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Friday, July 17, 2009
Last Chance for Supporting Higher Ethanol Blends
 
We need your help - today! - to help the U.S. ethanol market grow. Please take a few minutes and click on the link below to tell the EPA you support expanding the allowable ethanol blend from 10 percent to 15 percent. This is good for us as corn growers to help ensure that markets we need continue to grow - and it's good for our entire nation's economy, environment and energy security.
 
Please, act quickly. The deadline for responses is Monday, July 20. 
MORE INFORMATION
About Us

Founded in 1957, the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) represents approximately 35,000 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 48 affiliated state associations and checkoff organizations work together to help protect and advance corn growers' interests.
NCGA on the Internet:
 
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 CORN CONGRESS SPECIAL REPORT
Delegates Choose New Corn Board Members
 
At the July Corn Congress in Washington, delegates from state corn associations and checkoff organizations elected five members to the National Corn Growers Association Corn Board. They also ratified Bart Schott of North Dakota as the association's first vice president for the 2010 fiscal year.
 
Elected to the Corn Board for terms beginning Oct. 1 were
Guy Davenport of Creswell, N.C.; Clark Gerstacker of Midland, Mich.; Mike Geske of Matthews, Mo.; Pam Johnson of Floyd, Iowa; and Mark Schwiebert of Hamler, Ohio. Geske and Johnson are new to the board; Davenport, Gerstacker and Schwiebert were re-elected.
Sen. Mike Johanns
Sen. Mike Johanns addresses Corn Congress participants.
 
NCGA Honors Nebraska Sen. Johanns
 
NCGA President Bob Dickey Wednesday presented the President's Award to Senator Mike Johanns (R-Neb.) during NCGA's Corn Congress events in Washington, D.C. The President's Award is given annually to a leader who has worked to advance issues important to corn growers and agriculture.
 
"It is a tremendous honor to receive this award from such an important industry, especially as a representative of the Cornhusker State," Senator Johanns said. "Our corn growers are at the heart of American agriculture and play an integral part in feeding the country and the world. I grew up on a farm and have long appreciated the hard work and contributions of American farmers, and I will continue to promote and protect your interests as Senator."
 
EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson 
NCGA President Bob Dickey presents EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson a bundle of notes from growers about ethanol.
 
EPA Administrator Talks Climate, Ethanol
 
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson this week addressed delegates to NCGA's Corn Congress, where she stressed the importance of addressing climate change and developing clean, renewable energy.
 
After her remarks, NCGA presented the administrator with dozens of hand-written notes from growers at the meeting, requesting her agency to allow higher ethanol blends. 
Research Workshop 
Breakout sessions were an important part of the research workshop.
  
NCGA Holds Research Coordination Workshop
 
Representatives of corn states from across the U.S. met in Washington July 12-13 for NCGA's 2009 Research Workshop to discuss ongoing research projects as well as future needs for research to keep the corn industry productive and profitable. Improved coordination and collaboration of something with the diverse potential of research is important to reaching mutual goals.

"Would we be where we are today with one of our biggest customers (ethanol) if we hadn't had the vision to see the potential and do the research?" said Pam Johnson, Iowa farmer and Chair of NCGA's Research and Development Action Team. "This provides a great forum for states to interact, identify research needs, and prioritize issues that need research support."
Talk Focuses on Export Markets 
 
U.S. Grains Council Vice Chairman Rick Fruth addressed delegates of the NCGA Corn Congress this week about the importance of U.S. farmers working together to build and expand markets for their commodities in the United States and across the borders.
 
Fruth said historical and projected production of ethanol trends from 2004 to 2016 show a "tremendous" amount of growth in production in the last three years.
 
 UPCOMING EVENTS
NCGA Conference on Land Use
 
Online registration is now available for the National Corn Growers Association's upcoming conference on land use and climate impacts of corn-based ethanol. Scheduled for Aug. 25-26 in St. Louis, it will provide sessions on such topics as land use change, nitrous oxide, new technologies and their effect on greenhouse gas emissions, domestic and international yields, satellite data and land conversion greenhouse gas emission factors, defining renewable biomass and distillers grains. 
To ensure delivery to your inbox (not bulk or junk folders), add [email protected] and/or the ncga.com domain to your address book.