Video Promotes Our Inland Waterways
The Waterways Council (WCI) has developed and begun airing a new 30-second TV commercial, "Keep America Moving," which highlights the critical value of the inland waterways system to jobs, to the environment and energy efficiency, and to traffic congestion relief. The National Corn Growers Association is a WCI member.
"NCGA worked long and hard to pass legislation authorizing important expansion of our outdated locks along the Mississippi and Illinois River," said NCGA CEO Rick Tolman, a board member of WCI. "The Waterways Council's new campaign will help the public and policymakers understand the importance of a modern waterways transportation system so we can move our grain and other products to market in a timely, efficient and sustainable manner."
In addition, WCI has developed a three-minute video presentation outlining many other reasons to appreciate the benefits that America's waterways provide to commerce and to our quality of life. Both appear on WCI's Web site at
www.waterwayscouncil.org.
Also at the meeting, Tolman presented the Waterways Council's Leadership Award to Senator Charles Grassley (R- Iowa). The award is given annually to a leader who has worked to support our nation's inland waterways infrastructure.
Genetics to be Highlighted at CUTC
With the 2010 Corn Utilization and Technology Conference quickly approaching, the time to register is now. Over the coming weeks, chairs heading the 10 technical sessions will explain what attendees can expect to learn from their sessions during the conference. This week, Jim McLaren, chair of the Genetics and Transformation Technology Session, talks about the learning opportunities that his session will offer.
Based on the idea that knowledge of the corn genome sets the stage for the industry's future, the Genetics and Transformation Technology Session provides a review of the genome and looks at the next steps into functionality. The session includes speakers demonstrating the commercial utilization of this genetic information. Additionally, it explores the origin of maize in the New World from an anthropologist's perspective.
"The information gained from the Maize Genome Sequencing Project is very similar to having a map of the United States in that you do need the map to find how to locate a specific place," said McLaren. "But, the map in and of itself does not tell you where to go. As a community, we have to work together to decide where we will take corn genetics and how we will go forward now that we have this data."
Visit www.corntechconf.org for more information.
Bill Would Allow One-Way Trade into Cuba
NCGA this week announced support of H.R. 4645, the Travel Restriction Reform and Export Enhancement Act. This bill, introduced by U.S. House of Representatives Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson (D-Minn.) and Representative Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), will expand one-way trade and lift current travel restrictions with Cuba. Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) and Representative Jo Ann Emerson (R-Mo.) are also sponsoring the bill.
"This legislation will increase one-way agricultural trade from the U.S. to Cuba," said NCGA First Vice President Bart Schott, a grower from Kulm, N.D. "We currently export food to Cuba and these changes will level the playing field for American farmers. It is important to note, though, that it does not eliminate the embargo itself."
H.R. 4645 provides an opportunity not only to preserve current U.S. sales of corn to Cuba, but also to increase demand for distillers dried grains and other corn value-added products such as poultry. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Foreign Agricultural Service, Cuba was the tenth largest export market for U.S. corn during the 2008-2009 marketing year.
Click here or on the speaker icon for a related "Off the Cob" podcast audio interview with Steve Yoder, NCGA's chair of the Joint Trade Policy A-Team.
