May 27, 2005 * Volume 12 * Number 20

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:

· Congressional Recess Provides Opportunity for Grower Involvement on NCGA Issues
· NCGA Mailing Out Grower Advantage Coupon Booklet
· RFS Moves to Full Senate for Approval in Bipartisan Energy Bill Package
· NCGA Rallies for CAFTA
· NCGA’s Niemeyer Supports Grain Inspection Act in Testimonies
· NCGA Calls RFS Studies ‘Misleading’
· NCGA Applauds Adoption of 8-Billion-Gallon RFS by Senate Committee
· NCGA Urges Senate Energy Committee to Adopt 8-Billion Gallon RFS

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Congressional Recess Provides Opportunity for Grower Involvement on NCGA Issues
The NCGA reminds its members that many senators and congressmen will be in their home districts during the congressional recess May 27 - June 6 providing an opportunity to ask for support of NCGA’s key policy and legislative goals. (More On This Story)

NCGA Mailing Out Grower Advantage Coupon Booklet
The NCGA is asking members to check their mailboxes for their “Grower Advantage” coupon booklet. The booklet should be arriving in mailboxes soon and contains exclusive savings on products and services for NCGA members, said Dave Boettger, NCGA Grower Services Action Team chair. (More On This Story)

RFS Moves to Full Senate for Approval in Bipartisan Energy Bill Package
The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee’s overwhelming approval today of a bipartisan energy bill that includes an 8-billion-gallon renewable fuels standard (RFS) by 2012 demonstrates that the political will exists in Congress to pass an energy bill which will lessen the nation’s dangerous dependence on foreign oil, said NCGA President Leon Corzine. (More On This Story)

NCGA Rallies for CAFTA
The NCGA continued its efforts to support passage of the Central American-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) at a Capitol Hill rally yesterday. NCGA joined a broad coalition of agriculture and business groups to rally for the agreement, which would increase U.S. agriculture exports by $1.5 billion when fully implemented. (More On This Story)

NCGA staff met in St. Louis this week to sharpen their skills, improve their teamwork and share ideas on program work. Trainer Kris Kriegel helps DC office manager Maud Jenkins with PowerPoint while St. Louis staff assistant Melanie Gibson looks on. NCGA’s Niemeyer Supports Grain Inspection Act in Testimonies The NCGA Corn Board member Garry Niemeyer expressed support for the continuation of the U.S. Grain Inspection Act in testimonies this week before the House Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and Risk Management and the Senate Committee on Agriculture. (More On This Story) NCGA Calls RFS Studies ‘Misleading’ NCGA President Leon Corzine said today that the release this week of two studies disparaging the positive impact of a renewable fuels standard (RFS) is a well-funded and misleading smear campaign mounted against renewable energy. (More On This Story) NCGA Applauds Adoption of 8-Billion-Gallon RFS by Senate Committee The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee’s adoption of an 8-billion-gallon renewable fuels standard (RFS) today is a “major step in the right direction not only for corn growers and rural America but for all American consumers,” said NCGA President Leon Corzine. (More On This Story) NCGA Urges Senate Energy Committee to Adopt 8-Billion Gallon RFS The NCGA Monday signed on to a letter to members of the Senate Energy Committee urging them to adopt an 8-billion gallon renewable fuels standard (RFS) as part of their comprehensive energy legislation. The committee is expected today to consider the amendment introduced by Sens. Jim Talent (R-MO), Tim Johnson (D-SD) and Byron Dorgan (D-ND). (More On This Story)

AROUND THE CORN BELT News from State Associations COLORADO: The Colorado Department of Agriculture and Colorado Corn joined Governor Bill Owens at the west steps of the Capitol in Denver this week to help promote the benefits of E-85. General Motors donated a flexible-fuel Avalanche to the Colorado Department of Agriculture to use for a year. ILLINOIS: This week Illinois Corn Growers Association is asking corn growers to call Congress to urge them to make authorizing new locks on the upper Mississippi River and Illinois Waterways a priority for the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2005. Unless the upper Mississippi River System is upgraded, barge delays will continue, the price of commodities will increase which will hurt export opportunities. Lock construction will boost Illinois and surrounding states economics. KANSAS: The Agritalk Ethanol Pump Tour is making a stop at the Pratt Kwik Shop, 102 Washington St., on Friday, June 3. Motorists buying E10 Unleaded fuel from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. with 10 percent ethanol will receive a 10 cent per gallon discount from the Kansas Corn Commission. Plus, customers using their Dillon’s grocery store card will receive an additional 10 cent per gallon discount during the promotion. Mike Adams, host of the nationally syndicated Agritalk radio show will broadcast live from the event, as will Pratt radio station KWLS 1290AM. KWLS is an AgriTalk affiliate and airs the show weekdays from 10 to 11 a.m. Growers and AgriTalk staff will be on hand to pump E10 Unleaded and answer questions about the fuel. Information and prizes will be given out throughout the event. Sponsorship of the AgriTalk Pump Tour and other E10 Unleaded promotions are part of the Kansas Corn Commission (KCC) and Kansas Corn Growers Association's (KCGA) efforts to increase the use and availability of E10 Unleaded fuel in Kansas.

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© 2005 National Corn Growers Association

ST. LOUIS OFFICE

WASHINGTON D.C. OFFICE