Corn Growers Head to St. Louis for Policy Meetings (1-10-06)

Corn grower leaders across the nation are heading to St. Louis to develop and finalize the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) priorities and policies for the year. NCGA derives its policy based on directives from its states and grower leaders.

“Our organization is grower driven and we are lucky to have very active growers. We derive our policy based on the state organizations and our grower leaders and the direction they give us,” said Gerald Tumbleson, NCGA president. “NCGA’s grower members are very vocal about the key issues that affect their livelihoods on a daily basis. It is here at these meetings where we develop and direct our policy for legislative, regulatory and research issues.”

NCGA’s grower committees, which include the Ethanol Committee, Research and Business Development Action Team, Biotechnology Working Group, Production and Stewardship Action Team, Grower Services Action Team, Public Policy Action Team and Joint Trade Policy A-Team, will review current initiatives and lay out groundwork for future programs and policies. The topic of future farm policy programs will be included in the two-day agenda and, as Tumbleson said, will be an intensive and helpful discussion by the states and grower leaders as they work toward development of ideas for the 2007 farm bill discussions.

“Corn growers are vigorous in all their efforts to derive policies that will help advocate wise and beneficial legislation that will invest in the future of American agriculture,” Tumbleson said. “The farm bill discussions are vital to our industry.”

In addition to farm policy meetings, growers will discuss other efforts, objectives and goals the organization will undertake to face future opportunities and challenges in American agriculture.