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FAX: (202) 628-1933

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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:

Corn Growers Responding to Market, NCGA Says Corn Planting Prediction Up 15 Percent Over Last Year
WRDA Moves in Senate Committee, Notes
NCGA Outlines Farm Bill Proposal to House Ag Committee
NCGA Advises Growers New Biotech Trait Lacks Japanese Approval
Study: Corn Prices Have Little to No Effect on Food Prices, NCGA Says
No-till Corn on the Rise, NCGA Notes

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Corn Growers Responding to Market, NCGA Says Corn Planting Prediction Up 15 Percent Over Last Year
The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) said the prospective plantings report released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture today indicate corn farmers are responding to market demands by intending to plant 90.5 million acres in 2007. Last year, corn growers planted 78.6 million acres. (More On This Story)

NCGA Updates Food Price Report
The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) has updated its recent report on the effect of corn prices on food prices. The update reflects the new estimate by the U.S. Department of Agriculture of significantly more acres planted to corn this year. (More On This Story)

National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) President met with Assistant Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) today to discuss key points of the NCGA farm bill proposal following an Agribusiness Luncheon in Washington, D.C. McCauley also testified before the House Agriculture Committee Subcommittee on General Commodities and Risk Management about NCGA’s farm bill proposal.

NCGA Outlines Farm Bill Proposal to House Ag Committee
National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) President Ken McCauley today outlined the organization’s farm bill proposal, the National Farm Security Act (NFSA), to the House Agriculture Committee Subcommittee on General Commodities and Risk Management. McCauley told the committee the proposal should be viewed as a viable policy alternative as Congress considers the new farm bill. (More On This Story)

NCGA Advises Growers New Biotech Trait Lacks Japanese Approval
The 2007 corn planting season is under way, and the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) advises growers Syngenta’s Agrisure™ Rootworm trait (MIR 604) has not received full approval in Japan. NCGA’s biotechnology policy only supports events that have received full regulatory approval in the United States and Japan. (More On This Story)

Study: Corn Prices Have Little to No Effect on Food Prices, NCGA Says
The recent increase in corn prices is unlikely to have significant effects on consumer food prices, according to a report released today by the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA). (More On This Story)

No-till Corn on the Rise, NCGA Notes
No-till is now the most common form of conservation tillage in corn, according to the latest report of the Conservation Tillage Information Center (CTIC). It is a practice whose time has arrived, said Bill Chase, chairman of the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) Production and Stewardship Action Team. (More On This Story)

AROUND THE CORN BELT
News from State Associations

Illinois: Illinois currently has eight ethanol plants that will make more than 800 million gallons of ethanol this year. The proper permits have been issued to an additional 15 plants in Illinois. Although they may not all be built, another 37 plants are also in various stages of planning. If all of them were built it would boost Illinois ethanol production capacity to 5.9 billion gallons annually.

Indiana: Corn farmers with an interest in how Indiana’s voluntary corn checkoff dollars are invested are encouraged to run for election to the Indiana Corn Marketing Council (ICMC) board of directors. Farmers interested in running for a director position should submit a petition to the ICMC office by June 16, 2007. Farmers can receive a petition by calling the ICMC office at 800-735-0195, by contacting their county Cooperative Extension Service office, or by downloading the form at www.incorn.org.

To participate in Indiana’s voluntary Corn Marketing Development Program this year, corn producers need to enroll by July 1, 2007. Enrollment forms for the corn checkoff program are available from local grain purchasers, online at www.incorn.org. or by mail. For more information, contact Shelia Lingle, ICMC Election Coordinator, 800-735-0195 or by emailing slingle@ indianacorn.com.

Missouri: Missouri Corn Growers have launched a major campaign to expand the availability of E85 within their state, and the man they've hired to direct the effort, Ethan Taylor, visited Minnesota this week to gain insights from the people involved in Minnesota's ten years of experience building E85 awareness, acceptance and availability. Missouri goes to a state-required blend of ten percent ethanol into its gasoline in 2008. The state's four farmer-owned ethanol plants currently have the capacity to produce 300 million gallons of cleaner burning, renewable ethanol, however, according to Taylor, three new plants under construction or in planning would bring another 200 million to 300 million gallons-per-year capacity. Missouri now is estimated to have in excess of 100,000 registered flexible fuel vehicles.

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This Week
April 2:	NCGA Director of Communications Mimi Ricketts attends a meeting of producers and sponsors of the public television program “America’s Heartland” in Sacramento, Cal.
April 2:	NCGA Director of Production, stewardship and Livestock Max Starbuck addresses a meeting of the Ohio Livestock Coalition.
April 3:	NCGA Director of Biotechnology Paul Bertels meets with the American Seed Trade Association in Washington, D.C.
Calendar information is available on the NCGA Leader Resource Center, http://www.insidencga.com © 2007 National Corn Growers Association