IN THIS ISSUE:

• NCGA Receives $2.4 Million Grant From DOE Renewable Energy Program
• NCGA's Corzine Discusses Potential of Pharma Corn
• NCGA's Yoder Represents Corn Growers at Washington Biosafety Protocol, Energy Bill Meetings
• NCGA Welcomes Extension of Public Comment Period on Proposed Crop Insurance Regulations
• NCGA Launches Updated 'Know Before You Grow' Program
• NCGA Aflatoxin Workshop Works to Provide Growers With Solution
• Grains Council Expects Corn to Retain Advantage in Taiwanese Market
• NCGA Settles into New Offices
• NCGA Accepting Applications for Corn Board
• NCGA Sends Haunting Goodies to Capitol Hill

NCGA Receives $2.4 Million Grant From DOE Renewable Energy Program
NCGA is continuing its research in renewable fuels through a $2.4 million Department of Energy (DOE) grant. The award enables NCGA and its partners to begin the second phase of a Fiber Utilization Project. The project is a collaboration between the NCGA, Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. The award was officially announced during the DOE-sponsored Southern Illinois Energy Meeting at the Southern Illinois University campus at Edwardsville. Also during the meeting, various renewable energy technologies, such as wind, solar power, and biomass (ethanol, bio-diesel) were represented and those individuals were given the opportunity to sit on panels with other experts and discuss their research. The event was hosted by Rep. John Shimkus (R-IL) and featured a taped opening statement from Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham. Representing NCGA were Ethanol Committee member Garry Niemeyer, CEO Rick Tolman, Vice President of Research and Development Dr. Richard Glass, and Research and Development Manager Nathan Danielson.

NCGA's Corzine Discusses Potential of Pharma Corn
Leon Corzine, chairman of the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) Biotech Working Group, spoke on the potential of corn containing pharmaceutical and industrial enzymes Wednesday in Aimes, Iowa, at the 100th Annual Convention of the Iowa Seed Association. "The audience was very interested in NCGA's positions on the issue of industrial and pharmaceutical corn," said Corzine. "NCGA being a grassroots organization, I explained our policy development and what that policy is, in regards to biotechnology and pharmaceutical corn in particular." NCGA's policy on issues such as pharma corn and biotech is to explore the potential of providing greater access to life-saving pharmaceuticals at a lower cost. At the same time, NCGA is committed to protecting the integrity of commercial corn intended for traditional markets and is dedicated to listening to their customers and addressing their concerns.

NCGA's Yoder Represents Corn Growers at Washington Biosafety Protocol, Energy Bill Meetings
NCGA President Fred Yoder represented the interests of corn growers Thursday, Oct. 31, at Washington, D.C., meetings with industry partners about the Biosafety Protocol and the energy bill.

Yoder first met with U.S. members of the International Grain Trade Coalition to discuss recent events regarding the Biosafety Protocol and eventual ratification of the agreement by participating nations. Thirty-seven of the needed 50 nations have formally ratified the agreement, with five more expected to ratify in the near future. At that point, only eight additional nations will be needed to ratify in order for the Protocol to enter into force. The U.S. has not ratified the Convention on Biological Diversity or the Protocol. NCGA is working with the U.S. Grains Council, the U.S. Wheat Associates, the National Grain and Feed Association and the North American Export Grain Association to ensure the Protocol does not hinder international trade and harm U.S. corn exports. Later in the day, Yoder participated in a meeting to discuss strategy and next steps on the energy bill, which contains the renewable fuels standard (RFS) and is currently in conference. Also at the meeting were representatives from the American Farm Bureau Federation, the National Farmers' Union, the Renewable Fuels Association and the American Soybean Association.

"We will be contacting NCGA membership immediately after the election to enlist support for passing the energy bill with the RFS," said Yoder. "The grassroots effort will be instrumental during the lame duck session and could have a great impact on the successful passage of RFS legislation this year." Meantime, growers and other ethanol supporters can encourage their congressional representatives to pass the RFS by clicking on the action alert on the upper right corner of the NCGA web site.

