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As Corn Congress Approaches, First Vice President Elect Barbre Examines the Future of Farming

With Corn Congress fast approaching, corn farmers across the country are turning their attention to Washington, where delegates from their home states will convene to determine the policies and leadership that will guide the National Corn Growers Association into fiscal year 2013.  Today, Off the Cob spoke with NCGA First Vice President-Elect Martin Barbre about his recent election to the post, the vice presidential ratification vote that will occur during Corn Congress, and his views on where NCGA must lead the industry to ensure a bright future for farmers. 

Selected June 13 by the Corn Board to serve as NCGA First Vice President in 2013, Barbre will take office on October 1.  Barbre brings to the position the insight gained through many years of service both at the national level, as a current Corn Board member and chair of the NASCAR Advisory Committee.  Previously, Barbre served as chair of Biotechnology Working Group, co-chair of the 2012 Commodity Classic Committee and on the Ethanol Committee.  At the state level, Barbre served on the Illinois Corn Growers Association Board of Directors for nearly eleven years beginning in 1995 and culminating in a term as president in 2004 and 2005.

 "I have always felt that it is important that someone gives back to his industry," said Barbre. "It is something that I have done for my whole life, also serving at Farm Bureau and in other capacities around the agricultural field."

To listen to the full interview, click here.

For the whole story, click here.

New Report: Farming Sustainability on the Rise

A new report on sustainability and today's agriculture, released this week by Field to Market: A Keystone Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture, revealed that our nation's corn farmers have a good story to tell, with improvement across all metrics.

"What makes the Field to Market tools appealing to farmers is their real-world application," said Gary Edwards, a corn grower from Anamosa, Iowa, who serves as a National Corn Growers Association representative to Field to Market. "Because the metrics used were developed from discussions among the folks who would use them, they fit the nature and scope of the work being done. To make a profit, farmers need to sustain both the land and the business, and the exciting take-away from this report is that we now have the means to show you don't have to sacrifice one for the other.

Field to Market is a diverse alliance of stakeholders working to measure and promote continuous improvement for agriculture. Its updated report used a study period of 1980-2011 for the environmental indicators, added more crops and offers a look at some socioeconomic indicators.

For the whole story, click here.

Click here for the whole report.

NCGA Appreciates Disaster Assistance Reform

NCGA appreciates Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack's announced improvements to natural disaster programs that will deliver faster and more flexible assistance to farmers. Vilsack announced three significant improvements this week to the outdated USDA programs.

Improvements include finalizing a final rule that will allow for a faster process of declaring a Secretarial disaster area, reducing the emergency loan rate and reducing the cost of Conservation Reserve Program lands for emergency haying and grazing.  Previous to these changes, the current programs had been in place for more than two decades and regulations had not been significantly revised since 1988.

"It is no secret this has been a challenging growing season for our nation's farmers and we are pleased to see Secretary Vilsack has taken a proactive stance in providing the appropriate assistance," NCGA President Garry Niemeyer said.  "The announced changes improve the currently outdated programs and streamline the process."

For details, click here.

More Acres Help Farmers Produce Larger Corn Surplus Despite Drought

The efforts of American farmers to increase the corn supply have ensured that, despite extremely difficult growing conditions, they will be able to meet the nation's corn needs according to the most recent U.S. Department of Agriculture report.  Although estimates were revised to reflect the toll extreme heat and drought conditions have taken on much of the crop, the 4.5 million additional acres planted this year will still help farmers build our nation's corn surplus to nearly 1.2 billion bushels.

"It is of the utmost importance that we remain calm at this point and recognize that falling temperatures and well-timed rain could still improve crop condition," said NCGA Garry Niemeyer.  "Our staff, as well as farmers across the country, continually monitor weather and field information.  We know that markets will adjust, as the reports indicate, but also urge a calm, measured reaction.  No one truly knows how this crop will turn out until the fall.  It's imperative that everyone act accordingly."

The possible drought impacts indicated in the reports clearly demonstrate the need for Congress to work swiftly and pass a 2012 farm bill this year, Niemeyer stressed. Crop insurance and risk management tools are necessary for our country, by providing critical assistance to farmers when they face crop losses due to adverse weather conditions, crop disease or volatile markets.

For the whole story, click here.

For the USDA's World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimate, click here.

