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:
- House Passage of Oman Trade Agreement Helps Advance Ag Trade, NCGA Notes
- NCGA Urges Swift Passage of Bipartisan Oil and Gas Legislation
- Ministers to Meet in Geneva for More WTO Talks
- NCGA Pleased with Senate Passage of WRDA Legislation
- NCGA Delegates Approve 2007 Farm Bill Resolution
- NCGA Paper Addresses Corn Growers Supplying Food and Fuel
- NASS: 88 Percent of Corn Crop Rated Fair to Excellent
- Increase in Plant Genome Funding Approved by Senate Committee, NCGA Notes
- NCGA Pamphlet Highlights Advantages of Feeding Distillers Grains
**********************************
House Passage of Oman Trade Agreement Helps Advance Ag Trade, NCGA Notes
The House of Representatives took a significant step in continuing the advancement of agriculture trade Thursday by passing the U.S.-Oman Free Trade Agreement (FTA), according to the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA). Oman FTA was passed by a vote of 221-205. The Senate passed the measure June 29 but did not file the measure because the House must pass legislation first when revenue measures are included in the legislation. It will now go back to the Senate to complete the process. (More On This Story)
NCGA Urges Swift Passage of Bipartisan Oil and Gas Legislation
Concerned with high natural gas prices and the impacts of price and decreased supplies on agriculture producers, National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) President Gerald Tumbleson urged swift passage of the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act, bipartisan legislation regarding oil and gas leasing introduced last night in the Senate. (More On This Story)
Ministers to Meet in Geneva for More WTO Talks
Officials from the G-6—the United States, European Union, Japan, Brazil, India and Australia—will meet in Geneva July 23-24 and again July 28-29 to attempt to salvage the stalled World Trade Organization (WTO) negotiations, the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) notes. (More On This Story)
|
 |
The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) and representatives from the Carpenters Union were in Washington, D.C., speaking with senators and their staffs to advocate passage of the Water Resources Development Act. The legislation would authorize waterway improvements on the upper Mississippi and Illinois rivers. Pictured left to right: Dale Roth, United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners (UBC); Lisa Kelley, NCGA director of public policy; Tom Van Arsdall, Midwest Area River Coalition (MARC 2000) consultant; and Warren Kemper, Iowa corn grower. |
NCGA Pleased with Senate Passage of WRDA Legislation
The NCGA is pleased that authorization to build much needed locks and dams on the Upper Mississippi and Illinois rivers took a giant leap forward today after the Senate passed the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) by a voice vote. (More On This Story)
NCGA Delegates Approve 2007 Farm Bill Resolution
Corn growers continued their work on the 2007 farm bill in Washington, D.C., last week during the NCGA’s Corn Congress, where delegates reviewed NCGA’s farm policy program and approved a resolution to update the policy. (More On This Story)
NCGA Paper Addresses Corn Growers Supplying Food and Fuel
The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) has produced “U.S. Corn Growers: Producing Food AND Fuel,” a short paper that demonstrates that U.S. corn growers will continue to be reliable suppliers of both food AND fuel. (More On This Story)
NASS: 88 Percent of Corn Crop Rated Fair to Excellent
The 2006 corn crop is progressing at a pace similar to last year, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agriculture Statistics Service, but conditions are stressing the corn in some areas, the NCGA notes. (More On This Story)
Increase in Plant Genome Funding Approved by Senate Committee, NCGA Notes
The plant genome initiative got a boost in funding through Senate Appropriations Committee approval last week of the Senate Commerce, Justice, and Science (CJS) appropriations bill for fiscal year (FY) 2007. The plant genome initiative is the leading source of funding for the effort to sequence the corn genome and applications of the research. The NCGA notes this is a significant step forward in providing new products valuable to corn growers. (More On This Story)
NCGA Pamphlet Highlights Advantages of Feeding Distillers Grains
The NCGA has produced a pocket-sized reference guide for basic distillers grains feedings recommendations for livestock. (More On This Story)
|
AROUND THE CORN BELT
News
from State Associations
Colorado: According to the Rocky Mountain News,59 of Colorado's 64 counties have been declared "disaster" areas because of heat, high winds, insect pests, a late freeze, and ongoing drought, according to Gov. Bill Owens' office. U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns announced that 45 counties had been approved for the designation, bringing the total to 59. The approval was granted via letters dated July 10 and 11, and received by the governor's office on July 14. "Colorado's farmers and ranchers have been among the hardest hit by drought conditions," said Owens. "These designations won't bring the rain that's so desperately needed, but hopefully, they will provide help until Mother Nature decides to cooperate." The approval of disaster designation allows farmers in affected counties to apply for low-interest, emergency loans. The counties neighboring those receiving disaster declarations are named as contiguous disaster counties and are eligible for the same assistance.
Minnesota: For the first time since the creation of the 2002 farm bill, the U.S. House of Representatives Agriculture Committee convened a full hearing in Minnesota. The hearing took place July 22 in Marshall in order to take testimony on the current farm program and the creation of the next farm bill, expected to take place in 2007. Ron Obermoller, chair of the Minnesota Corn Growers Association Government Affairs Committee, was asked to present his views about the farm bill as a corn producer.
Missouri: At an event in an Adair County cornfield, Missouri corn farmers endorsed Jim Talent for U.S. Senate for his leadership in working to transform their field of dreams into fields of fuel. The Missouri Corn Growers Association, representing more than 1,800 corn farmers in Missouri, are supporting Talent for his effectiveness in growing Missouri agriculture through his landmark legislation requiring at least 7.5 billion gallons of ethanol be added to the nation's fuel supply by 2012. Talent was also praised for his work on behalf of Missouri agriculture including his leadership on renewable fuels, protecting Farm Service Agencies in Missouri, supporting a permanent repeal of the death tax, working to reduce health care costs for producers, expanding access to markets for our farmers, updating locks and dams, increasing funding for roads and bridges to help farmers get products to market and working to resume U.S. beef exports to Japan. |
|
KEY ISSUES
