In The News

Dec 1, 2023

Key Issues: TradeTransportation and Infrastructure

Author: Krista Swanson

For the second year in a row, drought conditions are impacting transportation on the Mississippi River at the peak shipment point of the year. Shallower river levels mean barge weight restrictions, slower barge traffic, and higher costs to ship commodities on the river. Ultimately, this translates to a relatively lower price at the farmgate and higher cost for the world buyer.   Drought Slows Grain Barge Traffic in 2022 and 2023 The Mississippi River is an important channel for commodity transportation. The USDA reports the final mode of transport was barge for 13% of U.S. grains in 2020, and 46% of exported U.S. grains[i]. There are normally two peaks in grain barge movements, one in late summer leading up to the end of the marketing year for corn and soybeans, and the other emerging in the fall harvest season and into the post-harvest months.   The impact of low water levels on grain barge movements was notable in 2023, marking the second consecutive year of drought...

Nov 14, 2023

Key Issues: Research

Author: Stacey Stiens

The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) is pleased to announce that eight Research Ambassadors have been selected for the 2023-2024 academic year:   Travis Banet, University of Kentucky Jensina Davis, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Ella Hampson, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Max Harman, Michigan State University Leannah Hicks, University of Massachusetts Sendi Mejia Jimenez, Purdue University Ty Thomas, North Carolina State University Alexandria Tran, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign   Developed and funded by NCGA’s Sustainable Ag Research Action Team, the objective of the Research Ambassador program is to build a network of future leaders in the agricultural sector. To qualify, students must demonstrate academic excellence, leadership potential, and be involved in research relevant to corn production.   "As we embark on the third year of the Research Ambassador Program, we continue to advance the connection between the field and the lab,” said...

Nov 8, 2023

Key Issues: Research

Author: Stacey Stiens

November 8 is a day to celebrate science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Need any ideas for how you can inspire young minds for agricultural science? We’ve got you covered!   Find activities and lessons on biotechnology, biofuels, water quality, soil and sustainability by visiting the Nourish the Future's (NTF) curriculum page.  4-H’s STEM and Agriculture programs cover topics not limited to Engineering & Technology, Environmental Science & Alternative energy, and Plant & Animal Science. For younger readers, check out Kansas Corn STEM’s book, “We Grow Corn.”  There are additional activities, videos and resources to help with corn-centric hands-on learning. Texas Corn Producers also have a collection of Educational Resources to keep K-4 students engaged and learning about the world of agriculture. For older students, broaden their horizons in career pathways with a tour of FFA’s Ag Explorer. Utilize some corn quick facts and resources from Ohio Corn &...

Nov 7, 2023

Author: Stacey Stiens

National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) geared up for the tenth edition of the Fields-of-Corn.com photo contest with an exciting relaunch. The website underwent a streamlined transformation, designed to pay homage to the captivating history of visual storytelling. Alongside this, a more user-friendly interface has been implemented to streamline the submission process.   "I'm thrilled to see the surge of entries on our updated website. The enhanced interface has truly made a difference, and it's incredibly rewarding to witness so many talented photographers share their unique perspectives on American corn farming,” said Graphic Communications Manager Beth Musgrove. “Each entry tells a story, and I can't wait to see this year’s images stitched together to tell the story of 2023’s planting, growing and harvest seasons."   Open to photographers of all levels, the contest invites participants to help tell the story of farming field corn in America. NGCA is seeking high-resolution...

Oct 26, 2023

Key Issues: Research

Author: Stacey Stiens

Nourish the Future—a national education initiative developed by science teachers for science teachers—is recruiting its next round of Teacher Leaders! The Teacher Leader Community (TLC) is a year-long cohort experience specially designed for middle and high school teachers. The program offers participants opportunities to:   Enhance professional development capacities to fit diverse audiences and venues. Become skilled in inquiry-based lesson design. Become a leader in exploring solutions with your students on issues affecting sustainability, climate, environment and food production. Expand a professional network to include teachers and industry experts from different states. Become a career coach for students.   The deadline for the TLC V application is Wednesday, November 1, 2023. The leadership experience begins in January 2024 with a virtual celebration and introduction to the Nourish the Future program.   "The Nourish the Future program plays a crucial role in...

