In The News

Oct 17, 2024

Key Issues: EthanolEthanol ActionHigh-Octane Low-Carbon

Author: Krista Swanson

Ethanol is a renewable transportation fuel that can be made from domestically grown corn. Over 98% of the gasoline currently sold in the United States contains ethanol, typically a blend that is 10% ethanol and 90% gasoline. Autos that are 2001 and newer, over 92%[i] of the current fleet, can run on higher blends of ethanol (E15) but policy barriers limit availability despite infrastructure that is otherwise available to provide it. The National Corn Growers Association continues to advocate for higher blends of ethanol that would enhance market opportunities for our nation’s corn growers, lower prices at the pump for our nation’s consumers, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in our environment.       Corn Based Ethanol Reduces Emissions The transportation sector is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States. In its most recent annual report[ii], the Environmental Protection Agency showed the transportation sector produced 28% of greenhouse gas...

Sep 26, 2024

Author: Dusty Weis

Herbicides, insecticides and fungicides make up some of the most important tools in a farmer’s toolbox.   And it’s up to each one of us to take seriously the responsibilities of being a good steward for those tools, and the environment around us.   But recently, the process by which the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates pesticides has been challenged in court, on the grounds that it didn’t comply with parts of the Endangered Species Act (ESA).   And so EPA has to build a plan to prove it’s in compliance with the ESA, causing potential disruptions for growers.   In this episode, we’re examining how we got here, what changes growers should expect, how farmers should get prepared, and how groups like the National Corn Growers Association are working with the EPA and other environmental services to minimize the impact on farming operations.   Our expert guests include: Megan Dwyer, the Director of Conservation and Nutrient Stewardship for Illinois...

Aug 21, 2024

Author: Dusty Weis

With priority legislation in front of Congress this fall, don’t miss the opportunity to make your voice heard.   Corn growers need to act now in order to support some important pieces of legislation that are moving through Congress in Washington, D.C.   The Farm Bill. The Next Generation Fuels Act. Opening up global trade opportunities to lower the cost of inputs.   Your lawmakers need to hear from constituents like you who support these issues.   And now is the perfect time to let them know.   With lawmakers returning to their home districts for the August recess, we have a golden opportunity to advocate for the issues that matter most to the agriculture community.   So in this episode, we’re talking to Lindsay Croke, the marketing director at Illinois Corn, and Luke Crumley, director of public policy and sustainability at Ohio Corn and Wheat, about how local advocacy makes a national impact.   They’ll offer practical advice for farmers to stay informed and...

Jul 24, 2024

Key Issues: Trade

Author: Dusty Weis

Industry experts are trying to return to science in the conversation around biotech corn.   Ever since Mexico issued a decree that banned genetically modified corn, there's been confusion and concerns from growers and policymakers alike here in the United States.   Mexico is the number one market for U.S. corn growers by a wide margin, and over 90% of the corn that's planted in the United States is biotech. Accordingly, Mexico's decree threatens market access and adds a great deal of legal uncertainty for our corn growers.   And ever since the decree was announced, organizations like the National Corn Growers Association, the Corn Refiners Association and the U.S. Grains Council have been leveraging every opportunity to push back.   Recently, those efforts resulted in a trade dispute settlement hearing under the USMCA, which represents the best opportunity to reverse this destructive trade policy.   So in this episode, we're going to revisit the history of the ban,...

Jul 18, 2024

Key Issues: Ethanol

Author: Krista Swanson

Scott Gerlt, PhD, ASA Chief Economist Krista Swanson, NCGA Lead Economist Katelyn Klawinsky, ASA Economics Intern   The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), passed in August 2022, created a sustainable aviation fuel tax credit. This tax credit, called 40B due to its section in the IRA, is in effect for 2023 and 2024. The 40B credit amount is based on the carbon intensity from a lifecycle analysis for the specific sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) obtaining the tax credit. As such, lower carbon intensity (CI) biofuels receive a larger tax credit than those with higher CI scores[i].   While SAF can be produced from many different feedstocks, both soybeans and corn are options that can be used at scale. One option to lower the CI of the SAF is for corn and soybean farmers to implement specific conservation practices. Unfortunately, the requirements in 40B for conservation bundling severely limit the ability of producers to provide additional carbon intensity benefits to the 40B program....