NCGA Welcomes Extension of Public Comment Period on Proposed Crop Insurance Regulations
NCGA welcomes the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation's (FCIC) decision this week to reopen and extend until Nov. 12 the period for producers, farm organizations and other interested parties to submit comments or opinions on a proposed rule pertaining to crop insurance reform released on Sept. 18. FCIC is under the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). FCIC's proposed rule, when finalized, will implement provisions from the crop insurance reforms authorized by the Agriculture Risk Protection Act of 2002 (ARPA), a number of which the agency hopes will reduce fraud and abuses in the federal crop insurance program.

In addition to targeting program abuses, USDA is proposing changes to clarify policy regulations, including prevented planting provisions that are intended to "liberalize" a producer's options for insurance payment and replanting decisions. USDA's proposal to modify the prevented planting provisions follows the agency's memorandums issued earlier this year that attempted to clear up confusion for the crop insurance industry as an extended drought began to take its toll on growers. USDA's Risk Management Agency also recently announced that Prevented Planting Forums are being planned to seek suggestions and ideas for long- term improvements to the program. NCGA's public comments specifically cited the retroactive requirement for a producer's previous three years of production history and a new five percent margin of error tolerance for acreage reports as "unreasonable." Changes were also encouraged to restore a grower's option for arbitration to resolve legal disputes and to provide clearer provisions for double cropping practices, irrigation practices, and prevented planting.
Growers can send their comments to:
Tim Hoffman
Director
Product Development Division
Risk Management Agency, USDA
6501 Beacon Drive
Stop 0812, Room 421
Kansas City, MO 64133-4616

NCGA Launches Updated 'Know Before You Grow' Program
NCGA has announced an updated, expanded database available on its web site, www.ncga.com, cataloging most of the nation's seed companies' biotech and high-value corn hybrids.

The database is part of NCGA's "Know Before You Grow" program, which provides the nation's corn growers information about the marketing implications of planting hybrids not-yet approved for export to certain markets NCGA invited seed companies to provide information on their 2003 products in order to give growers the most comprehensive database possible. Currently, nearly 97 percent of the corn market is represented in the 2003 'Know Before You Grow' database. The database is can be found here.

NCGA Aflatoxin Workshop Works to Provide Growers With Solution
It was standing room only last week as more than 135 people filled the 2002 Aflatoxin/Fumonisin Elimination Workshop at the Holiday Inn-Riverwalk in San Antonio, Texas, hosted by NCGA. Researchers from all over the globe came together to discuss the latest research and look for a way to end a blight affecting many of the nation's corn growers. The conference is hosted every year by one of four commodity groups representing either corn, peanuts, tree nuts or cotton. The Texas Corn Producers Board, Corn Refiners Association and North American Millers' Association sponsored this year's conference.

Aflatoxin and fumonisin have begun to affect more aspects of corn production, with the proliferation of ethanol plants in the south, where the two mycotoxins are prevalent. NCGA Corn Board member and Stonewall, N.C., corn producer Charles Alexander said the effects aflatoxin has on ethanol production and its co-products are what brought him to the meeting. "I've talked to some growers in Louisiana and they are having severe aflatoxin problems," he said, "and they are concerned about getting an ethanol plant and looking at the possibilities of using aflatoxin corn with that. But the problem is, they are also concerned about what will happen to the DDGS and other co-products produced by the plant."

Grains Council Expects Corn to Retain Advantage in Taiwanese Market
Despite Taiwan's decision to allow corn imports from the People's Republic of China, the U.S. Grains Council (USGC) remains confident that, over the long run, U.S. corn will retain its competitive advantage in that market. On Oct. 25, Taiwan's Board of Foreign Trade temporarily ended the ban on Chinese corn imports, effective through Dec. 31.

The decision resulted from lobbying by Taiwan hog farmers anxious to cut costs to better compete with pork imports. Taiwanese officials cited shorter delivery periods, smaller shipping volumes and the lack of language barriers as some of the benefits of allowing Chinese imports. The American Institute in Taiwan reports that recent increases in local corn prices resulting from the U.S. West Coast port closures did not reduce imports, but that resulting price increases boosted the case in favor of Chinese corn imports, leading to the policy reversal. Taiwan imports more than 5 million metric tons (nearly 200 million bushels) of corn per year, almost all of it from the United States.

