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October
31, 2003 * Volume 10* Number 29
NCGA's
Mission: To Create and Increase Opportunities
for Corn Growers in a Changing World
This is Corn Commentary,
the weekly newsletter for state and national grower leaders of the National
Corn Growers Association (NCGA) available via the U.S. Postal Service.
For complete stories and updated NCGA information, visit www.ncga.com
or the NCGA Leader Resource Center, www.insidencga.com.
IN
THIS ISSUE:
- NCGA
Invites Corn Growers to Apply for Corn Board Positions
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NCGA Leaders in Washington: Get an Energy Bill Passed Now
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NCGA Discusses Efforts of Animal Agriculture Alliance
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NCGA, Other Leading Ag Organizations Urge Administration Action on
Unrealistic Demands by Developing Countries at WTO
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NCGA CEO Encouraged by Progress on Trade Agreements
-
Reasons for a Recent Surge in U.S. Corn Expect Demand To Vary Around
the World
NCGA CEO Rick Tolman,
center, a judge in the 2003 American Star Farmer Awards competition
at the Future Farmers of America (FFA) Convention in Louisville, poses
with the winner, Orrin Holle, of Atwood, Kan., third from left, and
the other three finalists. Also pictured, from left, are Michael P.
Wellens of Chaska, Minn.; Michael N. Brooks of Woodstown, N.J.; and
Chad Ledbetter of Morris, Okla. The Star Farmer award is presented on
the basis of outstanding achievement in production agriculture supervised
agricultural experience (SAE) and their active participation in the
FFA. Tolman was pleased to report that each of the four finalists included
corn in their programs and was aware of NCGA and its work on behalf
of corn growers nationwide. “When you go to these conventions,
there is a tremendous sense of enthusiasm and energy,” Tolman
said. “These are outstanding leaders who are excited about production
agriculture and are already successful. They’ve learned to use
the programs and marketing tools, and it makes me excited about our
future and theirs.” He said that the four finalists have bucked
the trend of leaving the farm that many in their generation are following.
“They are great examples and great spokesmen,” Tolman concluded.
NCGA
Invites Corn Growers to Apply for Corn Board Positions
The NCGA Nominating
Committee is inviting corn growers to be an integral part of NCGA's
leadership by applying for positions on the NCGA Corn Board.
Members of the Nominating
Committee are Corn Board Chairman Fred Yoder, Richard Godfrey, Gary
Duffy, Roger Pine and Keith Sexton.
“This is your
opportunity to help strengthen the future of NCGA through leadership
service on the NCGA Corn Board,” said Yoder. “Nominating
Committee members look forward to hearing from you.” (More
On This Story)
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| NCGA
President Dee Vaughan, center, and First Vice President Leon Corzine,
right, visit with Sen. George Voinovich (R-Ohio) this week in Washington,
D.C. |
NCGA
Leaders in Washington: Get an Energy Bill Passed Now!
While in Washington
this week, NCGA President Dee Vaughan and First Vice President Leon
Corzine called upon Congress to get the energy bill passed. It’s
not just about ethanol, said Vaughan. It’s about energy independence.
(More
On This Story)
NCGA
Discusses Efforts of Animal Agriculture Alliance
As the distance
from the “farm to the plate” increases, it is becoming increasingly
important to educate consumers about the role animal agriculture plays
in providing a safe, abundant food supply to a hungry world. That is
why NCGA Vice President of Marketing Brian Stockman and Livestock Manager
Tracy Snider attended an informational meeting Oct. 24 with the Animal
Agriculture Alliance in St. Louis. (More
On This Story)
NCGA,
Other Leading Ag Organizations Urge Administration Action on Unrealistic
Demands by Developing Countries at WTO
In a letter last
week to U.S. Trade Representative Robert Zoellick and Agriculture Secretary
Ann Veneman, NCGA and other leading ag groups urged the Bush administration
to pursue WTO negotiations that address unrealistic demands by developing
countries during the recent World Trade Organization (WTO) Ministerial
Conference in Cancun, Mexico. (More
On This Story)
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| Dr. William
H. Danforth, Washington University chancellor emeritus, has been
appointed to a USDA Advisory Committee on Research. Today he visited
the NCGA office in St. Louis to share information about the advisory
committee and to learn more about NCGA’s research activities.
