 Corn Growers Voice Support for Inland Waterway Improvements on the Hill
Representatives from the corn industry are visiting Capitol Hill in full force this week to voice their support for the recently proposed Inland Waterways Capital Development Plan, which will provide a more adequate funding mechanism and project delivery system for critical lock and dam upgrades. More than two dozen growers and representatives from eight state corn organizations are participating in 70 meetings over the course of two days to personally explain the importance of river transportation to the nation's agriculture industry.
The barge industry and other stakeholder groups have worked with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers over the past year to develop a comprehensive, consensus package of recommendations to ensure the continued vitality of the inland waterways system. The proposed recommendations would prioritize navigation projects across the entire system, improve the Corps of Engineers' project management and processes to deliver projects on time and on budget, and recommend a funding mechanism that is affordable and meets the system's needs.
The inland waterway system is critical to the agricultural economy. More than one billion bushels of grain, about 60 percent of all grain export, move to markets via the inland waterways each year. Given this, modernizing locks and dams on the Upper Mississippi and Illinois Rivers remains a high priority for NCGA. Corn growers were a strong advocate when these projects were successfully included in the 2007 Water Resources Development Act, and NCGA remains committed to seeing these projects fully funded. During this week's fly-in, growers urged Congress to adopt the necessary legislative provisions of the Inland Waterway Capital Development Plan and also allocate construction funding through the annual appropriations process.
The recommended funding mechanism would increase the current 20 cent per gallon tax on fuel paid by the barge and towing industry between 30 and 45 percent, roughly six to nine cents. Corn growers acknowledge that this increased shipping cost will ultimately be passed on to farmer; however, our organization views this as an important long term investment for the future of river transportation. The Capital Development Plan also maintains the cost sharing formula that splits costs between industry and federal funding on new lock construction and major rehabilitation projects costing over $100 million. Under the proposal, repairs to locks costing under $100 million and dam construction and repair projects would be paid fully through federal funding.
For more information on transportation issues facing U.S. corn growers, please click here.
NCGA President Talks about Experiences
As a grassroots organization, the National Corn Growers Association depends upon growers to take leadership roles. Working together on the Corn Board, on action teams or on committees, these family farmers shape organizational policy and help determine the future of farming in the U.S. Each grower leader dedicates considerable time and effort to serve their industry in this capacity.
To provide some insight into who these leaders are and why they serve, "Off the Cob" sat down with current president Darrin Ihnen to talk about his farming operation and his experiences as NCGA President thus far.
"Serving as president of National Corn Growers in not only an honor, it is also a chance to meet growers from across the country," said Ihnen. "While there are always many challenges, I take pride in the fact that NCGA has put together campaigns to get the truth out about how I am as a farmer and how I grow my crops. "
For Ihnen, family farming is alive and well. He still farms with his father, with whom who he has worked since before he entered high school. Both his mother and wife help with the operation in various capacities and, with two daughters and one son now working on the farm, Ihnen can look forward to a future that builds upon the farming tradition he values.
Ihnen went on to speak about his experiences in leadership thus far. He will continue to serve as president until October 1. At that point, he will then move on to the chairman position.
To hear the whole story, click on the "Off the Cob" logo above.
CUTC Turns Ideas into Solutions
 2010 Corn Utilization and Technology Conference participants didn't waste any time diving into showing and telling what's cool in corn this week at the multi-day event in Atlanta. The biggest challenge facing attendees was absorbing all the information.
"This year's theme, "Corn: America's Renewable Resource," was a very appropriate choice for 2010," said CUTC Chairman Larry Hasheider in his closing remarks. "Clearly, corn offers a variety of solutions for many of today's problems, but we must persist in finding ways to improve existing options and to create entirely new ways to utilize this amazing resource."
Tuesday's sessions covered current industry innovations in corn breeding and genetics, the role of corn in human health and nutrition, maximizing distillers grains quality, corn derivative utilization, improved production efficiencies and second generation biofuels. Also included in the day's agenda was a session on lifecycle analyses that give greater understanding to evaluating the environmental impacts of corn production, co-products and renewable technologies.
Wednesday's sessions explored the exciting potential awaiting the corn industry. Now that the maize genome sequence has been completed, a pathway of exploration has opened up for researchers to look both at the future and past of corn. Session-goers were treated to the latest genetic findings that have aided researchers to identify next steps in corn's commercial and humanitarian utilization and suggest that corn's domestication could go back as far back as 9,000 years. Unique applications to the milling process launched lively discussions from panelists and attendees exploring the possible scenarios for the hybridization of wet and dry mills into an integrated biorefinery.
Applications gave way to ideas, concepts and points of view in a panel discussion exploring the effect of land use criteria (such as greenhouse gas emissions) on the determination of whether corn meets qualifications of an advanced biofuel and its significance to the corn industry. Although panelists addressed the issue from varying perspectives, they all agreed that current models are excessively complex and very contentious.
Click here for additional stories on the conference.
Study Highlights Market Development Programs
From the facilitation of a buyer's conference in Southeast Asia to spearheading feeding trials in Jordan, the U.S. Grains Council aligns its strategies with goals outlined by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Foreign Agricultural Service as part of a shared effort to increase export opportunities for U.S. producers. Through FAS-administered programs, such as the Market Access Program and the Foreign Market Development program, the Council is able to increase U.S. market opportunities for U.S. grains and co-products.
But just how effective are such programs and do they contribute to the U.S. farmer's bottom line? A recent independent study led by IHS Global Insight Inc. reveals that USDA's international market development programs have a positive and significant impact on U.S. agricultural trade and the work done by agricultural cooperatives like the U.S. Grains Council.
According to the study:
· For every additional $1 expended by government and industry on market development, U.S. food and agricultural exports increased by $35;
· Without the increased investment in market development since 2002, U.S. agricultural exports would have been $6.1 billion lower in 2009;
· Export gains associated with the programs increased the average annual level of U.S. farm cash receipts by $4.4 billion and net cash farm income by $1.5 billion. At the same time, U.S. domestic support payments were reduced by roughly $54 million annually due to higher prices from increased demand abroad, thus reducing the net cost of the programs.
The full Global Insight study, "A Cost-Benefit Analysis of USDA's International Market Development Programs," may be accessed here.
For more on the U.S. Grains Council, please click here. |
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