In May, Taiwanese officials came to the United States to sign an agreement pledging to purchase nearly 10 million tons of U.S. grains in 2002-2003. --Submitted by U.S. Grains Council

NCGA Settles into New Offices
After 45 years, NCGA has a home to call its own. On Oct. 28, NCGA's St. Louis staff officially began operating from its new national offices in west St. Louis County. NCGA CEO Rick Tolman said the move to the new location, which the corn growers' organization will own, is a win-win situation. "A primary reason is the fact we will actually own this building," he said. "The corn growers who provide the funds for our base of operations through their checkoff dollars want to see more equity and we can't provide that by renting. By owning the facility, they will see a return on their investment." The new building will also provide many benefits to the staff, said Tolman, including a more efficient use of space. "The new building is much more spacious and will provide a better use of available space, as well as promote more interaction within the staff," he said. "When the staff is able to interact more, a better exchange of ideas can be had and that represents another benefit to our membership." NCGA President Fred Yoder echoed those sentiments. "NCGA has many visitors from both throughout the United States and abroad each year," he said. "This new building helps deliver the message that we are a viable, stable and growing organization representing a dynamic industry that is optimistic about the future. In the building's design, we have intentionally incorporated places we can display examples of U.S. corn production and the many new and exciting products that come from corn." The new contact information is: National Corn Growers Association 632 Cepi Drive Chesterfield, Mo. 63005
Phone: 636-733-9004
Fax: 636-733-9005

NCGA Accepting Applications for Corn Board
Leadership within NCGA is second to none and is responsible for many of the successes NCGA has seen in the past. Growers are invited to be a part of NCGA leadership by submitting their applications for the Corn Board, the 15-member board that approves the key decisions made by the 32,000-member organization. Corn Board members will be elected at the July 14-15, 2003, meeting of the NCGA Corn Congress in Washington, D.C. Candidates will be introduced at Corn Congress during the 2003 Commodity Classic, Feb. 27-March 1, 2003, in Charlotte, N.C. "This is your opportunity to help strengthen the future of NCGA through leadership service on the NCGA Corn Board," said NCGA Chairman and Nominating Committee member Tim Hume. "I invite corn growers to be an integral part of NCGA's leadership by applying for the NCGA Corn Board." Members of the nominating committee are Hume, Gene Fynboh, Sam Creed, Jim Barton and Glen Moeller. For more information, please call Kathy Baker at 636-733-9004 or e-mail at baker@ncga.com.

NCGA Sends Haunting Goodies to Capitol Hill
In honor of the nation's spookiest day of the year, NCGA continued its annual tradition today of giving out Halloween mugs filled with candy corn to all of the U.S. Congressional offices. Staff from 535 House and Senate offices turned out in a centralized Capitol Hill location to meet NCGA policy staff and receive the personalized NCGA mug filled with goodies.

"This is a great opportunity to meet with Congressional staff while at the same time giving them a gift that reminds them of NCGA, which they can use at the office or at home," said NCGA Director of Public Policy Hayden Milberg, who led the Congressional Halloween effort. "Aside from that, its also just a lot of fun."

NCGA THIS WEEK

• Nov. 4-6 NCGA Research and Development Manager Nathan Danielson will attend the American Institute of Chemical Engineers annual meeting in Indianapolis, Ind.
• Nov. 7-8 Vice President of Marketing Brian Stockman will represent NCGA at a Monsanto Grower Council meeting in St. Louis
• Nov. 7-8 NCGA CEO Rick Tolman, Director of Production and Economics Paul Bertels and Directors of Public Policy Hayden Milberg and Betsy Croker will attend the Midwest Area River Coalition 2000 (MARC 2000) annual meeting in St. Louis

© 2002 National Corn Growers Association

ST. LOUIS OFFICE

WASHINGTON D.C. OFFICE