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March 9, 2001 * Volume 8 * Number 5
San Antonio Commodity
Classic Is Truly 'a Classic'
The nation's leading
corn growers have wrapped up what could be termed the best Commodity
Classic ever, bringing home valuable information on the latest in agricultural
technology and trends that will help them be more profitable, Capitol
Hill developments and memories of quality fun and fellowship. The 2001
Commodity Classic, the combined convention of the American Soybean Association
(ASA) and the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA), was held Feb.
25-27 in San Antonio, Texas. Attendance for this year's event set an
all-time record, with 3,945 people, including 124 media. Growers at
the event represented an average of 1,744 acres, 750 corn acres and
738 soybean acres. The average grower's age was 51.5. Commodity
Classic photos can now be seen on the NCGA web site.
Corn Congress
Delegates Approve Key Resolutions at Commodity Classic
At the Corn Congress,
NCGA's policymaking body, delegates approved numerous resolutions including
the following key items:
- *That biotechnology
providers assure the availability of accurate, affordable, timely
tests for a trait and these tests should be available before a company
releases a new product;
- That growers
insist that all 2001 seed corn has been tested for the presence of
Cry9C according to the USDA recommended testing procedure;
- That seed companies
employ judicious geographic marketing for seed products that have
not received worldwide approval;
- That NCGA supports
the inclusion of incentive based conservation payments for agricultural
practices and;
- That a component
of a new Farm Bill should be a system of counter-cyclical payments.
In addition, NCGA's
Corn Congress delegates will continue support for a farm policy that
ensures American farmers are globally competitive, market responsive
and environmentally responsible.
NCGA Honors Sen.
Harkin with President's Award
NCGA has recognized
Sen.Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) for his support and leadership on the issues
of ethanol by presenting him with the NCGA President's Award. Harkin
is the ranking Democratic member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture,
Nutrition and Forestry. NCGA President Lee Klein presented the award
to Sen. Harkin during the 2001 Commodity Classic in San Antonio, Texas.
In presenting the award Klein said, "Sen. Harkin's efforts in leading
the charge against the California oxygen waiver, and his commitment
to protect ethanol's market opportunities in California's reformulated
gasoline have earned him the thanks and respect of all corn farmers."
Corn Growers
Pick Up Tips at NCGA Presidential Leadership Program
Corn growers from
several states picked up pointers on how to be more effective leaders
for their state and national organizations at the NCGA/Syngenta Presidential
Leadership Program Feb. 23 in San Antonio, Texas, site of the 2001 Commodity
Classic. The program concentrated on: what is involved in being an NCGA
Board member and what it takes to be president of NCGA: and an update
on the skills needed to run for a position on the Corn Board, specifically
interview and public speaking skills. Grassroots Activity Sprouts on
Ethanol at Commodity Classic Corn growers who attended the recent Commodity
Classic in San Antonio deserve kudos for taking the time to communicate
with their congressional representatives on the importance of a comprehensive
energy bill that includes ethanol, biodiesel and other renewable fuels.
More than 1,300 e-mail messages were sent to the Hill via NCGA's on-line
Legislative Action Center. An estimated 600 growers visited NCGA's trade
show booth during the three-day event. Letters can still be sent to
Congress by clicking
here.
Canadian Ruling
Exonerates U.S. Corn Exports
The Canadian corn
industry did not suffer any injury due to American subsidies of U.S.
corn, according to a March 7, 2001, ruling by the Canadian International
Trade Tribunal. The Tribunal's finding against the Manitoba Corn Growers
Association (MCGA)-the entity that filed the claim of injury-means the
case is over. Consequently, any provisional duties collected pursuant
to earlier preliminary findings will be returned. NCGA worked with the
office of the U.S. Trade Representative and the USDA's Foreign Agriculture
Service, which resulted in the filing of a compelling brief that refuted
the MCGA's claims of injury.
Railroad Expansion/Upgrade
Is on Track
In a letter to
the U.S. Surface Transportation Board (STB), NCGA strongly voiced its
support for the Dakota Minnesota & Eastern Railroad's (DM&E) expansion
and upgrade project. If the project wins federal approval, corn growers
in the Upper Midwest could see higher corn prices. NCGA cited how the
railroad project would benefit area growers. "First, it will improve
the capacity of the existing track, allowing for larger, more efficient
grain shipments. Second, it will provide competition to the Burlington
Northern-Santa Fe Railroad (BNSF), and there are numerous examples of
how competition benefits both shippers and carriers. Finally, this project
will give corn and soybean growers in South Dakota and Western Minnesota
greater market access." In terms of shipping corn to export markets,
current freight rate spreads favor the Mississippi River Gulf over the
Pacific Northwest. In other words, growers can make more money shipping
their corn overseas via the Mississippi River rather than through ports
in the Pacific Northwest. The problem for Upper Midwest growers, however,
is that the BNSF's freight rates favor shipping corn to Pacific Northwest
ports. NCGA encourages the STB to approve the DME's project without
any additional delays, concluding that the project is vital to the economic
well-being of the Upper Midwest.
Wall Street Journal
Takes Cheap Shot at Ethanol
A recent Wall Street
Journal editorial-with the headline "Children of the Corn" again displays
the paper's bias against ethanol. Although the piece did not generate
any additional media inquiries to NCGA, staff developed talking points
to rebut the editorial's underlying premise. The editorial stated that,
"Studies from the National Academy of Sciences, the General Accounting
Office, and the EPA's own Blue Ribbon Panel have shown that oxygenates
don't really do much in the way of what they are supposed to do: cut
smog." NCGA's response: "This is inaccurate. . . .RFG, by its very definition,
meets the VOC requirements of the law, so the argument on smog is irrelevant.
