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FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NATIONAL CORN GROWERS ASSOCIATION
Betsy Croker (NCGA)
202-628-7001
Mimi Ricketts (NCGA) 636-733-9004
NCGA
TAKES NRC TO TASK ON UPPER MISSISSIPPI-ILLINOIS WATERWAY REPORT
(ST. LOUIS) December
11, 2003 -- National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) President Dee Vaughan
today expressed disappointment over the National Research Council’s
(NRC) interim report on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Upper Mississippi-Illinois
Waterway Restructured Feasibility Study.
“The NRC has
missed an opportunity to truly help the Corps, Congress and the American
people better understand the infrastructure issues and challenges facing
the Upper Mississippi River basin. I cannot understand why this panel
would issue an interim report that offers nothing new or constructive,”
Vaughan said.
The NRC, responding
to a request from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, assembled a committee
to review the restructured feasibility study. The committee’s
purpose is to provide advice to the Corps on the study.
“Corn growers
are tired hearing that the Corps models are flawed and grain export
forecasts are questionable. These arguments have been thoroughly discussed,
discredited and dismissed. That the NRC repeats them, especially when
the panel has received highly credible information challenging them,
makes me question the panel’s independence and purpose,”
Vaughan continued.
“NCGA supports
investing in our infrastructure, be it roads, rail, ports or the inland
navigation system. America became the economic powerhouse it is today
because our parents and grandparents made the wise decision to build
an efficient transportation system. We are at a similar decision-point
today — do we reinvest in transportation or rest on our laurels
and let the system deteriorate? The answer is clear. It is time to reinvest,”
Vaughan concluded.
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The National Corn
Growers Association mission is to create and increase opportunities
for corn growers in a changing world and to enhance corn’s profitability
and usage. NCGA represents more than 33,000 members, 25 affiliated state
corn grower organizations and hundreds of thousands of growers who contribute
to state checkoff programs.
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