NCGA Encourages Natural Gas Development Legislation (12-8-05)

As part of its continuing efforts to raise awareness about the impact the U.S. energy situation is having on agriculture, the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) today urged its 32,000 members to urge Congress to act quickly to pass natural gas development legislation.

“NCGA’s voice has long been part of the rallying cry on Capitol Hill calling for increasing the production of domestic energy resources,” said NCGA Chairman Leon Corzine. “Farmers need access to reliable sources of energy and raw materials so they can use the fertilizers necessary to produce an abundant, affordable and healthy food supply. We have a growing crisis on our hands when it comes to natural gas, and we need policies in this country that will increase supplies of natural gas.”

He stressed that agriculture depends on natural gas for very basic items in the food chain, and the farm sector depends on the use of natural gas for irrigation, crop drying, hearing farm buildings and homes, crop protection chemicals and nitrogen fertilizer production. Subsequently, NCGA called for Congress to enact legislation that would increase domestic energy resources, such as opening the Artic National Wildlife Reserve (ANWR) and the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) for exploration and production.

NCGA has been actively involved in promoting policies to increase domestic production of natural gas. NCGA co-founded the Ag Energy Alliance, a national coalition of more than 100 farm groups and agribusinesses. NCGA’s grassroots membership also has been heavily involved with advocating legislation that would increase domestic natural gas supplies. During the last 18 months, corn growers have testified on three separate occasions before House committees on the impact of high natural gas prices on farming operations. NCGA has also participated in strategy meetings with members of Congress and congressional staff, broad industry coalitions, press conferences and the development of education materials.

This week, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Mike Johanns announced the development of a comprehensive energy strategy that USDA hopes will aid farmers in easing the impact of the high energy costs being felt across the country and aid in developing solutions. The secretary also announced his intention that agriculture will have a prominent place at the table in the national energy discussions.

According to Johanns, the Risk Management Agency will create risk management tools to help producers manage the effects of high energy and energy-related input costs.

Growers can contact Congress by clicking here.