With only days to register remaining, the time to sign up for the National Corn Growers Association National Corn Yield Contest is now. Growers can utilize a quick and easy online application or download a traditional paper entry form. To qualify for the contest, entries must be postmarked no later than Monday, July 25.

"The National Corn Yield Contest remains one of our most popular programs year after year," said Production and Stewardship Action Team Chair Steve Ebke. "By entering the contest growers not only have a chance to be recognized for their accomplishments, but also to benefit the industry as a whole by providing valuable knowledge that will continue to help us increase yields to meet ever growing demand."

Now in its 47th year, the contest has been trending toward increasingly higher levels of participation with a record 7,125 entrants in 2010. Winners will receive national recognition in such publications as the NCYC Corn Yield Guide and at the National Awards Banquet and State Awards Breakfast at the 2012 Commodity Classic in Nashville, Tenn. More importantly, growers experience the challenge and satisfaction of learning production techniques that will enhance their corn yields.

Click here for more information on the National Corn Yield Contest.

Women Gather to Share Ideas, Open Dialogue

Women from across the Corn Belt gathered in St. Louis this week to share their experiences and ideas at the CommonGround Shared Voices Summit. This summit, hosted by the National Corn Growers Association and the United Soybean Board, provided veteran participants the opportunity to share their experiences and hone their social media skills while introducing new volunteers to the program.

Running through Saturday, July 23, the program features a variety of guest speakers and many hands-on activities designed to maximize the women's online presence. NCGA CEO Rick Tolman welcomed the group, leading off the experience with an opportunity for the women to discuss the misconceptions about agriculture they wish most to correct. The summit serves as the kickoff event as new states, including Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Maryland, Ohio and South Carolina, launch their participation in this movement.

CommonGround is a program to increase awareness among urban and suburban consumers of the value of modern production agriculture in their lives. As the name implies, the program emphasizes that urban and farm families share the same values and concerns and that urban consumers can trust the process and the people that provide their food. Click here for information on CommonGround.

NCGA Supports Functional Genomics Data Utilization

Keeping research at the forefront of our national agenda is always a challenge. However, the research done today has a direct impact on the technologies available for farmers to utilize 10 and 15 years from now. NCGA understands this situation, and will fund a functional genomics data utilization project that will incorporate needed software tools into the Maize Genetics and Genomics Database (MaizeGDB).

"Congress is talking about a day ahead, not years ahead in their approach to budget cuts, and many of the research projects that are important to the long-term viability of our industry are at risk of losing their funding", said Research and Business Development Action Team Vice Chair Jay Nissen. "Genomics research is important to NCGA. We have devoted time and resources towards its development, and we will continue to push strongly to make sure this work doesn't get left behind."

Click here for more information.

Podcast Looks at Functional Genomic Database

NCGA's Off the Cob audio series this week speaks with Carolyn Lawrence, a research geneticist with the USDA's Agricultural Research Service. Coming from the understanding that growers need the results of research such as the Maize Genome Sequencing Project to result in technology that produces real world results, the National Corn Growers Association will fund a functional genomic datagenbase coordinator. This project will incorporate needed software tools into the Maize Genetics and Genomics Database.

"The project itself is aimed at making the data that has gone into sequencing the maize genome more useful for plant biologists to turn it into a product that farmers can use," said Lawrence. "In order for us to make sense of the data already there, these tools can filter data sets into a manageable unit that allows researchers to see images, manipulate data and distinguish what the genes are doing so more functional products can be made."

Click here for the full report.

Livestock Feed Remains Top Use for U.S. Corn

According to reports released by the USDA this month and data supplied by PRX, domestic and international livestock continues to be the No. 1 use for U.S. corn, totaling approximately 7.7 billion bushels per year. An estimated 1.5 billion bushels of corn, or 80 percent of projected U.S. corn exports, was used for feed overseas in the past year. Additionally, U.S. livestock consume totals 6.2 billion bushels, 5.0 billion in whole corn and an additional 1.2 billion bushels of corn displaced by ethanol coproducts.

"While media attention has focused more on ethanol production recently, the livestock industry continues to purchase more corn than any other sector year after year," said National Corn Growers Association President Bart Schott. "Livestock and poultry continue to be a valuable market for corn farmers and one which we continue to provide with an ample supply of corn and corn coproducts."

Click here for more information.