Pictured, from left, are NCGA CEO Rick Tolman, Dr. Danforth and
NCGA Vice President of Research and Business Development Dr. Richard
Glass. |
NCGA
CEO Encouraged by Progress on Trade Agreements
While the dust is
still settling from fallout at the World Trade Organization (WTO) Ministerial
Conference in Cancun earlier this fall, NCGA CEO Rick Tolman says he
is encouraged by progress being made on trade agreements that fit into
corn growers’ philosophies of fair and free trade and comparative
advantage.
Tolman participated
in an Ag Trade Advisory Committee (ATAC) meeting last week in Washington,
D.C., where ATAC members were brought up to speed on current trade issues
and gave advice on next steps. (More
On This Story)
Reasons
for Recent Surge in U.S. Corn Export Demand To Vary Around the World
According to the
U.S. Grains Council (USGC) overseas office directors, reasons for the
recent surge in U.S. corn export demand may vary around the world.
Some traders were
surprised by the USDA’s weekly export sales report for the week
that ended Oct. 9. That week saw marketing-year high sales tallies for
U.S. corn and soybeans. The week’s net corn sales of 1,675,500
metric tons were 75 percent above the previous week and 60 percent greater
than the four-week average, according to news reports.
USGC office directors
cited different reasons for increased sales to their countries. In Russia,
for example, a poor harvest has left the wet milling industry short
200,000 tons of corn, according to director Alexander Kholopov. Kurt
Shultz, the Council’s Tunis director, reported purchases made
by Algeria and Israel were due in part to currency rates favoring U.S.
corn and a lack of feed wheat coming out of drought-stricken Europe
and Russia.
Mexico, on the other
hand, has experienced some corn crop damage due to heavy rains and has
sought more U.S. corn as a result, said Dr. Ricardo Celma, the Council’s
Mexico director. The main reason for Mexico importing more U.S. corn,
however, is due to Mexican corn importers recently being given new corn
import licenses to use for the rest of the year, Celma said.
In Jordan and Syria,
competitive prices for U.S. corn versus Argentinean corn has turned
imports in favor of U.S. corn since September, said Dubai office director
Dr. Terrance Vorachek. Egypt office director, Dr. Hussein Soliman, said
the value of U.S. corn has likely increased because of the Ramadan holiday,
which is followed by feasts and increased consumption of animal protein
sources.
In Indonesia, 160,000
tons of U.S. corn was recently bought by a multinational trader who
has not yet sold the corn to an end-user, Southeast Asia director Kim
Rameker reported. Playing in the United States’ favor in Japan
is the strengthening of the Japanese Yen against the U.S. dollar since
Oct. 1, making U.S. corn cheaper for the Japanese, said Tokyo director
Cary Sifferath.
“We’re
happy to see the increase in export demand no matter the reasons given
from our various offices,” said Kenneth Hobbie, Council president
and CEO. “The increased demand around the world equates to increased
demand for our members’ grains.”
Story courtesy
of U.S. Grains Council
Of
Special Interest:
To View Your Local Weekend Weather Forecast, (Click
Here)
NCGA THIS WEEK
- Nov. 3-5, NCGA
Manager of Livestock Information and Programs Tracy Snider will attend
the Alternative Feeds for Livestock and Poultry Third Annual Symposium
in Kansas City, Mo.
- Nov. 5-7, NCGA
Director of Communications Mimi Ricketts and Membership Manager Byron
Keelin will attend NCGA’s Public Policy Action Team Planning
Meeting in Washington, D.C.
More calendar information
is available on the NCGA Leader Resource Center, http://www.insidencga.com.
© 2003 National
Corn Growers Association
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