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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.
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NCGA Team Lineup for 2011 Announced
The National Corn Growers Association Corn Board today announced the farmers who will become the members and leaders of the organization's action teams, committees and working groups for the 2011 fiscal year, which begins October 1.
"The action teams and committees are an important part of what makes our association a respected leader in the industry and a powerful voice in Washington," said incoming NCGA President Bart Schott, a farmer from Kulm, N.D. "It was inspiring to see so many farmers with passion and dedication who were interested in sacrificing time for these volunteer assignments."
Team leaders are listed below, as well as the liaisons for each team from the Corn Board.
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Ethanol Committee: Keith Alverson (S.D.), chairman; Chad Willis (Minn.), vice chairman; Clark Gerstacker (Mich.), liaison
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Grower Services Action Team: Brandon Hunnicutt (Neb.), chairman; Bill Berg (Ohio) vice chairman; Pam Johnson (Iowa), liaison
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Production and Stewardship Action Team: Steve Ebke (Neb.), chairman; Dean Taylor (Iowa), vice chairman; Guy Davenport (N.C.), liaison
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Public Policy Action Team: Anthony Bush (Ohio), chairman; Mike Clemens (N.D.), vice chairman; Daryl Haack (Ill.), liaison
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Research and Business Development Action Team: Larry Hasheider (Ill.), chairman; Jay Nissen (N.D.), vice chairman; Dave Nelson (Iowa), liaison
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Trade Policy and Biotechnology Action Team: Chad Blindaur (S.D.), chairman; Jim Zimmerman (Wis.), vice chairman; Mike Geske (Mo.), liaison
In addition, the following growers will lead Corn Board-specific committees: Finance, Jerry Larson (Minn.); Association Relations, Bill Chase (S.D.); Nominating, Darrin Ihnen (S.D.); Bylaws, Jon Holzfaster (Neb.); and 2011 Commodity Classic, Theresa Schmalshof (Ill.).
Click here for a complete list of team and committee members. |
Corn Exec Testifies on Atrazine
 Kansas Corn Growers Association Executive Director Jere White testified Thursday before a Senate Agriculture Committee hearing examining the impact of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regulations on agriculture.
EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson also testified on a variety of issues, including NPDES permits for pesticides, water quality in the Chesapeake Bay and Gulf of Mexico and the Endangered Species Act.
White focused his testimony on atrazine as a safe herbicide used by American farmers for the past 50 years. He emphasized that atrazine is one of the most studied molecules on Earth and stressed that, for many farmers, the herbicide is a matter of staying in business during a difficult economy. According to the EPA's own analysis, the removal of atrazine could cost farmers up to $28 an acre.
"Most farmers live next to their fields," White said. "They raise their children in these environments. If there were any real harm in atrazine, the American farmer would have been the first to notice and the first to care. They value atrazine because it is effective and it is safe. That's why well over half of all U.S. corn acres are protected from weeds by atrazine."
To read Jere White's entire testimony, click here. |
Harvest Remains Ahead of Schedule
Both corn maturity and harvest continue to run well ahead of the five-year average according to U.S. Department of Agriculture reports released early this week. With 69 percent of the crop mature, corn growth is running a full 21 points ahead of the average and, at 18 percent complete, harvest is running 8 points ahead of the five-year trend.
"Despite reports of lower than expected yields in some areas, harvest is progressing quite well especially in comparison to the challenging 2009 season," said NCGA President Darrin Ihnen. "Our hope is that the western Cornbelt will show improved yields that will help bring up our national production average."
Indiana, Illinois and Iowa lead the nation in crop maturity with 90, 88 and 79 percent mature crops respectively. Indiana ran the most ahead of trend at a full 44 points. Michigan and Ohio round out the top five with maturity rates in the mid to low 70s.
States in the northern and western portions of the Cornbelt remained ahead of the trend but progressed at a slower pace than in other areas with states such as Wisconsin, Kansas and South Dakota averaging 7 to 19 points ahead of trend. Only Colorado remained behind the five-year average for its state with only 32 percent of the crop currently reaching maturity.
As of September 19, 18 percent of the U.S. corn crop was harvested, 8 points ahead of the five year trend. Kansas and Illinois showed significant harvest progress with 39 and 38 percent complete respectively. Indiana also ran significantly ahead of schedule with 27 percent complete, 21 points ahead of the five year trend.
Minnesota, Nebraska, South Dakota and Wisconsin still reported less than five percent harvest completion.
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USDA Highlights Improved Ethanol Efficiency
A report released this week by the USDA's Office of Energy Policy and New Uses shows a net energy gain in corn-based ethanol. The report, which surveyed corn growers in 2005 and ethanol plants in 2008, concluded that corn ethanol has seen significant increase in production efficiency. The findings show for every British Thermal Unit of energy required to make corn ethanol, 2.3 BTUs of energy are now produced creating nearly two and a half times the amount of energy needed to produce it. This number has increased from 1.76 in 2004.
"The National Corn Growers Association is extremely pleased with the results of this study," said NCGA First Vice President Bart Schott. "But this report really only shows what growers have already known, that ethanol has increased in efficiency much like corn growing. Over the past 20 years, yields have increased by 39 percent allowing growers to produce growing supplies of corn for both food and fuel using only three percent more land. We see this survey as a positive step forward in reaffirming that ethanol provides a viable energy option available to us right now."
The report also explains that corn ethanol has evolved from an energy sink, a product that used more energy than it produced, to a substantial net energy gain in the present. American ethanol production has grown from a mere 175 million gallons in 1980 to an expected 12 billion gallons in 2010. This production represents nearly 10 percent of the American gasoline supply. As with corn, ethanol yield continues to improve while making better use of inputs like water and energy. |
Important Time for Activism
With the final days of Congress prior to elections ticking away quickly, it is more important than ever for corn farmers to make their voices heard, according to the National Corn Growers Association. As openings to accomplish a few more tasks still exist, growers must be prepared to seize any opportunity that may arise and can best do so by proactively contacting their representation to explain which issues are key to the success of U.S. agriculture.
NCGA views the renewal of the Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit as an area where grower activism could seriously impact legislative action.
"As a grassroots organization, NCGA takes its priority and policy direction directly from growers, " said President Darrin Ihnen. "We understand how important VEETC is to maintaining and growing demand and, subsequently, maintaining profitability. This is a huge opportunity for individuals to take control of their futures by contacting their representatives and demanding their concerns be addressed."
Growers and those supportive of their causes can easily contact representatives in federal government by calling the Congressional switchboard toll-free through dialing 888-WHY-CORN. |
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