Apr 30, 2024

Author: Krista Swanson

The United States is a global leader in corn production, producing a record 15.3 billion bushels of corn on 94.6 million planted acres in 2023.    Founded in 1957, the National Corn Growers Association represents nearly 40,000 dues-paying corn growers and the interests of more than 300,000 farmers who contribute through corn checkoff programs in their states. NCGA and its 50 affiliated state associations and checkoff organizations work together to help protect and advance corn growers’ interests.    NCGA Quarterly Economic Report 2024: 2Q (pdf)  

Apr 8, 2024

Author: Krista Swanson

Motor gasoline use is expected to decline in the future even under a baseline case, but new tailpipe emissions rules really put the pedal to the metal – rapidly accelerating that process. This would be a major shock on demand for corn used to produce ethanol spurring potentially devastating impacts on farmers and the rural economy.       The New Tailpipe Emissions Rule The Environmental Protection Agency recently released its final rule for multi-pollutant emissions standards for model years 2027 and later light-duty and medium-duty vehicles with heavy reliance on the use of electric vehicles. The ruling dictates that sales of non-electric vehicles will drop from over 92% of new vehicle sales in 2023[i] to under 30% of new vehicle sales in 2032. In the EPA central scenario, that translates to a 6.9-billion-gallon reduction in motor gasoline use in 2032, a 5.7% decline from the baseline projection for that year. Motor gasoline use is expected to decline in the baseline, but...

Mar 27, 2024

Key Issues: YIELD CONTEST WINNERS

Author: Dusty Weis

Growers who limited their nitrogen application still achieved incredible results.   Now entering its 60th year, the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) Corn Yield Contest is an institution in the agriculture world.   Growers from all across the country can compete against one another to see who can coax the most bushels per acre out of their ground, blending tried-and-true techniques with new and emerging practices to maximize their production.   Last year, NCGA launched a new pilot class for the contest, the first in its history to limit an input in the hunt for high corn yields.   So in this episode of the Cobcast, we're discussing the Nitrogen Management Pilot Class of the Corn Yield Contest with Nick Preissler, the first-ever winner of the class, and Jim Isermann, an agronomist working with the NCGA to design rules for the class.   Together we'll discuss the impetus behind the development of the class, the challenges and opportunities it presents and the specific...

Feb 16, 2024

Key Issues: Production

Author: Krista Swanson

USDA released the Grains and Oilseeds Outlook this week providing an initial look at the 2024/25 marketing year projections that include lower production, greater domestic use, increased exports, and higher ending stocks as compared to the current 2023/24 market years. The following is a summary and some additional context for five projections from the latest outlook.   Yield Corn yield is projected at 181 bushels per acre. Yield projections depend on the modeling approach and time series used. While a 3.7 bushel per acre increase over the 2023 record 177.3 bushels per acre may seem like a stretch, a regression on annual yields from 2023 to several different historical points including 1934, 1980, and 1996 all predict 2024 yields within about one bushel of the USDA projection.   Trendline yields are a reasonable expectation at this point. Adverse weather is generally thought to have a negative impact on yields but in 2023 a record yield was achieved in a year with widespread...

Feb 9, 2024

Key Issues: Trade

Author: Krista Swanson

A combination of climate, conflict, and currency values are factors in cost competitiveness that impacts transits and overall U.S. corn exports.   Climate Climate conditions brought widespread drought to the United States Corn Belt in 2023. Dry conditions in the Mississippi River basin led to record low water levels. As a result, barge weight and traffic restrictions were imposed, and the 7.7 million tons of corn moved by barge on the Mississippi River in 2023 was 30% lower than 2022 and 54% lower than 2021. Ultimately, the cost of added time and weight restrictions were factors contributing to a higher corn price at port but also meant pace of getting grain to the port was slowed.   Climate-induced waterway challenges for U.S. corn don’t end at the Gulf. Extreme drought has forced substantial scaleback of shipping through the Panama Canal, a key global maritime channel. The Panama Canal Authority (ACP) has reduced traffic to 24 ships a day, about two-thirds of the normal...