NCGA Supports Legislative Process, Calls for Significant Changes to House Farm Bill

NCGA President Niemeyer released the following statement in response to the House Agriculture Committee's 35-11 passage of the 2012 farm bill early Thursday morning:

"The National Corn Growers Association is disappointed the House Agriculture Committee's passed version of the 2012 farm bill does not include a more viable market-oriented risk management program.  We support moving the legislative process forward and urge Speaker Boehner to schedule time for full House floor consideration before the August recess. 

"However, we feel there needs to be significant changes made to the legislation. Our farmers will be working with members of the House of Representatives to ensure those changes are included in a final package."

NCGA Sends Joint Letter to House Ag Leadership on Farm Bill

As a follow-up to last week's statement, NCGA issued a joint letter to House Agriculture Committee Chairman Frank Lucas and Ranking Member Collin Peterson Monday expressing the need to get a farm bill done this year.  Five other commodity organizations also signed on to the letter.

"We write to express our appreciation that the House Agriculture Committee is moving forward with the 2012 farm bill, as it is a critical step toward finishing this legislation prior to expiration of current law on September 30," the letter stated.  "Our organizations look forward to working with the Committee as it brings its bill to mark-up and consideration by the full House before the August Congressional recess."

NCGA has previously said its board is assessing similarities and differences between the legislation and its grower-developed policy while continuing to call on Congress to pass a new farm bill this year.

Click here for the letter.

Corn Congress Delegates to Elect Five to 2013 Corn Board

Next week, delegates attending NCGA Corn Congress in Washington will elect five farmers to serve on the organization's Corn Board. Taking office on Oct. 1, the start of NCGA's 2013 fiscal year, the leaders selected will help shape the policies that guide the organization and will best serve corn farmers across the United States.

Corn Board Candidates for 2013 are Keith Alverson, Chester, S.D.; Anthony Bush, Mt. Gilead, Ohio; Don Elsbernd, Potsville, Iowa; Mike Geske, Matthews, Mo; Gary Schmalshof, Adair, Ill.; and Kevin Skunes, Arthur, N.D. The four new members receiving the most votes will serve three-year terms, while the candidate elected to the board receiving the fewest votes will serve a two-year term beginning the same day.

"NCGA has historically been blessed with a large pool of  quality, skilled candidates willing to serve their fellow farmers by stepping into an active leadership role, and this year proves no exception," said NCGA President Garry Niemeyer. "The candidates' willingness to dedicate this amount of time and energy serves as a testament to NCGA and the effectiveness of our efforts on behalf of corn farmers."

Alverson, a former vice president of the South Dakota Corn Utilization Council currently serving on the Corn Board, grows corn and soybeans. He has also served as both secretary and treasurer of the South Dakota Corn Growers Association; chaired NCGA's Ethanol Committee and graduated from NCGA's Leadership Academy program in 2009.

Bush, who currently chairs NCGA's Public Policy Action Team, has also served on that team for five years, familiarizing himself with both the process of working toward the implementation of a farm bill and the research and development necessary to approach impending legislation proactively.  At the state level, Bush has served as treasurer of the Ohio Corn and Wheat Growers Association.  He and his wife, Teresa, farm corn, soybeans and wheat in central Ohio.

A former president of the Iowa Corn Growers Association, Elsbernd currently serves on the NCGA Public Policy Action Team and the Iowa Corn Promotion Board.  Elsbernd and his wife, Trish, farm no-till corn and soybeans in northeast Iowa.

A current Corn Board member, Geske previously served as president of the Missouri Corn Growers Association, chairman of the Missouri Corn Merchandising Council and chaired NCGA's Public Policy Action Team.  Geske farms corn, cotton, rice, soybeans and wheat with his son in the Missouri Bootheel region.

Schmalshof, a current member of NCGA's Trade Policy and Biotechnology Action Team, has served his home state for more than a decade as a member of the Illinois Corn Marketing Board, which he chaired for a term.  Additionally, he has worked extensively promoting U.S. agriculture abroad through his activities on the executive committee of the U.S. Grains Council.  A farmer from Adair, Ill., Schmalshof farms while running trucking, seed and crop insurance businesses with his two sons and wife, former NCGA Corn Board member Theresa.

Skunes, currently chairman of the North Dakota Corn Utilization Council, serves on NCGA's Ethanol Committee in addition to holding a number of posts in his community through his county farm bureau, church and local Lion's Club.  Along with his wife, Betty, and two sons, Skunes grows corn and soybeans in Cass County, N.D.

The NCGA Corn Board represents the organization on all matters while directing both policy and supervising day-to-day operations. Board members 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 spokesmen for the NCGA and enhance the organization's public standing on all organizational and policy issues.

For more information on all of the candidates, click here.