USDA Predicts Corn Acreage Increase in 2010The U.S. Department of Agriculture's estimate of corn acreage to be planted this year clearly shows that farmers believe that the corn crop will be profitable this year, the National Corn Growers Association said. Farmers are expected to harvest more than 13.3 billion bushels from 88.8 million planted acres. This is up 3 percent from both last year and 2008.
"Last year, U.S. growers produced a record corn crop and, if estimates are correct, they will do so again in 2010," said NCGA President Darrin Ihnen, a grower from Hurley, S.D. "The USDA is estimating we will increase acreage planted. We see this as a sign that demand continues to grow for our product and that growers will again meet this demand. But, the ability to meet these demands results more so from varieties with improved yields and from modern farming practices than from a relatively minor increase in acreage planted."
The USDA's estimate for 2010 is for 88.8 million acres to be planted in field corn. Assuming a traditional 91 percent harvest rate and the USDA's projected yield of 164.9 bushels per acre, farmers will grow 13.349 billion bushels on 80.8 million acres.
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SURE Program Helps Growers Manage Risk
NCGA would like to remind growers impacted by 2008 crop losses that they still have the opportunity to signup for the permanent disaster assistance program, Supplemental Revenue Assistance Payments (SURE). To be eligible, growers must meet a risk management purchase requirement by having either federal crop insurance or being enrolled in the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program.
The farm must be located in a county covered by a qualifying natural disaster declaration and a 10 percent production loss on a crop of economic significance must have been sustained. Individual producers outside designated areas can also be eligible if the overall production loss is greater than 50 percent.
Created by the Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008 (2008 farm bill), the Agricultural Disaster Relief Trust Fund finances five separate programs that comprehensively address agricultural disasters across the nation, including the SURE program. SURE is expected to provide assistance to producers who suffered qualifying crop production losses, crop quality losses or both due to disaster, adverse weather or other environmental conditions beginning with the 2008 crop year and ending with losses incurred on or before September 30, 2011. The inclusion of a permanent crop disaster program in the 2008 Farm Bill is a change from the ad hoc crop disaster programs that had served as Congress's primary instrument to disburse crop disaster assistance.
Helping Public Reconnect with the Farm
 As Americans become more and more removed from the farm, it becomes increasingly important that growers actively help the public connect with agriculture. Social networking tools, such as Twitter and Facebook, provide a platform for farmers and supporters to tell their story directly to the public and thus form the connections that build support for agriculture. Additionally, these tools help individuals actively combat the misinformation spread by groups with anti-ag agendas.
During Commodity Classic, "Off the Cob" caught up with Brandon Hunnicutt, a grower from Giltner, Neb., who is also president of the Nebraska Corn Growers Association. Hunnicutt spoke on the importance of advocacy and on how tools such as Twitter can help growers reach broad audiences with minimal effort.
To hear the whole story, just click on the "Off the Cob" logo.
Explore Water Issues at CUTC 2010
 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, Reagan Waskom, chair of the Aquifers, Water Usage and Agriculture Technical Session, talks about the learning opportunities his session will offer.
Based upon the idea that the quality and quantity of water is vital to agriculture, this session is designed to provide a look at corn's water consumption challenges. Presentations will focus on water quality and availability and the development of new water-efficient crops and equipment.
"Issues related to water scarcity and stress are increasing in prevalence, particularly in the western Corn Belt," said Waskom. "Although corn producers use water efficiently now, they will have to increase this efficiency even more so in the future. Speakers during this session will keep participants abreast of the most current technologies and techniques that will enable corn growers to meet this challenge."
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Rob Elliott Looks at the Big Picture
 While it is often easy to get caught up in the everyday details of running a farm, Rob Elliott, a corn grower from Cameron, Ill., sees the importance of taking a few steps back and examining the view from 30,000 feet. An experienced grower leader, he hopes to bring his big-picture perspective and experience achieving positive results to the National Corn Growers Association's Corn Board.
Elliott, who currently serves on the NCGA Ethanol Committee, has previously served as president of the Illinois Corn Growers Association and on NCGA's Joint Trade Policy A-Team. Over his years of service, Elliott has held worked in many aspects of agriculture in many parts of the country. He believes that the broad range of experience gained through this work provides him with the ability to see problems from many angles, work with a wide variety of individuals and achieve results.
"NCGA board members need to be engaged and committed 'students of the profession' that stay constantly abreast of the issues," said Elliott. "Board members need to employ logical 'big picture' approaches and not get caught up in the emotions of the moment at the farm-gate level." Click here for more about Rob Elliott. |
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This Week's NCGA Blog Highlights
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