The panel focused biotechnology and global challenges related to trade, food security, energy and climate change.

June 4: The research journal Nature Genetics published two manuscripts this week offering an unprecedented glimpse into the diversity of modern corn in their online edition.  Gathered through the U.S. Maize Diversity Project, the information in these studies provides important data that will aid breeders and geneticists in efforts to develop improved traits.

“The information in these studies has very exciting implications for corn farmers,” said National Corn Growers …

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May 25: Both the farmers and citizens of countries using biotechnology reap considerable economic and environmental benefits, according to a study released this week by PG Economics Limited.  Spanning 15 years, the report documents important gains in production, improved incomes and reduced risk for farmers.

 “The environment in user countries is benefiting from farmers using more benign herbicides or replacing insecticide use with insect-resistant GM crops,” said Graham Brookes, …

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May 7: Last week, the Obama Administration released a National Bioeconomy Blueprint that outlines a comprehensive approach to drive the bioeconomy and guides federal agencies and the private sector to enhance economic growth and job creation.  The Bioeconomy Blueprint emerged as a priority not only for economic reasons, but also because it enables Americans to live healthier lives, develop new sources of bioenergy, address environmental challenges and increase the …

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May 3:  As advertising budgets decline and competition increases, media outlets and food manufacturers alike find themselves needing to exploit any possible factor that could differentiate their product from the crowd.  In many ways, the increased attention both parties pay to the use of biotechnology in agriculture stems from this predicament.  Without solid, scientific claims against these products, news providers and food makers alike have found that exploiting the …

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May 2: Today, the National Corn Growers Association’s “Off the Cob” podcast series speaks with Dr. Jack Gardiner, the curator of the Maize Genome and Genetics Database, where NCGA has funded activities that will add functional genomic software tools into the preexisting USDA ARS database.  When completed, these tools will allow researchers to easily isolate and examine manageable data sets, thus decreasing the time and effort needed to utilize …

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Apr. 27: As planting progresses, the National Corn Growers Association calls on all parties involved in proper stewardship of biotechnology traits, from seed dealers to farmers, to renew their commitment to responsible use of these indispensable products. NCGA offers an Insect Resistance Management refuge calculator that easily clarifies refuge options, thus helping in the development of an appropriate management plan.

“It is vitally important that every actor involved with …

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Apr. 4: This week, the National Corn Growers Association is participating in the New Development in GM Crop Farming meeting held in Manila, Philippines celebrating the tenth anniversary of the country’s adoption of this important form of technology. Considered the most progressive country in terms of biotech adoption, officials from the government of the Philippines, major technology companies and other stakeholders, including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, are meeting …

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Today, the National Corn Growers Association launches a new series featuring information on the scientific topics relevant to farming, food, biofuels and agriculture as a whole.

What Do Chemical, Organic, Synthetic and Natural Really Mean?

By Dr. Pam Keck, NCGA Director of Biofuels Programs and Business Development

Would you vote to ban a substance with the following characteristics?

Recent scientific evidence has shown the substance hydrogen oxide to …

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Mar. 16: Farmers looking for information about the approval status of U.S.-grown corn hybrids in certain export markets now have access to the most current data through the National Corn Growers Association’s Know Before Your Grow program.  Recently updated, Know Before Your Grow, featured on the association’s website, provides a comprehensive look at this vital information in an easily accessible format.

To learn more about this program, Off the …

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Mar. 5:  As a preview to National Agriculture Day events in Washington this week, the U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance is holding a panel discussion on Capitol Hill that will be streamed live online, and is inviting questions from the public. While he is not a panelist, National Corn Growers Association Chairman Bart Schott, a North Dakota corn farmer, will be present in his role as Vice Chair of …

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Feb. 23:  When the biotechnology revolution hit the U.S. corn industry, it did more than change the way people farmed. For NCGA, it changed the roles grower leaders had to play if they were going to represent their members effectively.

“With biotech, early on we could see this was something new,” says Leon Corzine, who chaired NCGA’s Biotechnology Working Group before becoming an NCGA officer.

“The biotechnology providers were …

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Feb. 9:  As planting for the 2012 season approaches, the National Corn Growers Association notes that newly revamped on-farm refuge assessments are part of the enhanced Compliance Assurance Program (CAP) implemented last year, which is designed to improve compliance with Insect Resistance Management (IRM) requirements. Corn growers found to be out of compliance with refuge requirements will be checked more frequently by the Bt corn registrants and have a …

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Jan. 25:  The National Corn Growers Association’s Trade Policy and Biotechnology Action Team convened today in Orlando, Fla., to review the organization’s policy and recommendations coming out of the Priority and Policy Conference held earlier in January. Additionally, team members will meet with representatives from government and industry to explore current challenges and opportunities in the areas of trade and biotechnology. 

