IN THIS ISSUE:

• Ethanol Plant Conference Builds on Earlier Successes Register Now!
• NCGA, California EPA Lay Ethanol Issues on the Table
• NCGA Listens to Ethanol Issues, Offers Help in Expanding Industry in California
• NCGA Calls on the Senate for Deliberative Action On a Farm Bill
• NCGA Enlists Allies for Modifying Ethanol Tax Credit
• NCGA President-elect Fred Yoder Provides a Grower's Perspective on European Traceability Proposal
• NCGA Pleased with WTO Ruling Overturning Mexican Duties on U.S. HFCS
• NCGA Hosts Recruiter Tune-up Training
• NCGA Tracks New Opportunities for Check-off Funded Business Development
• Yoder Looks to Opportunities as NCGA President-Elect
• Senate-Passed Ag Appropriations Bill Provides Funding for MAP/FMD, Plant Genomics Research

Ethanol Plant Conference Builds on Earlier Successes
In June, the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) hosted "So You Want to Build an Ethanol Plant" in St. Louis. The seminar helped prepare would-be plant builders and managers for what they can expect in the field of ethanol production. The conference was so successful, a second will be held Nov. 15-16 at the Cornhusker Hotel in Lincoln, Neb.

"More and more states, growers and organizations are looking into building ethanol plants," said NCGA Production and Marketing Director Paul Bertels, "due to record-high gas prices, new federal renewable fuel requirements and an abundant supply of corn.

"But, even though there are many positives," he continued, "there can be some negatives and that's what this symposium is about. It covers the different challenges that will face those looking to build an ethanol plant."

Items to be covered include:

• The current ethanol production overview and its potential for growth;
• Getting organized;
• Financing and capital acquisition;
• The "nuts and bolts" of site selection;
• Identifying markets for ethanol and co-products;
• What to look for in a feasibility study;
• What questions must be answered before proceeding.

The field of ethanol production is booming, but it's not for everyone. That's why Bertels said individuals planning to attend should be sure this is the path for them.

"This workshop is for anyone who is already in the process of building an ethanol plant," he emphasized, "or is advanced beyond the point of discussion and is proceeding. Ultimately, the people making the decisions should attend."

Registration for the event is $100 per individual or $75 for two or more people from the same organization. Fees must be sent to Jennifer Schmich at the NCGA offices in St. Louis on or before Nov. 1. For more registration information, click here or contact Schmich at 636-733-9004 ext. 118, or e-mail at schmich@ncga.com.

NCGA, California EPA Lay Ethanol Issues on the Table
The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) on Thursday heard from the California EPA a softening of concerns about ethanol in California and expression of a need for a "flexible" federal renewable fuels standard. More info...

NCGA Listens to Ethanol Issues, Offers Help in Expanding Industry in California
The NCGA, long a proponent of ethanol in the interest of the nation's corn growers, kicked off its weeklong ethanol outreach in California, extending an offer of expertise, information and experience as agricultural and state groups look to build markets for renewables in the state. More info...

NCGA Calls on the Senate for Deliberative Action On a Farm Bill
The NCGA-along with eight other agricultural groups- is urging the Senate to continue pursuing a deliberative approach in crafting a new farm bill. More info...

NCGA Enlists Allies for Modifying Ethanol Tax Credit
The NCGA and its ethanol industry allies have enlisted the support of more than a dozen House members in a push for modifying the Small Producer Ethanol Tax Credit. In a letter to Ways and Means Chairman Bill Thomas (R-CA), the co-sponsors of H.R. 1636 urge Thomas to include modifications to the tax credit in the economic security package. More info...

DID YOU KNOW??
www.ncga.com provides the "World of Corn" brochure online. Check out key corn facts and statistics about corn and corn production in the US.

NCGA President-elect Fred Yoder Provides a Grower's Perspective on European Traceability Proposal
Fred Yoder, NCGA President-elect and a Plain City, Ohio, grower, provided NCGA's views on the European Union's proposal on labeling and traceability of biotech crops to a Washington, D.C., gathering of senior representatives from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the European Community and news media. More info...

NCGA Pleased with WTO Ruling Overturning Mexican Duties on U.S. HFCS
The World Trade Organization's (WTO) Appellate Body yesterday ruled that Mexico's anti-dumping duties on U.S. high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) are illegal. The ruling in effect orders the Mexican government to remove the duties it placed on this corn-derived product. More info...

NCGA to Hosts Recruiter Tune-up Training
Just like tuning up a combine or a tractor before its peak use, the NCGA is tuning its recruiters up for their peak work during the 2002 membership drive. More info...

NCGA Tracks New Opportunities for Check-off Funded Business Development
Think of prospecting and you'll probably imagine a gray-bearded prospector leading a mule overloaded with picks and shovels through the desert or mountains. That may have been true for gold prospectors in the Old West. Today, however, if you're prospecting for opportunities to develop new markets for corn, you can prospect in the relative comfort of a convention. That's what Bob Sedlacek, the Business Development Director for the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) did recently when he attended the American Chemical Society Midwest Regional Meeting in Lincoln, Neb. The two-day event featured seminars and discussions for recent developments in chemistry. More info...

DID YOU KNOW??
http://www.ncga.com provides an easy-to-use search engine to search the web site. Looking for specific information? It's easy to find it online at www.ncga.com !

Yoder Looks to Opportunities as NCGA President-Elect
The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) has 32,000 members and represents the interests of 300,000 U.S. corn growers. An organization of that size and with that mission requires a lot of leadership. But at NCGA, leadership is an abundant commodity. Plain City, Ohio, corn grower Fred Yoder has the skills and experience to help lead NCGA as the new president-elect. He assumed his new duties on Oct. 1, when Walsh, Colo., farmer Tim Hume became president of NCGA. Yoder served a two-year stint as the Ohio Corn Growers Association president, as well as wearing many hats within NCGA. More info...

Senate-Passed Ag Appropriations Bill Provides Funding for MAP/FMD, Plant Genomics Research
On Thursday, the Senate passed a $74.12 billion Agriculture Appropriations bill (S. 1191) for fiscal year 2002. The Senate-passed bill provides a level of funding that is $432 million lower than the House-passed Ag Appropriations bill. This difference and others will be resolved during a conference committee next week. The Senate version provides funding for these programs that are of particular interest to corn growers: biofuels and bioenergy research (increase of $9.5 million); genomics research ($4.5 milllion); National Plant Germplasm System ($5 million). Both the House and Senate versions provide identical funding levels for the Market Access Program ($90 million) and Foreign Market Development Progam ($28 million). NCGA has worked extensively to ensure Congress allocates proper funding for programs-such as MAP and FMD-that aid agricultural exports. The bill passed the Senate by a vote of 91-5.

NCGA THIS WEEK

• Oct. 29-Nov. 1 NCGA Vice President of Marketing Brian Stockman and Strategic Marketing Communications Manager Gary Bradley will be in Ithaca, N.Y., with New York Corn Growers Association members campaigning the benefits of ethanol to Cornell and New York agriculture officials
• Oct. 29-30 NCGA CEO and Executive Vice President Rick Tolman will attend the 10th Annual MARC 2000 meeting in St. Louis
• Oct. 29-30 NCGA President Tim Hume will attend the APAC meetings in Washington, D.C.
• Nov. 1 NCGA CEO and Executive Vice President Rick Tolman will attend the Agricultural Industry Steering Group/Future Biobased Products National Effort meeting at the Department of Energy in Washington, D.C.

ST. LOUIS OFFICE

WASHINGTON D.C. OFFICE