NCGA's Mission: To Create and
Increase Opportunities for Corn Growers
This is Corn Commentary, the weekly newsletter for state and national
grower leaders of the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA). For
complete stories and updated NCGA information, visit www.ncga.com or
the NCGA Leader Resource Center, www.insidencga.com.
IN THIS ISSUE:
- NCGA to Hold Corn Congress; Growers to Advocate Key Issues on Capitol Hill
- NCGA Congratulates Missouri Corn Growers’ on Securing State RFS
- Producers’ Conservation Efforts Lead to Increased CSP Payments, NCGA Notes
- NCGA Pleased by EPA Ruling on CAFOs
- NCGA Remains Hopeful WTO Deal Will be Reached
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NCGA to Hold Corn Congress; Growers to Advocate Key Issues on Capitol Hill
Every year, more than 125 NCGA delegates and members from across the country converge on Washington, D.C., to participate in the annual two-day Corn Congress where they take part in association business, set agendas for next year and meet with national decision-makers to discuss critical corn industry issues. This year’s Corn Congress will be July 12-13. (More On This Story)
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Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt (R) (center) signs the Missouri Renewable Fuels Standard into law on Wednesday at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center in St. Louis. The Missouri RFS is a 10 percent ethanol requirement and kicks in on Jan. 1, 2008. |
NCGA Congratulates Missouri Corn Growers’ on Securing State RFS
The NCGA applauds the hard-working efforts of the Missouri Corn Growers Association (MCGA) in securing the Missouri Renewable Fuel Standard (MoRFS), signed into law Wednesday. The statewide standard will boost the availability and use of biofuels by requiring all gasoline sold in Missouri to contain 10 percent ethanol by 2008. (More On This Story)
Producers’ Conservation Efforts Lead to Increased CSP Payments, NCGA Notes
U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service Chief Bruce Knight acknowledged conservation efforts of farmers including NCGA members last week when he announced the results of Conservation Security Program (CSP) Fiscal Year (FY) 2004 contract modifications to include payments for additional conservation enhancements not included in the original contracts. (More On This Story)
NCGA Pleased by EPA Ruling on CAFOs
The NCGA is pleased by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) publication in the Federal Register of a proposed rule that would revise several parts of EPA’s National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) and Effluent Limitation Guidelines for Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs). (More On This Story)
NCGA Remains Hopeful WTO Deal Will Be Reached
The World Trade Organization (WTO) Doha Round talks remained at a standstill after another weekend of negotiations in Geneva, but the NCGA is not giving up hope that a deal can be reached, according to Joint Trade Policy A-Team Chairman Bob Bowman. (More On This Story)
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AROUND THE CORN BELT
News
from State Associations
Illinois and Iowa: The Illinois Corn Growers Association and Iowa Corn Growers Association, along with the Illinois Farm Bureau, Illinois Soybean Association and Midwest Area River Coalition (MARC 2000), will host a series of educational barge tours along the Illinois River from Aug. 1-3 and on the Mississippi River on Aug. 4 and Aug. 7-11, 2006. Illinois River Barge Tours will be morning tours only and are scheduled on:
- Aug. 1–LaSalle/Ottawa, Ill.
- Aug. 2–Peoria/Pekin, Ill.
- Aug. 3–Beardstown/Meredosia, Ill.
Mississippi River Barge Tours will be morning, afternoon, or both, depending on the site.
- Aug. 4–Alton, Ill., morning and afternoon
- Aug. 7–Quincy, Ill., morning
- Aug. 8–Burlington, Iowa, afternoon
- Aug. 9–Bettendorf, Iowa, morning
- Aug. 11–Dubuque, Iowa, morning
Iowa: The Iowa Corn Growers Association has announced six farm roundtable meetings for July as part of its annual policy development process. The 2006 roundtable schedule and locations are:
- July 17-Best Western Motel, Fairfield
- July 18-Gateway Center, U.S. 30, Ames
- July 19-Queen II at Arnolds Park, Lake Okoboji
- July 20-Feedlot Restaurant, Atlantic
- July 21-Community Center, Fredericksburg
- July 22-Celebration Belle II, Moline
To attend a roundtable, growers are asked to RSVP to the Iowa Corn office at 515-225-9242 or e-mail lcountryman@iowacorn.org by July 14.
Michigan: Stop by Tent A at the 2006 Ag Expo and visit the Corn Marketing Program of Michigan and Michigan Corn Growers Association booth for lots of great information and giveaways relating to one of our state’s most widely grown cash crops - corn. The 26th annual Ag Expo, held July 18-20 on the campus of Michigan State University (MSU), combines the university, MSU Extension and Ag Experiment Station, various commodity groups, equipment manufacturers and dealers, and many other groups involved in agribusiness for a three-day outdoor show. |
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KEY ISSUES