Oct 20, 2023

Key Issues: New Uses

Author: Stacey Stiens

At yesterday’s Advanced Bioeconomy Leadership 2023 Conference in San Francisco, California, the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) announced the winners of the Consider Corn Challenge IV. Four winners were chosen, each with a unique way to improve a product or process using feed corn to produce biobased materials.    “The Consider Corn Challenge fosters innovative collaborations between corn farmers and industry, which paves the way for new products, chemicals and applications. This year’s winners have continued to demonstrate corn’s adaptability,” said Director of Market Development Sarah McKay. “And corn’s unique versatility can be witnessed in the showcase of their diverse approaches and applications. This contest continues to highlight the fact that U.S. corn is an extremely flexible feedstock suited for biobased products.”    The four winners for the Consider Corn Challenge IV are Bluestem Biosciences Inc., based out of Omaha, Nebraska; Pennsylvania State University,...

Oct 18, 2023

Key Issues: Research

Author: Stacey Stiens

The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) announces a new round of research grants to help farmers manage aflatoxin issues. Proposals from principal investigators, co-principal investigators, and collaborators—and not exceeding the $100,000 per year limit—will be accepted by the Aflatoxin Mitigation Center of Excellence (AMCOE) no later than Wednesday, November 15, 2023. For more information about the review process, evaluation criteria and program eligibility, click here.   AMCOE’s Competitive Grants Program offers research grants for projects focused on solving profit-robbing aflatoxin issues for farmers. The program was developed by a consortium of southern state corn checkoff boards to provide a unified approach to funding projects affecting growers across the region. NCGA serves as the management structure in order to leverage more dollars for solving aflatoxin issues and to build strong regional teams which would be highly competitive for federal, public, and private...

Aug 24, 2023

Author: Stacey Stiens

Fields-of-Corn.com, the official photo contest of the National Corn Growers Association (NGCA), is set to relaunch on the first of September. Along with a new look built to showcase the rich history of visual storytelling comes a more robust interface for entry. The reboot comes just in time for the tenth photo contest.   “Fields-of-Corn.com site will house voting for the first time with higher reliability than we had through social media in the past,” said Graphic Communications Manager Beth Musgrove. “With a shared vision for a better experience for photographers, voters, and end-users, the developers assigned to the original 2014 contest were eager to return and take the site to a higher level.”   Open to all, NCGA invites photographers to help tell the story of farming field corn in America. Through this contest, NCGA seeks high-resolution photos to document the rich history of growing corn, captured from seed to harvest as well as the tenacious families that grow it....

Aug 15, 2023

Author: Stacey Stiens

Want to be part of an annual National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) tradition that dates back to 1965? Well, there is still time to enter the National Corn Yield Contest (NCYC) and be part of its history-making. With ten classes—nine standard and one new Nitrogen Management pilot, the contest has options for growers willing to accept the NCYC challenge!   “Our family has taken part in the Corn Yield Contest for more than 25 years, and the last five of those being in the strip-till category,” said Maryland grower and 2022 NCYC First Place Winner (Class E) Andrea Rigdon. “We have also been utilizing cover crops for the last 15 years to improve soil health and provide nutrients back to our crop. Growing corn successfully requires trial and innovation . . . and the contest is one way to test out improvements and best practices.”   Don’t miss your chance for Innovation + Dedication = Personal Success! The 2023 entry period officially closes this Wednesday, August 16. Harvest...

Aug 14, 2023

Key Issues: Sustainability

Author: Stacey Stiens

The farmer-led, farmer-driven initiative offers cost-share programs and technical assistance to farmers in 20 states who plant cover crops for three years.   Farmers in 20 states can now enroll in cost-share programs through Farmers for Soil Health. This corn, pork and soy commodity initiative, in partnership with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and USDA’s Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities, establishes financial and technical assistance for corn and soybean farmers who adopt cover crops. The focus is to bring money directly back to farmers, where sustainability is happening at the farm level.   Participating farmers who plant cover crops will receive payments to help transition totaling $50 (spanning three years) per new acre of cover crops planted. These payments of $2 per acre are available for up to 600,000 acres of existing cover crops. Eligible farmers will participate in measurement, reporting, and verification to highlight progress toward the goal of...