NCGA Nominates Ohio Farmer as President-Elect

The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) Corn Board has nominated Plain City, Ohio, farmer Fred Yoder as the next president-elect of NCGA. The action occurred today at the NCGA Corn Board meeting in Chestertown, Md. For more details, go to http://www.ncga.com/news/notd/2001/June/062101.htm.

NCGA President-elect Tim Hume Conveys Corn Growers' Support for Trade Promotion Authority

President Bush invited NCGA President-elect Tim Hume and other agricultural leaders for a "call to arms" event kicking off Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) yesterday. For details, go to http://www.ncga.com/news/notd/2001/June/061901.htm.

European Biotech Trip Was 'Stunning Success'

Rick Tolman, Executive Vice President and CEO of National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) is calling the recent joint biotech mission to the European Union (EU) a "Stunning Success." For more information on this story, go to http://www.ncga.com/news/notd/2001/June/061901a.htm.

NCGA Supports Bipartisan Bill that Simplifies Fuel Standards, Boosts Ethanol Use

A bipartisan effort in the U.S. House of Representatives led by Rep. Roy Blunt (R-MO) and Bobby Rush (D-IL) and with support of House Speaker Denny Hastert (R-IL) has introduced legislation to greatly simplify the manufacture and distribution of gasoline. For more details, go to http://www.ncga.com/news/notd/2001/June/062201.htm.

Congressional Leadership Dissuades Waxman from Introducing Amendment on Ethanol

Ethanol faced a significant threat earlier this week when, during House debate on the Supplemental Appropriations Bill, Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA) planned to introduce an amendment that would have stopped funding of EPA enforcement of the RFG oxygen requirement. Following strong opposition from Democratic and Republican leaders to this amendment, Waxman declined to take his amendment to the floor. Growers who alerted their congressional delegations to this threat deserve a pat on the back, as NCGA grassroots activity on this issue again mobilized members of Congress who stood up for ethanol's interests.

Agriculture Committee's $5.5 Billion in Economic Assistance is a Loss for Corn and Soybean Growers

Corn growers' market loss assistance payments may be less than last year's if the House Agriculture Committee's position is carried through and signed into law. For more information, go to http://www.ncga.com/news/notd/2001/June/062101b.htm.

House Appropriations Subcommittee Marks Up FY 2002 Bill

The House Energy and Water Development Appropriations Subcommittee met Tuesday evening to mark up its FY 2002 spending ill. The Army Corps of Engineers' civil works appropriation was set at $4.468 billion, which is $568.2 million over the President's budget request and $72.8 million below FY 2001. For details, go to http://www.ncga.com/news/notd/2001/June/062101a.htm.

Surface Transportation Board Issues News Rules Regulating Major Railroad Mergers

The U.S. Surface Transportation Board announced the release of new rules concerning mergers and consolidations of Class I railroads. The new rules impose a higher burden on the rail companies to prove that a proposed merger would enhance competition, thus offsetting any negative effects of the merger as well as address the impact on rail service, including reliability of service. The Board noted that the shift in policy "will place greater emphasis in the public interest assessment on competition, while ensuring a stable, balanced and reliable rail transportation system in a way that accounts for smaller railroads, ports and passenger and commuter services." NCGA Sends Message to Modernize Waterways NCGA took the opportunity to convey its messages on waterways transportation issues during this week's Marine Transportation System (MTS) Industry Fair on the Mall in Washington, DC. For more information on this story, go to http://www.ncga.com/news/notd/2001/June/062001.htm.

Midwest Area River Coalition (MARC) 2000 Meets in Minnesota

The ongoing Upper Mississippi River Navigation Study and potential activities regarding the Missouri River were reviewed at the recent MARC 2000 Board Meeting. Representing corn growers at the meeting were Rod Weinzierl, a MARC 2000 Board Member and Executive Director, Illinois Corn Growers Association; Warren Formo, Minnesota Corn Growers Association and a PSAT member; and Keira Franz, NCGA Public Policy Director. Discussion centered on the progress of several government agencies toward completing the Navigation Study and a report from the Army Corps of Engineers is expected in July. MARC 2000 is looking closely at Fish and Wildlife Service's biological opinion regarding the Missouri River and discussing future actions. MARC 2000's efforts will be coordinated with other groups in the basin, including the Coalition to Preserve the Missouri River.

Mexico Fails to Comply with WTO Obligations

In February 2000, the WTO Dispute Settlement Body found that Mexico's antidumping duties on imports of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) from the United States was inconsistent with the WTO Antidumping Agreement. In September, Mexico published a revised finding to bring the antidumping duties into compliance. The United States challenged the Mexican action as being insufficient. In a ruling released Friday, the WTO Panel investigating Mexico's action concluded that Mexico has failed to implement the recommendation of the earlier ruling. This means U.S. corn farmers won another round in the WTO, but still do not have access for U.S. HFCS to Mexico. It is time for Mexico to admit that it cannot fix a flawed antidumping case and to end the antidumping duties on HFCS from the United States.

NCGA This Week

• June 24-28 NCGA Director of Industry Relations Tom Slunecka and NCGA Corn Board Chairman Lynn Jensen will attend the BIO 2001 conference in San Diego, Calif.
• June 26 Ag representatives from Poland will be visiting the NCGA offices in St. Louis.
• June 26 NCGA Director of Communications Stewart Reeve and NCGA Strategic Marketing and Communication Manager Gary Bradley will attend a seminar on speaker training in Chicago, Ill.
• June 26 NCGA has been invited to attend a seed quality assurance conference in Kankakee, Ill.
• June 26 NCGA Biotech Action Team chairman Fred Yoder will participate in a Canadian Grains Council meeting in Vancouver, B.C.
• June 27 A St. Louis Ag Committee Congressional meeting will be held at the NCGA offices in St. Louis from 10 a.m. to noon.
• June 27-28 "So You Want to Build an Ethanol Plant" conference will be held at the St. Louis Airport Marriot, 1-5 p.m. Wednesday and 8 a.m.-2:30 p.m. on Thursday. June 28 Ag representatives from Ukraine will be visiting the NCGA offices in St. Louis.
  

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