NCGA News












December 3, 2004 * Volume 11* Number 46

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). For complete stories and updated NCGA information, visit www.ncga.com or the NCGA Leader Resource Center, www.insidencga.com.

IN THIS ISSUE:

• NCGA Members Discuss Corn Grower Issues at Action Team, Committee Meetings
• Harvest Lags Behind Normal, But Nears Completion, NCGA Notes
• NCGA Corn Board Endorses Johanns as Secretary of Agriculture
• Industry’s First Triple Trait Offering Demonstrates Growing Use, Acceptance of Biotechnology
• Commodity Classic Registration Available Online
• NCGA Disappointed in Senate’s Failure to Pass Junk Fax Legislation

NCGA Members Discuss Corn Grower Issues at Action Team, Committee Meetings
Nearly 100 corn producers from across the country converged in St. Louis this week for the NCGA Action Team and Committee meetings.

NCGA’s action teams and committees are grower-led groups that develop the programs and initiatives to be implemented on behalf of the 300,000 farmers who contribute to the corn checkoff. (More On This Story)

Corn growers have harvested 95 percent of what is likely to be a record corn crop.

Harvest Lags Behind Normal, But Nears Completion, NCGA Notes
Harvest of this fall’s corn crop inched closer to completion last week, as growers had brought in 95 percent of what is expected to be a record crop, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). (More On This Story)

NCGA Corn Board Endorses Johanns as Secretary of Agriculture
The NCGA Corn Board today endorsed the confirmation of Nebraska Gov. Mike Johanns as the new secretary of agriculture and looks forward to working closely with him on issues important to corn growers. (More On This Story)

Industry’s First Triple-Trait Offering Demonstrates Growing Use, Acceptance of Biotechnology
Japan’s recent approval of the biotech industry’s first commercial triple-trait corn seed demonstrates the growing international acceptance of biotechnology, according to the NCGA. (More On This Story)

Commodity Classic Registration Available Online Registering for the 2005 Commodity Classic, the nation’s premier agriculture convention and trade show, is now more convenient than ever. Simply log on to www.commodityclassic.com to download a registration form for the annual event sponsored by the NCGA and American Soybean Association. (More On This Story)

NCGA Disappointed in Senate’s Failure to Pass Junk Fax Legislation
The NCGA expresses disappointment in the Senate’s failure to pass the Junk Fax Prevention Act of 2004, which would have restored provisions allowing associations such as NCGA to communicate via fax with other associations and businesses. (More On This Story)

  

AROUND THE CORN BELT
News from State Associations

KANSAS: Although a snow storm slowed arrivals to the Kansas Commodity Classic in Garden City on Tuesday, the event drew a near capacity crowd by mid morning. The Classic is the annual convention of the Kansas corn, grain sorghum, wheat and cotton producers. Growers heard from Congressman Jerry Moran and also from a panel of lobbyists. More than 200 producers attended the event.

MISSOURI: The Platte-Clay Electric Cooperative in Kearney opened Missouri 's latest E85 fueling site in October. This facility is located just off of I-35 at Exit 26 and includes a 5,000 gallon E85 tank and eight E85 dispenser hoses. To assist in promoting the site, National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition is sponsoring an E85 billboard along I-35.

MINNESOTA: University of Minnesota Regents Professor of chemical engineering Lanny Schmidt was named one of this year's Top 50 scientists by Scientific American magazine. Schmidt recently published findings about technology for utilizing ethanol in hydrogen fuel cells. The Minnesota Corn Research & Promotion Council and Minnesota Corn Growers Association have encouraged investigation into the role ethanol could play in hydrogen fuel cell development, and help fund Schmidt's fuel cell research.

IOWA: Golden Grain Energy LLC, a new ethanol plant in northern Iowa, got its first load of corn this week. Dave Sovereign, chairman of the board of directors, was the first to unload corn at the 70-acre plant on the south edge of Mason City. "This is an exciting day," said Sovereign, a Cresco farmer. "It means more money per acre, added value for my corn and a return of ethanol."

NORTH DAKOTA: The North Dakota Corn Growers Association is pushing legislation to require a 10 percent blend of ethanol in all gasoline except premium. Jocie Iszler, executive director of the NDCGA, said the mandate would increase the amount of ethanol-blended gasoline used in the state from about 12 million gallons per year to 40 million gallons. Legislation to mandate ethanol use in North Dakota has failed twice since 2001.

NEBRASKA: Midwest Renewable Energy, LLC (MRE) recently began production at its ethanol plant near Sutherland, Nebraska. MRE will process over 5.5 million bushels of corn into 15 million gallons of ethanol and 100,000 tons of wet distillers grains annually. The plant employs 33 people.

 

Of Special Interest:

To View Your Local Weather Forecast, (Click Here)

Next Week:

Dec. 9-10 NCGA President Leon Corzine attends AC-21 meeting in Washington, D.C.

Dec. 9-10

 NCGA Strategic Communications Manager Gary Bradley attends Indiana Invests meeting in Indianapolis.

More calendar information is available on the NCGA Leader Resource Center, http://www.insidencga.com

© 2004 National Corn Growers Association


ST. LOUIS OFFICE


WASHINGTON D.C. OFFICE
632 Cepi Drive
Chesterfield, MO 63005
Phone: (636) 733-9004
FAX: (636) 733-9005		 122 C Street, N.W., Suite 510
Washington, DC 20001
Phone: (202) 628-7001
FAX: (202) 628-1933
ml">Main Menu | Leader Resource Center
©National Corn Growers Association
corninfo@ncga.com