 |
| NCGA,
the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners (UBCJ) and
the Midwest Area River Coalition (MARC2000) met with Sen. Kit
Bond (R-Mo.) Tuesday to discuss the need to upgrade navigation
locks on the upper Mississippi and Illinois Rivers. From left
are: Steve Markus, UBCJ; Kurt Brunner, UBCJ; Dale Roth, UBCJ;
Paul Rohde, MARC 2000; Sen. Bond; NCGA President Leon Corzine;
Pat Dumoulin, NCGA; Al Bond, UBCJ; Tade Sullivan, Iowa Corn
Growers Association; Garry Neimeyer, NCGA; Rodney Moe, NCGA;
and Warren Kemper, NCGA. |
Corn Growers Make Case for Lock Upgrades During Capitol Hill Visits (2-10-05)
National Corn Growers
Association (NCGA) leaders this week sent a simple, but familiar
message to Capitol Hill: river transportation infrastructure needs
modernization.
Representatives from
NCGA, the Midwest Area River Coalition (MARC 2000) and the United
Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners participated in three days
of Hill visits to communicate the critical need for modernizing
locks on the upper Mississippi and Illinois rivers.
The Senate Environment
and Public Works Committee is expected to consider a Water Resources
Development Act (WRDA) that includes lock modernization in early
March. Later this spring, the House Transportation and Infrastructure
Committee is expected to begin its work on lock modernization legislation.
Corps reform is likely to continue to be a stumbling block for Congress,
as it was last year, according to Betsy Croker, NCGA director of
public policy. However, key Senate supporters are pushing for a
moderate reform package and hope to generate broad, bipartisan support.
”I feel very positive
about our visits and the impression we made on Congress with the
strength and diversity of our coalition,” said NCGA Corn Board
member Garry Niemeyer.
The group reminded legislators
and the administration that congestion on the Illinois and Mississippi
rivers not only has adverse effects on U.S. grain producers, but
also on consumers, workers and businesses. The group encouraged
Congress to quickly pass legislation authorizing seven new locks
and the creation of an ecosystem restoration program for the rivers.
For corn growers, the
economic impact of congestion on the river navigation system will
take an increasingly heavy toll. By 2020, the failure to build new
locks will result in $562 million in lost farm income. Additionally,
more than 30,000 jobs will be lost and consumers will pay more for
goods shipped via other modes of transportation.
The group spoke of the
benefits of modernization – new jobs, increased competitiveness
on world markets, increased economic activity in towns and cities
across the region and investment in the river’s ecosystem.
“By coming together,
the carpenters and corn growers really showed Congress how serious
we are about the need to modernize the Upper Mississippi River System,”
Croker said. “No amount of lobbying by NCGA alone could do
what corn growers and carpenters can do together. We appreciate
our coalition partners in MARC 2000 and look forward to celebrating
a great victory later this year.”