White House Backs Ethanol Incentives, Blender Expansion
The National Corn Growers Association expressed gratitude and support for new efforts by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the entire Obama Administration to expand the development and use of domestic renewable biofuels, including ethanol from corn. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced a series of measures aimed at supporting the rural economy and reducing dependence on foreign oil.
"Because time is very short before the current Congress ends, we urge lawmakers to take the importance of this initiative to heart and move quickly," said NCGA President Bart Schott, a corn grower from Kulm, N.D. He and other officers were present for Secretary Vilsack's remarks. "While we support several broad efforts to extend the availability of higher blends, especially pressing is the extension of the Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit and other tax provisions to help ensure that current ethanol goals are met predominantly with domestic sources."
Secretary Vilsack noted the many benefits and the great importance of expanding biofuels in his remarks. "Domestic production of renewable energy, including biofuels, is a national imperative and that's why USDA is working to assist in developing a biofuels industry in every corner of the nation," said Vilsack. "By producing more biofuels in America, we will create jobs, combat global warming, replace our dependence on foreign oil and build a stronger foundation for the 21st century economy."
NASCAR Rolling with E-15 Fuel Next Year
NASCAR's Oct. 16 announcement that it will race with E-15 fuel in its three national touring series starting next year is great news for the ethanol industry and U.S. corn farmers, the National Corn Growers Association said. It's part of an important growing relationship that can help those off the farm learn more about where their food and fuel come from.
"We salute NASCAR for taking this great step forward," said Schott. "With this and the decision by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to move E-15 forward as an option for newer cars, now is the time we need to drive home the truth about ethanol as an important part of ensuring energy security, rural economic growth and environmental benefits."
According to NASCAR, Sunoco Green E-15 will be blended at Sunoco's fuel facility in Marcus Hook, Pa., which provides high-performance race fuel to NASCAR teams at no cost to them. The American-grown and American-made corn ethanol will come in part from Sunoco's new ethanol plant in Fulton, N.Y. The new fuel will be pumped directly from tankers at the track, rather than from on-site underground storage tanks.
Farm Groups Withdraw From 'Biased' Initiative
Several agricultural representatives have withdrawn en masse from the Leonardo Academy's sustainable agriculture standard setting initiative, citing systemic limitations and chronic anti-agriculture biases inherent in the Writing Committee structure set up for this initiative. The resignation letter was signed by 10 national agricultural-organization voting members on the nearly 60-member committee, and their departure was endorsed by 46 other agricultural organizations nationwide.
"Our willingness to participate in this process was predicated on a desire to produce an 'on-farm' standard that would result in broad adoption," said Ken McCauley, an NCGA past president. "However, from the actions of others on the Committee it is now clear that this cannot occur within the Leonardo Academy process. It has become clear that the Leonardo Academy process is structurally biased against a balanced and open analysis of sustainability and modern agriculture."
The Leonardo Academy and its principal financial sponsor, Scientific Certification Systems, had undertaken an effort in 2007 to develop a draft national standard for sustainable agriculture under a consensus-based process governed by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).
Maintaining Perspective on Harvest Forecasts
National Corn Growers Association Chief Executive Officer Rick Tolman updated members of the investment community Tuesday on the 2010 corn harvest and the implications of a smaller-than-expected crop. Tolman stressed the importance of maintaining a broad perspective in the fact of revised estimates and expectations.
"While lowered projections can cause alarm, it is important to look at this year's harvest as a result of difficult conditions and realize that the general trend toward higher yields and larger crops is not lost due to one year of bad weather," Tolman said. "We should not expect a future of smaller crops. Instead, the smaller crop this year shows that poor weather from one year can affect the next year's crop."
In 2009, the winter came early in much of the Corn Belt bringing heavy snows and bitter cold. Because of this, many growers were unable to till the ground, apply fertilizers and, in extreme cases, even complete harvest in the fall. The soil entered the 2010 planting season already in a less than optimal state and this affected yields. Extra residue kept the ground cold causing emergence and shallow roots. In summer 2010, extremely high temperatures that did not break overnight in Illinois, Iowa and Missouri compounded the situation by halting the normal maturation process.
Now Accepting 2012 Corn Board Applications
The National Corn Growers Association Nominating Committee is now accepting applications from members for the 2012 Corn Board. Through the Corn Board, members can become an integral part of the organization's leadership. Click here for the application, which provides complete information on requirements, responsibilities and deadlines.
The NCGA Corn Board represents the organization on all matters while directing both policy and supervising day-to-day operations. Board members serve the organization in a variety of ways. They represent the federation of state organizations, supervise the affairs and activities of NCGA in partnership with the chief executive officer and implement NCGA policy established by the Corn Congress. Members also act as spokespeople for the NCGA and enhance the organization's public standing on all organizational and policy issues.
Applications are due Friday, Jan. 14. Nominated candidates will be introduced at the February 2011 Corn Congress meeting, held in conjunction with the Commodity Classic in Tampa, Fla. Corn Board members will be elected at the July 2011 Corn Congress in Washington, D.C., and the new terms begin Oct. 1. For more information, growers may contact Kathy Baker at NCGA's St. Louis office at (636) 733-9004.
For details on all these stories, visit www.ncga.com.
