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 Lauds House Passage of Farm Bill with Revenue-based Option
- NCGA: Durbin-Brown Legislation Takes Farm Policy to a New Level
- WRDA Inching Closer to Passage
- Ethanol Update
- August 1 is the Deadline for CYC
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NCGA Lauds House Passage of Farm Bill with Revenue-Based Option
The House of Representatives passed the Farm, Nutrition and Bioenergy Act of 2007 by a vote of 231-191 on Friday. The House bill’s Commodity Title gives producers the option to enter into a national revenue-triggered countercyclical program or a program similar to one now available in the 2002 farm bill. The House bill also includes restrictions on income and payment limits.
The Kind-Flake amendment was handily defeated by a vote of 309-117. NCGA’s state associations and grassroots membership turned out in full force to beat back Rep. Kind’s efforts.
NCGA advocates a farm bill with a county-based revenue countercyclical program that triggers payments based on a farm’s revenue rather than a crop’s price.
The attention now turns to the Senate. Sens. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) this week introduced the Farm Safety Net Improvement Act of 2007. NCGA praised the senators for their leadership in advancing the revenue program. The Senate Agriculture Committee will begin action on its farm bill after the August recess.
NCGA: Durbin-Brown Legislation Takes Farm Policy to a New Level
NCGA applauded Sens. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) this week for introducing the Farm Safety Net Improvement Act of 2007, legislation that advocates a state-level revenue protection program complemented with individual-level private crop insurance. NCGA has been promoting a county-based revenue countercyclical program. Durbin and Brown’s proposal takes concepts in NCGA’s plan and applies them to the state level. A government payment is triggered when a farmer’s actual revenue (price x yield) falls below 90 percent of the forecasted state target revenue for a specific crop. Private insurance is integrated with the state program, operating much like it does now. NCGA is working with American Farmland Trust to promote the revenue-based farm program. The insurance covers a farmer’s individual revenue losses beyond what the government covers. In doing so, farmers will see a significant decrease in their crop insurance premiums.
The Durbin-Brown proposal most likely will be an amendment to farm bill legislation that comes out of the Senate Agriculture Committee, which is anticipated to begin marking up its version of a farm bill after the August recess. The House debates its farm bill Thursday.
WRDA Inching Closer to Passage
The farm bill was not the only thing moving through Congress this week. On Wednesday, the House named conferees to the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) and moved that the conference proceedings officially commence. After several months of staff-led negotiations, lawmakers met to negotiate the final details of the conference report. Both chambers will vote on the final conference report next week, sending the first WRDA reauthorization since 2000 to the president for his signature. Despite some concern that the administration opposes the bill, the president is expected to sign it into law.
They secured a deal that will authorize $11.5 billion for 43 Chief of Engineers' reports, including modernization on the Upper Mississippi and Illinois Rivers. It also authorizes 100 new corps studies and 160 modifications to already-authorized projects. In total the bill includes 940 Army Corps of Engineers water projects – $21 billion in authorizations.
The House is scheduled to take up the conference report on Aug. 1. The Senate cannot act on the measure until the House does. However, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) has stated his commitment to the bill.
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AROUND THE CORN BELT
News
from State Associations
Kansas: The Kansas Corn Commission teamed up with the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council to sponsor a grand opening event at the state’s newest E85 station on July 14. “ On the Go”, located at the junction of I-435 and Woodend Road, sold E85 fuel for $1.85 during the promotion which was held in conjunction with Willie Wilson’s Legend’s baseball game. On hand to pump E85 fuel were former Detroit Tigers pitcher John Warden and former Cincinnati Reds pitcher Ron Robinson. The baseball greats were in Kansas City to participate in the Legends baseball game at the Community America Park, home of the Kansas City T-Bones baseball team. On display at the grand opening and at the game were EPIC’s Indy Race Car and mobile education unit as well as the Kansas Corn Commission’s new flexible fuel Chevrolet Impala The KCC’s Impala sports a corn wrap to promote ethanol. EPIC, with help from the Kansas Corn Commission, Kansas Association of Ethanol Processors and Kennedy and Coe, sponsored the Ethanol Team at the Legends exhibition baseball game, a fundraiser for the Children’s Miracle Network. Former Dodger star Tommy Davis managed the Ethanol team which featured Joe Carter, Ozzie Smith, Bob Dernier, Jay Johnston and former Houston pitcher J.R. Richard.
Maryland: The Maryland Grain Producers Association (MGPA) awarded its prestigious Dr. James R. Miller award to publisher and journalist Bruce Hotchkiss at the Maryland Commodity Classic on July 26. Established in 1988, this award recognizes a professional, non-grower for his/her contributions to the grain industry. Mr. Hotchkiss is well known for his fair and unbiased reporting of issues affecting the agriculture industry. He edited daily and weekly papers in New Jersey and Colorado before coming to the Eastern Shore as editor of The Star Democrat. As the founding editor of the Central Shore Farmer, he jumped at the chance to turn that small weekly insert into a major agricultural newspaper, The Delmarva Farmer, in 1978. He remains senior editor at American Farm Publications, in addition to running his own family business, Agri-Media Services Inc., which offers help to farmers and farm organizations with their public and media relations and commodity promotion and education programs. He received Honorary American Farmer Degree from FFA and is an honorary County Ag Agent in Maryland. He has received awards from the Soil Conservation Society of America, Maryland Extension Specialists Association, the University of Maryland Department of Agronomy, the Maryland 4-H Foundation, the Mid-Atlantic and Virginia Soybean Associations, the American Soybean Association and numerous others. |
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Ethanol Update
As legislation promoting local ownership of ethanol plants was introduced on Capitol Hill, two major corporate ethanol producers strengthened their foothold in the industry this week.
Sen. Norm Coleman (R-Minn.) introduced legislation that would give local investors the opportunity to obtain shares in ethanol plants that are financed by federal loans or grants. Anyone within a 50 mile radius of a plant would have a 60 day window to invest in a plant.
VeraSun said it intends to acquire three ethanol plants from ASAlliance Biofuels. The three plants are located in Albion, Neb., Bloomingburg, Ohio, and Linden, Ind., and will have capacities of 110 million gallons.
Cargill said it will expand ethanol production at its Eddyville, Iowa, plant from 35 to 145 million gallons. Construction is expected to be completed by the end of 2009.
Aug. 1 is the Deadline for CYC
The deadline for entries to the 2007 NCGA Corn Yield Contest is Aug.1. Corn growers have two ways to enter the contest: Online or by mail. For more registration information, click here. |
KEY ISSUES
