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 Delegation Heads to Hong Kong for
WTO Talks
- NCGA Welcomes Advance of Key Trade Agreements
- NCGA’s
Tumbleson Featured Speaker at Farm Journal Forum
- NCGA
Encourages Natural Gas Development Legislation
- California
Energy Commission Recommends 10 Percent Ethanol Blend, NCGA
Notes
- NCGA
Encourages Growers to Take Advantage of Conservation Programs
- NCGA
Encourages Focus on WRDA in Administration’s 2006
Domestic Agenda
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NCGA Delegation Heads to Hong Kong for
WTO Talks
Three members of the
NCGA are going to Hong Kong this weekend for the World Trade Organization
Hong Kong Ministerial, hoping negotiations among nations foster movement
toward a final trade agreement. (More
On This Story)
NCGA Welcomes Advance of Key Trade Agreements
The NCGA has welcomed news
that two key trade agreements came a step closer to realization Wednesday,
as the United States and Peru came to terms on a free trade agreement
(FTA) and the House of Representatives approved a FTA with Bahrain, the
National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) notes. (More
On This Story)
|
 NCGA
Presdient Gerald Tumbleson (right) shared NCGA’s message on trade
and farm policy at the Farm Journal Forum in Washington, D.C., yesterday.
Other panelists at the AgDay TV WeekEnd MarketPlace taping, entitled “U.S.
Farm Report’s Agribusiness Roundtable Discussion,” included
(from left) Dave Frederickson, National Farmers Union president; Bob
Stallman, American Farm Bureau Federation president; and show host Al
Pell..
NCGA’s Tumbleson Featured Speaker
at Farm Journal Forum
Highlighting
the importance of farm policy and trade, NCGA President Gerald Tumbleson
told attendees at the 2005 Farm Journal Forum in Washington, D.C.,
Tuesday that corn growers are committed to promoting forward-looking
ideas for the next farm bill. (More
On This Story)
NCGA Encourages Natural Gas Development Legislation
As part of its
continuing efforts to raise awareness about the impact the U.S. energy
situation is having on agriculture, the NCGA today urged its 32,000
members to urge Congress to act quickly to pass natural gas development
legislation. (More
On This Story)
California Energy Commission Recommends 10 Percent Ethanol Blend,
NCGA Notes
The NCGA is encouraged by a report released by the California
Energy Commission (CEC) that calls for a 10 percent average renewable
fuels content standard for the state’s gasoline pool. (More
On This Story)
NCGA Encourages Growers to Take Advantage of Conservation Programs
The NCGA is encouraging corn growers to demonstrate environmental stewardship
by participating in conservation programs on their farms, noting incentives
through funding recently announced by the U.S. Department of Agriculture
(USDA). (More
On This Story)
NCGA Encourages Focus on WRDA in Administration’s
2006 Domestic Agenda
Today the NCGA called on President George W. Bush to make passage
of the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) a top priority for the
administration’s 2006 domestic agenda. (More
On This Story)
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AROUND THE CORN BELT
News
from State Associations
Nebraska: On Dec. 14-15 at the Holiday Inn in Kearney, Neb., Nebraska's
Corn, Grain Sorghum and Soybean Association and Checkoff Boards,
along with NE Lead Alumni, Nebraska AgRelations Council, Nebraska
Wheat Growers Association, and the Nebraska Grain and Feed Association
will hold the first-ever Nebraska Ag Classic.
Wisconsin: The annual Corn/Soy EXPO returns to the Kalahari Conference
Center in Wisconsin Dells, Jan. 26-27, 2006, and provides Midwest
growers a great opportunity to mix business with pleasure. This yearly
event includes a variety of educational seminars on crop production,
marketing and business efficiencies, forums on biofuels and farm
policy and a chance for growers to meet and share the latest industry
technologies. Corn/Soy EXPO 2006 starts with an early-bird marketing
session at 8 a.m., on Jan. 26 and runs through 3 p.m., on Jan. 27.
Minnesota: The last tow barge passed through the lock at Hastings
on Nov. 30, bringing the 2005 shipping season to a close on the upper
Mississippi River. It will be at least a month before final numbers
are in, but experts feel certain that 2005 was an off year for river
traffic. The combination of Hurricane Katrina's disruption of shipping
into New Orleans and from there overseas, along with the second bumper
corn crop in a row, probably means a decrease in the volume of grain
shipments down river, said Dick Lambert, an expert on ports and waterways
for Minnesota Department of Transportation. The river opened to traffic
eight days later than average, on March 30, and closed a day later
than usual, leaving the river shipping season shorter by a week than
in 2004.
Illinois: U.S. Grains Council programming funded in part by Illinois
corn checkoff funds are bearing fruit in the form of the first shipment
of distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS) to Morocco
later this month. The order for 4,000-5,000 metric tons
of DDGS is for December/January loading. Both the feed miller and
importer were first introduced to DDGS in 2003 when they participated
in the Council’s Value Enhanced Grain (VEG) Conference in Minneapolis.
Morocco reduced the duty on DDGS imports from 32.5 percent to 2.5
percent in August of this year, creating an opportunity for imports.
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KEY ISSUES