Looking at a variety of issues including how …

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Jan. 5: The National Corn Growers Association’s Trade Policy and Biotechnology Action Team was created in 2010 by the unification of two existing action teams. Seeing that trade issues facing the corn industry most often involved a biotechnology component, leadership saw it prudent to create a single group to explore these issues and develop an in-depth understanding of the nuanced areas of overlap involved.

In 2012, the team, along …

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Dec. 22: The decision to allow Russia to become a member of the World Trade Organization can be a benefit to American agriculture, the National Corn Growers Association said. WTO ministers adopted Russia’s terms of entry at the Eighth Ministerial Meeting, held recently in Geneva, and Russia has 220 days to ratify its accession agreement.

“Russia’s membership makes the WTO a more universal trade organization,” Chad Blindauer, Chair of …

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Dec. 5: High-yield technologies like those used in the United States will have to be effectively adapted for use world-wide in order to meet growing global food demand, according to the findings of a study released by University of Minnesota Professor David Tilman and colleagues in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Estimating that global food demand will double by the year 2050, the scientists project that, in …

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Nov. 22: The National Corn Growers Association actively defended the importance of publicly funded research into corn last week to a panel of industry stakeholders tasked with discussing the future of federally funded agricultural research programs. Noting that corn is not only the largest crop in the United States but also a major export product, NCGA staff defended against calls to kill public funding for corn research, stressing the …

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Nov. 15: Last week, the National Corn Growers Association met with Dr. Saturnina Halos, a senior agriculture science consultant at the Philippines Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Agricultural Research, to discuss biotechnology usage in the United States. NCGA staff emphasized the practices in place to ensure safe and responsible use of these improved varieties, also providing information on structured refuge, new refuge-in-a-bag options and farmer attitudes toward compliance.

Marketing …

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Today, the National Corn Growers Association hosted a group of Brazilian dignitaries, including World Food Prize winner Alysson Paolinelli, who was key in transforming the country’s infertile high plains region, Cerrado, into highly productive crop land. Now the CEO of the Brazilian Corn Growers Association, Paolinelli, along with colleagues from his organization, the food processing industry, agribusiness and an environmental consulting group, met with NCGA marketing and biotechnology staff …

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Oct. 25: Last week, staff from the National Corn Growers Association took to the fields of South Dakota taping video footage to be used in updates of the group’s online Insect Resistance Module . This footage, which features NCGA Trade Policy and Biotechnology Action Team Chair Chad Blindauer of Mitchell, S.D., will be used along with interviews taped late this summer to create a module that helps to explain …

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Sept. 7:  Today, the National Corn Growers Association and the American Soybean Association brought together key industry stakeholders to start a discussion about how to best begin construction of a framework for addressing biotech events and impacts on end use markets. 

Acknowledging that all parts of the value chain share a common goal of an uninterrupted flow of corn, soybeans and technology, attendees shared ideas and insights on finding …

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Aug. 23: As demand for corn and other crops continues to grow, farmers are meeting the challenge through the use of biotech crop varieties. Producing higher yields and alleviating stressors, the scientifically designed crops are growing in popularity the world over as farmers see firsthand their many advantages.

“Biotechnology has helped me produce more corn more consistently,” said South Dakota farmer Chad Blindauer, chair of the National Corn Growers …

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June 28:  Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced appointments Monday to the reactivated Advisory Committee on Biotechnology and 21st Century Agriculture, including two past presidents of the National Corn Growers Association, Darrin Ihnen of Hurley, S.D., who currently serves as NCGA chairman, and Leon (Len) Corzine of Assumption, Ill.

The committee will continue investigating the challenges of coexistence among different forms of production agriculture with the goal of recommending workable …

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This morning the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Rural Development, Biotech, Specialty Crops and Foreign Agriculture held a hearing to review the opportunities and benefits of agricultural biotechnology. The subcommittee received testimony from Chuck Connor, president and CEO of the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives; Dr. Roger Beachy, president emeritus, Donald Danforth Plant Center, St. Louis, Mo.; and Dr. Calestous Juma, professor of the Practice of International Development, Harvard University.

This year, the dedicated efforts of agri-business, farmers, biotechnology advocates and others, including the National Corn Growers Association, are producing results as a new generation of corn technologies are set to enter the market. Now, farmers can look forward to specialty products intended for specific markets and corn capable of better coping with climate-based stressors.

“Fifteen years of biotechnology advocacy and support for science-based regulation created the conditions for …

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