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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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VeraSun Attorneys Retract Demands for Farmer Payments
Corn growers who faced a legal deadline to repay money from corn sold in 2008 to the bankrupt ethanol producer VeraSun received some good news Thursday - the attorneys are dropping their questionable claims for payment.
"This is great news for farmers at a time when we need to focus on bringing in our crops," said National Corn Growers Association President Darrin Ihnen. "We're glad the lawyers saw the light and realized they had no legal justification to go after us. We had an excellent team working on this to make sure we had the right information, and to present our case."
Because of bankruptcy law, attorneys representing VeraSun creditors were able to seek repayment from farmers and others who received money from VeraSun within 90 days prior to the bankruptcy filing.
In late August, hundreds of corn farmers received letters from attorneys threatening legal action. The letters offered to settle the matter with a payment equal to 80 percent of what the farmers received for their corn sales to VeraSun. Farmers had until Thursday to respond, and NCGA and several state corn associations provided information to growers, encouraged them to respond and helped them find legal resources.
In strongly worded correspondence sent earlier in the week to the law firms demanding payment, an attorney assisting NCGA insisted that the lawyers withdraw their demands.
"We believe that many of the foregoing demands were made without any legal and factual foundation and, as such, constitute an impermissible effort to collect alleged debts that are clearly not owing," wrote attorney David Lander of Thompson Coburn. "They appear to have been made without the inquiry reasonable under the circumstances. Moreover, we believe that the claims asserted in the vast bulk of these letters are not warranted by existing law or a non-frivolous argument for the extension, modification or reversal of existing law or the establishment of new law." |
 Continuing Traditions with a View Fixed Firmly on the Horizon
On October 1, Bart Schott, formerly the first vice-president of the National Corn Growers Association, began his term as president with Garry Niemeyer assuming his previous position. As this new fiscal year begins, Schott lays out his vision for NCGA in 2011 and beyond.
By Bart Schott
President, National Corn Growers Association
Today, I am honored to begin my year of service to U.S. corn farmers as the president of the National Corn Growers Association. While I know that 2011 will bring many situations and circumstances that we cannot completely predict, I am confident that we will meet any challenges that may arise and will capitalize on every possible opportunity to continue our progress toward creating a better environment for farmers across the country.
I base this confidence in what I have seen as first vice president and on my experiences with our grower leaders throughout my career of service. Successful organizations require great leadership, and NCGA has had excellent leadership during the presidencies of both Bob Dickey and Darrin Ihnen. I was always proud to be a part of their team.
In large part, it was the leadership of my fellow executive committee members that inspired me to run for vice president. Good leaders possess two main characteristics: integrity and commitment. Both Bob and Darrin exemplify these traits. During their tenure, the executive committee always took the high road, standing firm on the issues that matter to growers while remaining open to the changes that could help our organization evolve to meet the demands of a rapidly-changing world.
As president, I hope to maintain the organizational culture prevalent during my predecessors' tenures. I see keeping the tenor that Bob and Darrin developed for NCGA in tune as an honor.
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 Reflections on a Year of Unity, Action
Former National Corn Growers Association President Darrin Ihnen assumed the role of NCGA chairman this week, passing the presidency to Bart Schott. In this article, he reflects upon the organization's accomplishments in 2010 and what he foresees as important as it continues.
By Darrin Ihnen
President, National Corn Growers Association
In 2010, corn growers faced challenges. The wet year led to a long harvest. Many important issues, such as the Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit and trade reform, seem to be stalling out as a partisan Congress turned a blind eye to issues affecting everyday Americans. Emotionally charged media attacks on corn production inputs, such as atrazine, and corn-based products like corn sugar caught national attention despite the vast array of scientific evidence refuting our critics' claims.
Facing these challenges has made us stronger and better prepared us to deal in new and more effective ways with the ever-changing political and social landscape in which we all must operate. The single most important achievement NCGA has gained this year is a focus on industry unity.
Industry unity is critical to successfully tackle the challenges facing agriculture today. With 98.5 percent of the population not actively involved in farming, most people do not come into contact with farmers regularly. The messages that the average American sees about farming come from the media, the Internet and from word of mouth. To effectively harness these vehicles, we must work together presenting unified, consistent messages that tell our story and situation in a clear manner to a broad audience.
In 2010, there were many examples where NCGA worked collaboratively to bring various industry groups together in order to benefit corn growers as a whole, but two stand out as examples of how major collaborations between many already well-respected groups can yield greater results than going it alone.
