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Save Time During Harvest! Yield Contest Online Harvest Form Now Available
 As growers head to the fields to begin harvest, the National Corn Growers Association announces that harvest forms for the 2011 National Corn Yield Contest are now available online. While the harvest information form deadline of Dec. 1 may seem distant, entrants are invited to report online at their earliest convenience to facilitate the expedient processing of information.
"As growers in many areas are already beginning final harvest preparations, we invite contest applicants to submit harvest forms early thus allowing NCGA staff time to thoroughly review each form," said Steve Ebke, chairman of the NCGA Production and Stewardship Action Team. "The National Corn Yield Contest plays a significant role in recognizing excellence and finding new, more productive techniques. We hope that growers continue to support the contest by seeing their entry through and submitting their completed harvest data forms."
The National Corn Yield Contest (NCYC) is in its 47th year and remains NCGA's most popular program for members. With more than 8,300 entries, the 2011 NCYC set a new participation record again this year. The 2010 contest received a then-record number of entries with 7,125 participants.
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Click here for the 2011 National Corn Yield Contest (NCYC) Online Harvest Form.
NCGA, Rep. Schilling Talk 2012 Farm Bill Priorities at Farm Progress
 NCGA held a news conference with Congressman Bobby Schilling (Rep.- Ill.) at the Farm Progress Show this week in Decatur, Ill., highlighting preparations for the 2012 farm bill in light of the looming debt crisis. The association also focused on the top priorities for corn farmers regarding the need for a substantive safety net in today's volatile economic environment.
"The Farm Progress Show is an awesome showcase of some of the best that American agriculture has to offer," Congressman Bobby Schilling said. "As a member of the House Committee on Agriculture, which will be tasked with writing a new farm bill, I highly value this opportunity to witness the advances in technology that farmers use to feed our country and the world."
Expressing gratitude for the House member's participation, NCGA leadership explained the importance of public-private partnership crop insurance programs and the role these tools play in ensuring a stable, abundant supply of food, feed, fuel and fiber.
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USFRA Announces New Partnership, Town Hall Discussions at Farm Progress
 The U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance announced that Monsanto is joining its movement to answer Americans' questions about how their food is raised. USFRA is a coalition of more than 50 national, regional and state agricultural groups, including NCGA, and their partners, committed to continuously improving how they grow and raise food that provides healthy choices for people everywhere.
NCGA President Bart Schott provided opening remarks at the conference announcing Monsanto's involvement with USFRA at the Farm Progress Show in Decatur, Ill. During his speech, Schott outlined the goals of the movement, announced the group's first major series of events and welcomed Monsanto, and all agribusinesses affiliated with the coalition, to the movement.
Expressing the alliance's firm commitment to opening a dialogue on how food is grown and raised in America, Schott stated that the broad range of agricultural groups represented by USFRA will launch activities to answer consumer questions about food safety and production.
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NCGA Extends Prayers to Growers Affected by Hurricane Irene
NCGA sends its collective prayers to farmers affected by Hurricane Irene last weekend, which devastated many farms along the East Coast just as harvest begins. With some growers experiencing more than 20 inches of rain in an extremely brief period, the storm highlights the unpredictable role that the weather plays on farms every day.
"We extend our heartfelt prayers to everyone affected," said NCGA First Vice President Garry Niemeyer. "Over our lifetimes, farmers experience a vast array of difficult weather conditions. We pray for our fellow growers' safety and that they are able to recover from this tragedy quickly. Despite such catastrophic conditions, we know that farmers will draw upon their innate resilience and strength of character to weather this storm and greet the next crop year with renewed dedication."
Hurricane Irene affected several members of NCGA top leadership. Former Corn Board member Jamie Jamison, of Dickerson, Md., was fortunate, experiencing only two total inches of rain. Unfortunately, others suffered greatly. A current Corn Board member who farms in North Carolina is reported to have received more than 20 inches of rain, which may have flooded or otherwise damaged a large portion of his corn, cotton and soybean crop. As of press time, the member was still without power and could not be reached for further details.
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Field Notes opened the farm gate this spring and provided followers with an inside look at the activities of several farmers from a variety of geographical areas. Today, this series visited with Maryland grower Chip Bowling to find out how Hurricane Irene impacted his Chesapeake Bay farm.
