Bush Energy Plan Provides Forum for Growing the U.S. Ethanol Market

NCGA views President Bush's Minneapolis speech - where he unveiled his
energy policy proposal - as a forum to promote ethanol and other renewable
fuels. Overall, the president called for increased production and
distribution of all energy sources, and stated that renewable will play a
role in providing energy security for the nation. (For the complete story)

Senators' Letter to VP Cheney Advocates a Key Role for Renewable Fuels in
Energy Policy

NCGA supported efforts among key Senate allies on a letter endorsing
ethanol's role in national energy policy that was sent to Vice President
Dick Cheney on Wednesday. Sens. Chuck Hagel (R-NE) and Tim Johnson (D-SD)
led the effort to advance a prominent role for ethanol in U.S. energy
policy. (For the complete story)

NCGA Set to Testify on Conservation, Waterways Issues Next Week

Next week will be a particularly busy one for NCGA's Washington, D.C., which
will be participating in hearings before two congressional committees. A
hearing on the Conservation Title of the Farm Bill will be held on May 23
before the House Ag Committee's Subcommittee on Conservation, Credit, Rural
Development and Research. Corn Board member Bill Horan of Rockwell City,
Iowa, will represent NCGA as he delivers testimony on behalf of a coalition
of commodity groups. That hearing will be held at 2:30 p.m. in 1300
Longworth. Also on May 23, Production & Stewardship Action Team member Tim
Burrack of Arlington, Iowa, will testify before the House Transportation
Committee's Water Resources Subcommittee. The hearing - set for 1 p.m. at
2165 Rayburn - will focus on waterway congestion.

NCGA Corn Board Positions Open

There's still time...to apply for a position on the NCGA Corn Board. You can
make a difference for our nation's corn growers and strengthen the future of
the NCGA through service on the NCGA Corn Board. Who can apply? Anyone who
is a corn producer (owner, manager or operator), and is a member of NCGA,
and a checkoff contributor, if applicable. Application materials have been
mailed to all NCGA Corn Congress Delegates and Alternates, as well as all
State Association and Checkoff Board offices. The deadline for receipt of
applications is close-of-business on Friday, June 1, 2001. NCGA Nominating
Committee members Lynn Jensen (Chairman), along with John Adams, Cal Dalton,
Brian Peterson and Ray Schaub welcome your application, and look forward to
hearing from you! If you would like a set of application materials mailed,
faxed to emailed to you, please contact Kathy Baker at the NCGA St. Louis
office, 636-733-9004, ext 111, or e-mail at baker@ncga.com.

NCGA Seeks Science-Based Environmental Solutions to CAFO Issues

NCGA is a signatory on a letter sent to the House Water Resources and
Environment Subcommittee this week concerning EPA's proposed regulations on
Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs). NCGA joined nearly 70
national and state agricultural organizations in voicing their concerns
about the proposed regulations. It cites as an example a proposal that would
call for a "requirement of a certification concerning hydrologic connections
between surface and ground water just to determine if a federal permit is
required. If enacted, this measure alone could cost family farms and ranches
thousands of dollars. EPA's own estimates place the cost of compliance of
this entire regulation package between $850 million to $940 million per
year." The proposed CAFO regulations must be made final by December 2002.
Send your comments by July 30, 2001, to: Concentrated Animal Feeding
Operation Proposed Rule, EPA Office of Water, Division of Engineering and
Analysis, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, D.C. 20460.

NCGA Seeks Out Degermination's Economic Benefits to Ethanol Dry Mill Plants

The NCGA is continuing to leverage corn checkoff dollars through its various
research programs, like its work on degermination in an ethanol dry mill. It
is hoped this project will improve the profitability of dry grind ethanol
plants. (For the complete story)

Research Supports NCGA's Claim that Animals Are Not Affected by Biotech Corn

Currently, in the United States, all biotech corn and soybeans that have
reached the marketplace are approved for use in animal feed. But how do
those biotech crops affect the animals that eat them? According to recent
domestic and international research - nothing significant. (For the complete
story)

Farm Groups Join Forces in Submitting Comments on Development of Nutrient
Criteria

NCGA, the American Soybean Association (ASA) and nine other agricultural
organizations submitted comments to the EPA recently concerning the
Ecoregional Nutrient Criteria published in the Federal Register on Jan. 9,
2001. After stating that agriculture has achieved real success by increasing
the efficiency of nutrient use and minimizing environmental impacts, the
agricultural groups expressed that constructive solutions are based both on
both scientific and practical issues. The comments raised concerns with the
basic premise of setting criteria based on an arbitrary statistical approach
and stressed it is essential that a cause-effect relationship be established
between the concentrations and loads of specific nutrients and specific
water use impairments. The groups supported the concept of EPA providing
states additional guidance and maximum flexibility, but stressed the
importance of opportunities for public involvement in the criteria
development process.

USDA Appoints Trade Adviser; Agencies Announce Nominations

Ag Secretary Ann Veneman appointed David Hegwood as USDA's special trade
adviser. Hegwood most recently served as an adviser on biotech and trade
issue at CSC (corn, soybeans and cotton). He also is a former Foreign
Agriculture Service officer, and was a top adviser at USDA during the
Uruguay Round negotiations. And the White House nominated Bennett Raley and
G. Tracy Mehan III to posts at Interior and EPA, respectively. Raley is
nominated as assistant secretary for water and science at Interior. Mehan
was tapped to direct EPA's implementation of the Clean Water Act (including
wetlands regulations), issues such as CAFOs, AFOs and TMDL, and the Safe
Drinking Water Act.

Minnesota Legislature Joins NCGA in Support of Upper Mississippi Lock
Improvements

The Minnesota State Senate, on May 8, overwhelmingly passed a resolution
urging Congress to authorize and fund longer locks on the Mississippi River.
Citing the competitve advantage, comparative efficiencies and fuel savings
of barge traffic versus other modes, the State Senate and House put their
support behind improving this vital link. The livelihood of Minnesota
agriculture is reliant upon the Upper Mississippi System. Each year barges
carry more than 10 million tons of agricultural products from Minnesota. "If
American agriculture is going to remain competitive in global markets, we
must make these improvements now" said Corn Board member Gerald Tumbleson of
Minnesota. This effort was driven by the River Resources Alliance, a
coalition of agriculture, transportation, commercial and public interest
groups, and was spearheaded by the Minnesota Corn Growers Association,
Minnesota Soybean Association and Minnesota Farm Bureau.

NCGA This Week

• NCGA CEO Rick Tolman will be attending the World Ag Forum
  Monday, May 21, in St. Louis. Also that morning, he and other agricultural
  leaders will have a breakfast meeting with the European Union Agriculture
  Commissioner.
• NCGA Lee Klein is in Bangkok, Thailand,participating in a
  U.S. Department of State Speakers Program. (For the full story)
  
  

ST. LOUIS OFFICE

WASHINGTON D.C. OFFICE