Pro or Con, Let’s Have a Real Discussion About Biofuels (9-27-07)

By Rick Tolman
Chief Executive Officer, National Corn Growers Association

Yet another so-called “study” about the impact of corn-based ethanol on the nation’s food supply has been issued. Like the others, its authors choose facts that support their opinion, and disregard everything else.. (More On This Story)

Californians Learn the Truth About High Milk Prices (6-28-07)

From time to time we’ve objected to the way the media oversimplifies discussion of food prices. So, it’s only fair we tip our hat to the Sacramento Bee and staff writer Jim Downing for investigating the rise in California’s milk prices and explaining it to their readers. (More On This Story)

RENEWABLE FUELS: GOOD GOAL, GOOD POLICY (6-11-07)

By Ken McCauley
President, National Corn Growers Association

On May 31, President Bush called for a summit to set new goals for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The same day, the Energy Department announced U.S. crude oil imports have averaged nearly 10.6 million barrels per day for the last four weeks. Those two facts highlight the nation's need for a move toward renewable, domestic fuels. (More On This Story)

Shed No Tears For Poor Tyson (5-29-07)

By Rick Tolman
CEO, National Corn Growers Association

Tyson Foods, the self-proclaimed “world’s largest processor of meats” and the second largest Fortune 500 food processor, has been a strident and leading voice in stirring up the “food versus fuel” furor. Way back in December, Tyson CEO Richard L. Bond told a group of investors: "I believe the American consumer is going to have to pay more for protein. Quite frankly, the American consumer is making a choice here ... either corn for feed or corn for fuel." (More On This Story)

Rosie, Paris Move Over; Corn’s the New Media Darling (5-25-07)

By Rick Tolman
NCGA Chief Executive Officer

Like most of us, I get a lot my news from TV. I consider myself pretty well informed. Thanks to TV news, I know that Paris might have to go to jail a week earlier. Thanks to TV news, I know all about the controversy between Rosie and Elisabeth on “The View.” And thanks to TV news, corn has become the unwelcomed media darling. (More On This Story)

Farm Policy Must Change with the Times (5-22-07)
Des Moines Register, May 21, 2007

By Ken McCauley, President
and Ron Litterer, First Vice President
National Corn Growers Association

U.S. agriculture is changing, as is the taxpayer's perception of agriculture. The American public expects today's agricultural industry to capitalize on new uses and new markets while maintaining our role as the world's premier food producer. (More On This Story)

TV Networks Take Swing at Renewable Fuels, Miss the Facts (5-7-07)

It sure felt like Sweeps Week last week on network television, given the spate of sensational reporting the major networks -- CBS, NBC, Fox and ABC -- dished out on corn and ethanol. (More On This Story)

"New Tools Make Driving to the Windy City a Breeze" (5-1-07)

By Rick Tolman
NCGA CEO

Last summer I chronicled the “Good, Bad and the Ugly” of E-85 pricing and availability on a road trip to and from St. Louis to the twin cities of Minneapolis/St. Paul. Recently I gave the new “Ethanol Corridor” a test run as I traveled from St. Louis to Chicago. (More On This Story)

"Finding Common Ground on Sustainability" (4-19-07)
St. Louis Post Dispatch, April 19, 2007; Page C11

By Rick Tolman
NCGA CEO

On Earth Day consumers, businesses, and policymakers pause to consider the implications of their habits, practices, and policies on global climate and ecological sustainability. Increasingly talk has turned to the concept of “sustainable agriculture,” particularly in relation to energy, environmental stewardship, population growth and crop and livestock production. But what does sustainability truly mean? (More On This Story)

NCGA Rebuttal: Very, Very Big Corn
Wall Street Journal; January 27, 2007; Page A8

The recent Wall Street Journal editorial “Very, Very Big Corn” went to new extremes in distorting information to denigrate the ethanol industry and U.S. corn producers. In this rebuttal, NCGA will interject facts to the debate. (More On This Story)

"Tangled in the Branches" (11-7-06)

By Rick Tolman
NCGA CEO

Ethanol and E85 have been attacked by media and critics on several levels. NCGA CEO Rick Tolman suggests they are focusing on the periphery of the ethanol issue and not the central root issues. He says the media and critics “criticize and point out perceived weaknesses without suggesting solutions.” Tolman gets to the “root” issues of why it is important to develop the biofuels industry in this edition of “Our View.” (More On This Story)

Brown’s Numbers Don’t Add Up (8-24-06)

By Rick Tolman
NCGA CEO

Crisis—real or imagined—draws media attention. Unfortunately we live in a world of media doom and gloom. Remember Y2K? No one is more adroit at creating would-be catastrophes than Dr. Lester Brown. He has made a very good living predicting an impending world food crisis for more than 40 years. But the face of world agriculture has been shaped more by surplus than shortage over this time period. (More On This Story)

The Food Versus Fuel Debate (5-24-06)

By Rick Tolman
NCGA CEO

Recent popular media stories have sought to raise the specter of a conflict in food versus fuel as our nation moves toward less reliance on costly imported oil. Had reporters taken a close look at U.S. corn yield statistics, they would discover such a conflict does not and need not exist. (More On This Story)

DID YOU KNOW?

NCGA Releases Papers Answering Questions Regarding Corn Demands

Speech to the National Summit on Ag and Food Truck Transport for the Future May 2007

How Much Ethanol Can Come From Corn
NCGA answers the oft-asked question: “How Much Ethanol Can Come From Corn?” in a short paper. The paper explores corn growers’ abilities to meet the demands of the feed, fuel and export markets. To access the paper click here.

U.S. Corn Growers: Producing Food and Fuel
A companion to “How Much Ethanol Can Come From Corn?”, the short paper “U.S. Corn Growers: Producing Food AND Fuel” examines the most common myths that the “food vs. fuel” fallacy is built upon and demonstrates that U.S. corn growers will continue to be reliable suppliers of both food AND fuel. Click here.