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NCGA
CEO Tolman Meets with Energy Department and Industry Leaders on Renewable
Resources Program (11-06-01)
National
Corn Growers Association (NCGA) CEO and Executive Vice President Rick
Tolman was in Washington, D.C., this week to meet with representatives
from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and key industry leaders. The
purpose of the meeting, said Tolman, was to set up an industry steering
committee made up of various agriculture-related industry representatives
to advise DOE on the AgVision 2020program. The goal of the Plant/Crop
Based Renewable Resources Vision 2020 (AgVision 2020) is to increase
the use of plants and crops to produce chemical feedstocks five-fold
by 2020 (an increase from 2% to 10%).
NCGA
has championed this Agriculture Industry of the Future program since
its inception in 1996. "This industry steering group will provide
valuable feedback and direction for DOE," said Tolman. "As
a result of this close partnership between government and industry,
the necessary new technology can be developed and put into practice
more quickly and efficiently."
The
DOE has invested approximately $30 million in research projects based
on a technology roadmap developed by key industry leaders such as NCGA.
NCGA participates in this work through several technologies for new
uses projects
"This
is a great partnership between the DOE and industry. NCGA is proud to
lead the way to a new renewable products industry which will provide
significant new market opportunities for corn growers," said Tolman.
For
more information on AgVision 2020, visit the NCGA website at http://www.ncga.com/research/main/agvision.htm.
Last
reviewed November 6, 2001
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