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 Calls for Support of Senate Floor-bound WRDA
- NCYC Entrants with 300 Bushels Can Contact NCGA on Weekends with New Cell Phone Number
- Gutknecht Receives NCGA’s President Award
- WRDA Ready for Floor, Corn Growers Take to the Hill
- NCGA Commences Corn Congress, Elects Corn Board Members
- NCGA Joint Trade Policy A-Team Briefed on WTO Status
- NCGA, Ag Groups Call on Senate Committee to Discuss Rail Issues
- NCGA Leaders Return from Vietnam, China, New Zealand Optimistic Over Markets for U.S. Corn
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NCGA Calls for Support of Senate Floor-bound WRDA
The NCGA is continuing to encourage support for the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA), which is heading to the Senate floor next week. The legislation would authorize construction of seven new locks on the Upper Mississippi and Illinois Rivers as well as major environmental restoration measures along the rivers. (More On This Story)
NCYC Entrants with 300 Bushels Can Contact NCGA on Weekends with New Cell Phone Number
The NCGA now has available a cell phone number for National Corn Yield Contest (NCYC) entrants to call on weekends when their entry fields top 300 bushels. (More On This Story) |
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Rep. Gil Gutknecht (R-Minn.), left, accepts the NCGA President's Award from NCGA President Gerald Tumbleson at Corn Congress in Washington, D.C. Gutknecht has been a strong supporter of corn growers and agriculture. |
Gutknecht Receives NCGA’s President’s Award
The NCGA presented its President’s Award to Rep. Gil Gutknecht (R-Minn.) today at the Washington Corn Congress for his outstanding support to corn growers and agriculture. (More On This Story)
WRDA Ready for Floor, Corn Growers Take to the Hill
While members of the NCGA take their issues to Capitol Hill for congressional visits during Corn Congress this week, topping their agendas is the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA). (More On This Story)
NCGA Commences Corn Congress, Elects Corn Board Members
The first session of the NCGA summer Corn Congress commenced in Washington, D.C., today, and first order of business was the ratification of Ron Litterer of Iowa as first vice president-elect and election of five members to the organization’s Corn Board. (More On This Story)
NCGA Joint Trade Policy A-Team Briefed on WTO Status
With the World Trade Organization (WTO) negotiations in Geneva last week coming to a close without an agreement, the NCGA Joint Trade Policy A-Team met today with Jason Hafemeister of the U.S. Trade Representative’s (USTR) office who gave a briefing on the negotiations and the USTR’s next steps. (More On This Story)
NCGA, Ag Groups Call on Senate Committee to Discuss Rail Issues
In an effort to call attention to agriculture shipping issues and give producers opportunities to discuss current situations and policies regarding rail transportation, the NCGA and other agricultural organizations are calling on Senate Agriculture Committee leaders to hold a hearing this year to assist in improving shipping conditions for producers. (More On This Story)
NCGA Leaders Return from Vietnam, China, New Zealand Optimistic Over Markets for U.S. Corn
Representatives of the NCGA and the U.S. Grains Council (USGC) who recently returned from an 11-day fact-finding mission to Vietnam and China came back optimistic about potential markets in those countries for U.S. corn and coproducts. (More On This Story) |
AROUND THE CORN BELT
News
from State Associations
Michigan: The Corn Marketing Program of Michigan (CMPM) has joined with eight other Midwestern states to collectively apply for a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for the Midwest E85 Corridor Program. There are approximately six million flexible-fuel vehicles (FFV) traveling on American roads and because the option comes standard on many models, many FFV owners do not even know their vehicle’s alternative fuel capabilities. A listing of FFVs can be found at www.e85fuel.com. “The grant was a collaborative effort of groups from Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Nebraska, Ohio, Wisconsin, and St. Louis,” said Jody Pollok, CMPM executive director. “If the grant is awarded in full, it would provide up to $1.55 million to support new E85 retail sites near interstate highways throughout the Midwest.” The CMPM partnered with the Detroit Area Clean Cities Coalition and NextEnergy, which will be administering and overseeing the grant funding for Michigan. “This grant is a great opportunity for us to partner with our state’s corn producers and also to get some much-needed infrastructure for E85,” said Rachel Kuntsch, Detroit Area Clean Cities Coalition coordinator. “It is exciting to see the number one and number two industries in Michigan, automobile manufacturing and agriculture, coming together.” Through the Midwest E85 Corridor Program, Michigan applied for 20 new E85 fueling sites along the major corridors of the state. If fully funded, Michigan would receive $200,000 to use as a match to retrofit current facilities or install E85 facilities. The DOE is expected to announce the grant winners by mid-September.
South Dakota: Another ethanol plant will bolster the South Dakota ethanol industry as a new plant is proposed for the Vermillion, S.D. region. Glacial Lakes Energy (GLE), LLC, in conjunction with Missouri Valley Renewable Energy (MVRE), LLC is proud to announce that they have merged their companies together; MVRE has become part of GLE in order to build an ethanol plant near Vermillion. GLE is a 50 million gallon per year ethanol plant near Watertown, S.D., which has been operational since August 2002. MVRE is an organization that formed in March 2006 to pursue opportunities in renewable energy in southeast South Dakota. Equity drives are tentatively set for later this summer to secure the necessary funds to construct the facility by Vermillion. Dirt work will begin this fall with plant construction beginning early spring 2007. GLE and MVRE have secured the land option, and results from a feasibility study are due back in July. |
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KEY ISSUES
