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FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE: July 7, 2005
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CONTACTS:
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Mimi
Ricketts, NCGA, 636-733-9004, Ext. 112
Cheri Johnson, USGC, 202-326-0625 |
NCGA, USGC
Officers Provide Update on European Mission
Political barriers to biotechnology and increased use of biofuels
were the key points learned by U.S. Grains Council (USGC) and National
Corn Growers Association (NCGA) leaders during a recent joint mission
to the European Union. The group visited Belgium, Great Britain, Spain
and Switzerland June 20-29.
Participating in
the mission for the Council were: USGC Chairman Paul Williams; USGC
Vice Chairman Davis Anderson; and President and CEO Ken Hobbie. NCGA
participants included CEO Rick Tolman; President Leon Corzine; First
Vice-President Gerald Tumbleson; and Darrin Ihnen, chairman of NCGA’s
biotechnology working group.
The leaders discovered
that biotechnology is generally well received by farmers and members
of the scientific community, but many European Union (EU-25) member
governments still oppose biotechnology, strictly for political reasons.
“Europe continues
to make it difficult, if not impossible, to plant and grow biotech crops
there,” said Ihnen, a South Dakota corn producer. “It’s
becoming clear that they are not basing their decisions on sound science
but rather on a political viewpoint.”
The mission observed
that the EU is increasing the decoupling of farm payments and, thus,
moving toward less trade-distorting farm supports that are less trade-distorting.
# # #
The National Corn Growers Association’s mission is to create and
increase opportunities for corn growers. NCGA represents nearly 33,000
members, 45 affiliated state organizations and hundreds of thousands
of growers who contribute to state checkoff programs. For more information,
log on to www.ncga.com.
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