. . .The federal program is also directed at reducing the mass of toxic
emissions. Gasoline with oxygenates also produce a mixture of toxic
emissions that exhibit a lower tendency to cause cancers than non-oxygenated
gasoline." Studies submitted by NCGA and the Renewable Fuels Association
(RFA) contain modeling results that indicate when oxygenates are removed
from gasoline, more mass toxic emissions will occur in a mixture that
has greater disease-causing potential.
EPA Report Addresses
Cry9C and Wet Milling
A recently released
draft white paper from EPA discounts the likelihood that the Cry9C protein
will appear in wet milled products. The report stated, "EPA believes
it is reasonable to conclude that there is virtually no Cry9C protein
in wet milled products and that there is no likely health concern for
the public associated with the consumption of any food fraction produced
by wet milling of corn as long as reasonable steps are taken to ensure
that StarLink corn is not diverted to wet milling." Both NCGA and EPA
are calling for continued testing of corn to detect the presence of
the Cry9C protein, and the diversion of such corn to animal feed or
industrial uses only. EPA concluded, "Such testing will minimize the
possible occurrence of shipments of corn containing StarLink from entering
the wet milling process." View
the EPA report.
EPA also announced that split approvals would not be a future regulatory
option, consistent with a position that NCGA adopted last July.
USDA Will Compensate
Small Seed Companies for Cry9C Corn
The USDA's Commodity
Credit Corporation (CCC) announced March 7 that it will immediately
offer to buy corn seed containing Cry9C. The offer is extended only
to seed companies not affiliated with Aventis, or those licensed to
sell StarLink. "This is another important step in a coordinated effort
between industry and government to remove Cry9C and to assure the integrity
of the 2001 corn crop," said Fred Yoder, a farmer from Plain City, Ohio,
and chairman of the NCGA Biotechnology Working Group. "But growers still
have two responsibilities for 2001. We still need to ask for verification
that the seed we buy for planting this year has been tested for Cry9C
and we must control volunteer StarLink corn in 2001." USDA said that
less than 1 percent of the U.S. corn seed supply contained traces of
Cry9C, or about 400,000 bags. That estimate was provided to USDA by
the American Seed Trade Association.
House Ag Committee
Schedules NCGA for Farm Bill Hearing
Chairman Larry Combest
(R-TX) promised to commence debate on the 2002 Farm Bill early in the
107th Congress, and the chairman has delivered on that promise. Just
look at the hearing calendar for this month: Barley Growers (3-8); National
Farmers Union (3-14); Wheat Growers (3-15); Rice Growers (3-21), American
Soybean Association (3-29); and of course, National Corn Growers Association
(3-28). To see the testimony of the groups that have already appeared
before the House Ag Committee, log on to the committee's web site at
. NCGA's testimony will be posted at www.ncga.com
immediately after its delivery.
Risk Management
Agency Sets Prices for 2001 Crops
On March 5, 2001,
the Risk Management Agency announced prices for Crop Revenue Coverage
(CRC), Income Protection (IP), Revenue Assurance (RA), and Group Risk
Income Protection for 2001 crops with a sales closing date of March
15. The CRC, IP and RA plans will all offer coverage at $2.46 per bushel.
The GRIP projected price is $2.45 per bushel. The Agricultural Risk
Protection Act significantly increased the federal subsidy for these
revenue plans. Growers should take the time to visit with a crop insurance
agent to determine whether a revenue plan fits in their risk management
plans before the March 15 sales closing deadline.
CEO Rick Tolman
Has Great Danes Meeting
NCGA CEO Rick Tolman
met March 7 at Monsanto with a group of about 25 legislators, farmers,
the minister of agriculture and media from Denmark. The self-funded
group was in the United States to learn about biotechnology, preparatory
to addressing biotech legislative issues in Denmark. Tolman explained
to the group who NCGA is and the association's work, policy and positions
on biotechnology. Tolman noted that the work of the NCGA Biotech Working
Group, as well as NCGA's updated policies from the recent Corn Congress
at the Commodity Classic in San Antonio, were very useful in addressing
the groups questions and concerns. A photo
of Tolman's meeting can be seen on the NCGA web site.
NCGA Honors Staff
With Service Awards
For the first quarter
of the 2001 calendar year, NCGA has presented service awards to five-year
recipients Bruce Knight and Rodger Mansfield and three-year employee
Mary Quigley. For the year 2000, the following were recognized: Susan
Keith, 10 years; Judy Hall, seven years; Mike Rohan, Brian Stockman
and Kathy Baker, five years; Keira Franz, Beth Musgrove, Mike Shelby,
Susan Claiborne, John McClelland and Gary Bradley, three years.
Goodyear Tires
Puts Corn to the Road
Goodyear Tire &
Rubber Company recently introduced a new line of tires using a starch-based
filler material called BioTRED at a major European auto show in Geneva.
BioTRED is a biopolymeric filler that partially replaces more conventional
carbon black and silica. BioTRED is produced from cornstarch that is
treated to obtain micro-droplets of starch, which is then further treated
to form the filler. It has a low specific gravity, which reduces tire
weight and rolling inertia.
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