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FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NATIONAL CORN GROWERS ASSOCIATION
CONTACT: Rhondalee
Dean-Royce, NCGA, 202-628-7001
September 15, 2004
NCGA Announces Support
for U.S. Landcare Initiative
WASHINGTON (September 15,
2004) – The National Corn Growers
Association (NCGA) has joined the U.S. Landcare Initiative to promote
a renewed commitment to conservation among farmers and to help the
farm community share its highly successful conservation story with
the public.
“Farmers have practiced innovative conservation for decades,
conserving and enhancing America’s soil, water and wildlife resources,
and will continue to do so long into the future,” said Leon Corzine,
NCGA first vice president. “We want to share our efforts in conservation
and encourage farmers and other landowners to do more.”
NCGA is the first farm commodity organization to join the initiative,
which strives to promote and enhance conservation ethics across the
United States. According to the U.S. Landcare Initiative, recent surveys
show 86 percent of Americans have a keen interest in conservation of
natural resources, yet only a small fraction are aware of private and
public sector investments.
“U.S. Landcare welcomes the support of NCGA as it works to forge
public/private partnerships to encourage and expand a voluntary, community
conservation ethic throughout the nation,” said Mike Brubaker,
U.S. Landcare Initiative executive director and chief executive officer. “Our
partnership with the corn growers, who have demonstrated their commitment
to protecting our environment, is a natural and important alliance
for U.S. Landcare. We look forward to working together as active stewards
of our natural resources.”
The U.S. Landcare Initiative
will announce its new “caring hands” logo
soon as part of a public awareness campaign designed to create a unique
identity for U.S. Landcare conservation efforts. The logo will be similar
to the one used in Australia where the Landcare concept first began.
The campaign will encourage partnerships between landowners and communities,
businesses and government.
“Corn growers are excited about Landcare and will be working
to spread the word about the initiative to all farmers. NCGA especially
encourages other farm organizations to learn about Landcare and to
become involved in this special effort,” Corzine said.
The U.S. Landcare Initiative will recruit corporate sponsors interested
in participating in local conservation efforts and will match these
sponsors with projects and communities to address local natural resource
issues. In addition, the initiative will help communities create their
own Landcare organizations to address local concerns.
For more information on how to get involved in the U.S. Landcare Initiative,
contact Betsy Croker at 202-628-7001.
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. For more information
on NCGA, log on to www.ncga.com.
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