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 Putting a Face with a Name: Japanese Counselor Sees American Farming in Action
This week, the National Corn Growers Association had the opportunity to show Agriculture Counselor Katsuhiro Saka, of the Japanese embassy, how the U.S. agricultural industry functions. Incorporating tours of an Illinois farm, a river terminal on the Mississippi, an ethanol plant and a lock facility, NCGA helped the diplomat gain a deeper understanding of the system which supplies Japan with the vast majority of its corn imports.
"I enjoyed being able speak directly with the farmers who actually produce our corn," said Saka. "It was very interesting to get a hands on feel for how they operate their farms and see them harvesting. The farm visit, along with excursions to transport and ethanol production facilities, supplemented my factual understanding of American agriculture with a broader sense of the values and culture that underlie American Agriculture."
NCGA appreciates the importance of Saka's sincere interest in gaining a full sense of agriculture. Notably, Japan has been the largest export market for U.S. corn for decades, purchasing 618 million bushels in 2009, double its closest competitor. Through interaction with the family farmers producing enough corn to meet the growing global demand for food and fuel in an increasingly sustainable manner, NCGA shared the amazing story of modern agriculture with the administration of a country that directly impacts demand - and therefore the profitability - of growers across the country.
Participating in the event was NCGA Director of Public Policy DaNita Murray and Director of Biotechnology and Economic Analysis Nathan Fields. Former Illinois Corn Marketing Board Chairman Jim Rapp hosted the group at his Princeton, Ill. farm. |
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Harvest Ups and Downs in Central Illinois
 In this new series, Off the Cob speaks with grower leaders about harvest on their own farms. In this edition, NCGA First Vice-President Elect Garry Niemeyer, a grower from Auburn, Ill., talks about what he has seen during harvest thus far and provides insight into the issues facing growers in central Illinois and nationally this year.
To listen to the whole interview, click on the Off the Cob logo above. |
NCGA Helps Seek Food Security Solutions
Farmers from around the world will gather in Des Moines Oct. 12-13 for the fifth annual Global Farmer-to-Farmer Roundtable. The Roundtable is organized by Truth About Trade and Technology, and is supported by the National Corn Growers Association, the Council for Biotechnology Information and CropLife International. The event will coincide with the 2010 Norman E. Borlaug International Symposium, also held that week.
"At NCGA, we recognize the importance of farmers taking an active role in ensuring food security not only by continuing to grow but by actively exploring the new avenues that will allow us to meet an ever growing demand," said Pam Johnson, a member of NCGA's Corn Board. "By joining in this dialogue, we take a seat at the table and ensure we are part of the greater discussion of food security sure to affect farmers worldwide whether they participate or not."
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NCGA, Nebraska Commend Bob Dickey
 On September 30, Bob Dickey's term as chairman of the National Corn Growers Association came to an end. In leaving the chairmanship, Dickey, a corn farmer in Laurel, Neb., concluded seven years of service on the grassroots organization's board, where he served as president in 2009.
"Bob has served the public and agriculture for many years not only through NCGA but also as a state legislator," said NCGA President Darrin Ihnen. "He is committed to agriculture, truly understands the issues and works tirelessly on others behalf. I consider him a great personal friend to me and my family, and over the years he has become a true, loyal friend for corn growers across the country."
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Providing Insight into Grower Perspectives
Last week. NCGA CEO Rick Tolman presented on grower perspectives of sustainability to the Agricultural Sustainability Forum held in Kansas City, Mo. The meeting, held by the Agricultural Business Council of Kansas City, focused on the variety of perspectives on sustainability that influence how the overall industry deals with this key issue.
Kathleen Merrigan, deputy secretary for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and Center for Food Integrity CEO Charlie Arnot also provided their perspectives on sustainability.
In his remarks, Tolman explored the farmer's unique perspective as a function of the relationship to the land inherent in farming as well as from a factual position demonstrating more tangible sustainability measures common in U.S. agriculture.
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Brazil Sugar-Coats Its Ethanol Industry
The Brazilian sugarcane ethanol industry has gone to great lengths lately to stress how they are no longer dependent on subsidies and tariffs, and that the U.S. corn ethanol industry needs to follow suit - for the good of the ethanol industry overall.
What the Brazilians leave out is what Paul Harvey would refer to as the "rest of the story." And it is not a very pleasant story.
Back in 2008, the Los Angeles Times wrote a chilling and damning account of what life is like for the labor-intensive sugarcane industry.
"More than 300,000 farmworkers are seasonal cane cutters in Brazil, the government says," writes reporter Patrick J. McDonnell. "By most accounts, their work and living conditions range from basic to deplorable to outright servitude."
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