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Register Now for Commodity Classic!
Have you registered yet for Commodity Classic? The once-a-year, can't-miss event for America's corn, soybean, wheat and sorghum farmers runs from March 1 through March 3, 2012 in Nashville, Tenn. Offering growers a chance to see the latest innovations first-hand and hear game-changing ideas, Classic will once again bring farmers together with ag leadership, agribusiness and one another for learning sessions, an incredible trade show and a chance to see the legendary Grand Ole Opry. So visit www.commodityclassic.com today to register. At Commodity Classic, growers turn your passion into success.
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2011 Annual Report Now Available Online
 The National Corn Growers Association Fiscal Year 2011 Annual Report is now available online. A printed copy of the report, which highlights the association's achievements over the previous year and features current financial information, will also be sent to all active members.
The 2011 annual report is now available for download here.
"As the nation's leading trade association representing corn growers, we're proud of the work of our Communications team," said NCGA Chairman Bart Schott, a grower from Kulm, N.D., who served as president last year. "We've toiled tirelessly over the past year to proactively advance the image of corn growers and create opportunities to increase demand for their product. This report not only illuminates what grower contributions support, it also demonstrates the importance and effectiveness of these activities."
Themed "Success through Collaboration," the 2011 report spotlights efforts made by NCGA throughout the year that brought together various organizations from across the industry to multiply the effectiveness of efforts beneficial to agriculture as a whole.
NCGA Works to Keep Candidate Views on Ag in the Spotlight in 2012
With the Iowa Caucus complete, NCGA continues its push to help keep farmers informed of candidate views and engaged in the presidential primary process as the race for the Republican nomination continues. NCGA will continue to update the original Corn Caucus Project report card, offer expanded and updated information on the positions of the remaining Republican contestants and provide links to the caucus and primary schedule and a candidate tracker.
"With the 2012 Iowa Corn Caucuses behind us, I see the Corn Caucus project as a success. Corn farmers from across the state did their homework on the candidates, followed the campaigns, participated in local meetings, used the Corn Caucus report card and made sure agriculture issues were recognized and addressed by the candidates," said Iowa Corn Growers Association Senior Policy Advisor Amanda Taylor. "As we move toward the nomination, we look forward to continuing to engage the campaigns in issues important to America's corn farmers."
The National Corn Growers Association and the Iowa Corn Growers Association, in partnership with the Illinois, Kentucky, Minnesota and Nebraska Corn Growers Associations, released the original tool to help voters quickly determine where candidates stand on a variety of agricultural issues.
To keep abreast on information as the campaign continues, click here.
For the whole story, click here.
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Preparing for Priority and Policy Discussions, Off the Cob Looks Back at Ideas, Analysis Presented to Action Teams and Committees in December
As growers prepare to travel to St. Louis for the annual National Corn Growers Association Priority and Policy Conference, Off the Cob revisits conversations held with some members of the Corn Board following the organization's Action Team and Committee Meetings in December. During these interviews, the attendees offer information on a variety of subjects covered that they feel to be of particular interest to farmers.
First, Off the Cob caught up with Corn Board member Guy Davenport, a farmer from North Carolina. Davenport cited NCGA's efforts to reach out to animal agriculture groups and engage in joint efforts as one of the more interesting topics that he encountered during the meetings.
"There are many legislative issues where our positions coincide and a variety of other areas where we share common ground," said Davenport. "In working together, we must rely on our common interests. We both face challenges from groups seeking to regulate agriculture without understanding our industry and how farmers and ranchers both work to be good stewards of the land."
To listen to the full set of interviews, click here.
For the whole story, click here.
NCGA President Offers Path Forward in 2012 Earlier this week, Off the Cob spoke with National Corn Growers Association President Garry Niemeyer on his outlook for corn growers in the new year. Emphasizing the importance of cooperation and making changes on the horizon into opportunities for farmers, Niemeyer offered an optimistic outlook for agriculture should the industry take an active role in the many potential movements that could impact various pieces of the value chain. "I believe that it is time we stand together as an agricultural industry and recognize the new year for what it is - an open horizon in which each change holds endless possibility," said Niemeyer. "Things will not be the same. Let's make them better." Offering direction on how to do so, he sighted many of NCGA's accomplishments from the previous year. To listen to the interview in full, please click here. For the whole story, click here.
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Time Is Running Out! Apply for the 2013 Corn Board Today
NCGA's Nominating Committee is now accepting applications from members for the 2013 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.
In a recent Off the Cob interview, NCGA President Garry Niemeyer stressed that every grower, even if he or she is unaware, has a wealth of knowledge and perspective to offer the organization. He also noted that serving fellow farmers through the Corn Board rewards volunteers with training and experience that hone leadership and communications skills. Characterizing Corn Board service as "the opportunity of a lifetime," Niemeyer then encouraged prospective candidates to "step forward and take that chance."
To listen to the entire interview, click here.
For the whole story, click here.
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Growers Build on Trade, Biotech Successes in the New Year
NCGA's Trade Policy and Biotechnology Action Team was created in 2010 by the unification of two existing action teams. Seeing that trade issues facing the corn industry most often involved a biotechnology component, leadership saw it prudent to create a single group to explore these issues and develop an in-depth understanding of the nuanced areas of overlap involved.
In 2012, the team, along with state and national staff assistance, will face many important issues as they advocate for cooperation across the biotechnology value chain, provide innovative, cutting-edge tools to help farmers act as responsible stewards of biotechnology products, and support trade agreements that benefit U.S. agriculture and the national economy.
"We made major progress in 2011 when the U.S. ratified free trade agreements with Korea, Colombia and Panama, launched an updated version of our online IRM refuge calculator and opened a dialogue with groups from across the value chain on biotechnology and trade, but it is essential that we continue to build on our progress in each of these areas," said South Dakota corn farmer Chad Blindauer, who chairs the team. "We challenge ourselves at each meeting to find innovative opportunities to further open markets to U.S. corn and help cutting-edge technology reach the farmers who desire it."
For the whole story, click here.
Action Team about More than "Grower Services"
NCGA's Grower Services Action Team focuses on three areas for the organization: membership, leadership and communications. In each of these areas, 2012 will prove to be an important year for the group of 14 growers who, along with state and national staff assistance, keep a sharp eye on program efforts in these three areas.
"With membership setting records and a deeper level of state checkoff investment in core image programs, the Grower Services Action Team has its work cut out for it this year," said Nebraska corn farmer Brandon Hunnicutt, who chairs the team. "We challenge ourselves at each meeting to ensure our national organization is more relevant to our individual grower members and to provide them the tools they need to excel in leadership and communications with a robust slate of services."
Whether it's something as simple as a discount on cars or computers or as complicated as an advanced leadership training program, the Grower Services Action Team keeps the spotlight on a wide variety of ways NCGA members can benefit their farming operations or become better industry leaders. At its December 2011 meeting, the team approved some new member benefits that will roll out later this year to help members save money on certain purchases.
For the whole story, click here.
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At NCGA's award-winning blog, Corn Commentary, our bloggers take a look ahead into 2012 and see how ethanol is a winner in the California courts, the Iowa caucuses and across America's landscape. Click here for the scoop.
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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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