As the fiscal year comes to an end, the National Corn Growers Association's Corn Board gets ready to seat new members and officers Monday.  Among the changes: NCGA President Garry Niemeyer, of Illinois, will become Corn Board chairman, passing the role of president to current First Vice President Pam Johnson, of Iowa.

The Off the Cob podcast series sat down with Niemeyer to discuss the Corn Board's accomplishments in 2012, other highlights from his presidency, and to ask his advice for farmers considering volunteering for leadership roles. 

Click here for the whole story and an audio interview with Niemeyer.

Elected by the Corn Board to serve as First Vice President in 2013 and ratified by the full Corn Congress to the role in July, Martin Barbre, a farmer from Carmi, Ill., has been extensively involved in NCGA leadership for years now. Already keenly aware of the challenges corn farmers will face in 2013, Barbre looks forward to the hard work needed to move the industry forward.

Click here for the whole story and an audio interview with Barbre.

North Carolina Grower Looks Back on Legacy of Service

On Sunday, at the end of the National Corn Growers Association's fiscal year, Corn Board member Guy Davenport, of Creswell, N.C., will retire following several years of distinguished service. In 2012, Davenport served as the Corn Board liaison to the NCGA Production and Stewardship Action Team.  Previously, he served on the Corn Board's Finance Committee, on NCGA's CornPAC and as board liaison to the National Chicken Council. He has also held positions on NCGA's Grower Services Action Team, Association Relations Committee and the USA Poultry & Egg Export Council.

Click here for the whole story.

Two Reelected to Board Interviewed on the Past and Future 

Mike Geske, Matthews, Mo.: Expect the Unexpected

Keith Alverson, Chester, S.D.: Time for All to Stand Up

By Garry Niemeyer, NCGA President

Ethanol is a winner. This remarkable fuel, that happens to be made from corn, has been asked to be many things since it first emerged in the marketplace in the late 1970s. Remarkably, this domestically produced fuel has met all the challenges offered on every level.

Reduce our dependence on expensive foreign petroleum? Check! Improve air quality by reducing emissions of CO2 and greenhouse gases? Sure, why not? Revitalize our rural economy and help keep family farmers in business? Consider it done. Help meet all the goals of our nation's blueprint for a successful biofuels initiative (RFS2)? Piece of cake.

To read the article in full, click here.