NCGA Disappointed in House Failing to Pass Farm Bill
National Corn Growers Association President Pam Johnson released the following statement in response to the House of Representatives failing to pass the Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act (2013 farm bill):
"The National Corn Growers Association is extremely disappointed to see the House of Representatives fail to pass the 2013 farm bill. Up to the last minute our organization has actively and consistently called for passage of the legislation. We will be engaged in all efforts needed to secure passage in the House and bring the bill to Conference."
NCGA Comments to House Committee on Importance of RFS
NCGA today submitted comments to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce on the important role the Renewable Fuel Standard plays in our nation's broader energy policy. In these comments, submitted in response to the committee's recent white paper on energy policy, NCGA addressed the important role that the RFS continues to play in meeting federal goals of increasing national security by improving energy and economic security.
NCGA notes in the comments that the government continues to invest in alternative energy sources with the goal of increasing national security by increasing energy security and thus decreasing our reliance upon foreign energy sources. Given this objective, NCGA then looks at initiatives which are effectively improving domestic energy supplies today.
"One of these initiatives is the RFS, which has contributed to U.S. energy security by providing an affordable domestically produced alternative to oil while decreasing greenhouse gas emissions," the comments, in the form of a letter from NCGA President Pam Johnson, state. "Another mechanism has been through the Corporate Average Fuel Economy Standards, which decrease vehicle fuel consumption through increased mileage requirements. The continued support of methods to decrease the use of and provide alternatives to the consumption of energy while preserving the environment is critical to sustaining the planet for future generations - something farmers have been doing for generations."
To read the full comments as submitted, please click here.
Click here to review previous white papers and responses from NCGA.
For the full story, click here.
Soy, Corn, Sunflower and Canola Growers Comment on Withdrawal of Gibbs Amendment on Market-Oriented Farm Policy As part of its debate earlier this week on the 103 amendments to the Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act of 2013, the House of Representatives concluded consideration of an amendment offered by Representative Bob Gibbs of Ohio that would set target prices for all crops at 55 percent of the five year rolling Olympic average. After the amendment was offered, House Agriculture Committee Chair Frank Lucas of Oklahoma requested that Rep. Gibbs withdraw his amendment with the promise that he will work with Rep. Gibbs in the conference committee to see enacted an "equitable and market-oriented farm bill". Leaders from the American Soybean Association, National Corn Growers Association, National Sunflower Association and U.S. Canola Association released the following statement on the withdrawal of the Gibbs Amendment: "Our collective groups believe the Gibbs amendment would have received strong support on the House floor, and would have made the 2013 farm bill a better piece of legislation overall. As proponents of market-oriented farm policy, we are disappointed to see the amendment withdrawn and we thank Rep. Gibbs for his continued advocacy. We expect Chairman Lucas to respond to the farm policy concerns raised by the amendment during Conference on the farm bill, as he committed to do during his colloquy today with Rep. Gibbs. The final farm bill must be more equitable and market-oriented than the current Price Loss Coverage program in the House bill." Making every drop count: NCGA Tools for Water Quality To help corn farmers enhance their understanding of water issues and ways to enhance water quality on their farms, NCGA has added a video and an interactive educational module to its online learning tools concerning water quality management. "NCGA is dedicated to continuous improvement, education and supporting water conservation and input management," said Dean Taylor, chair of the Production and Stewardship Action Team. "Our goal in producing these tools is to communicate the actual production related practices farmers are successfully implementing related to water quality." The video, titled "Driving Change," showcases NCGA members describing the practices they are implementing to enhance water quality on their farms and in their area. The 30-minuteNCGA Water Issues Learning Module was developed to help farmers better understand water quality issues and best practices. For the full story, click here. NCGA Hosts Department of State Sponsored Team This week, NCGA hosted a team organized by the U.S. Department of State's International Visitor Leadership Program for discussions on sustainable agriculture, efforts towards conservation, agricultural productivity, marketing and policy advocacy. With participants from Fiji, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Tajikistan who work in academia, agriculture and for non-governmental organizations, these dignitaries brought insightful questions and a deep appreciation for the opportunity to the discussion. NCGA Director of Biotechnology and Economic Analysis Nathan Fields walked the group through subject matter while fielding questions on many related topics. Team members expressed particular interest in the effectiveness of biotechnology, the science behind the products and the approval methods in place for biotech traits in the United States. For the full story, click here. Museum Tour Provides Perspective on Importance of Biotechnology Last week, the NCGA Corn Board had a unique opportunity to explore the importance of biotechnology while visiting the World Food Prize Hall of Laureates in Des Moines, Iowa. While there, the group learned about the lasting legacy of Dr. Norman Borlaug and the contributions to society made by the scientists which the prize honors. In 1970, Dr. Borlaug was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for a lifetime of work to feed a hungry world. Although a scientist with outstanding contributions, perhaps Dr. Borlaug's greatest achievement has been his unending struggle to integrate the various streams of agricultural research into viable technologies and to convince political leaders to bring these advances to fruition. For the full story, click here. During a tour of the museum, the team also had a chance to see a painting (shown above right) depicting the 1960 Hog Lift, which was organized by NCGA's first president, Walter Goeppinger. The Hog Lift brought hogs from Iowa to its sister state in Japan, Yamanashi Prefecture, after it suffered severe typhoon damage that decimated herds. Goeppinger served NCGA as president for 17 years and as chairman for an additional three. As Corn Emerges, Crop Condition Forecast Remains Strong With U.S. corn planting complete, the crop is maturing well and continues to appear in good condition according to a U.S. Department of Agriculture report released early this week. Since last week, corn emergence rose by seven points to 92 percent, only trailing the five-year average by only five points despite planting delays. "Farmers are watching the weather and monitoring crop progress closely in the hopes that favorable conditions will help plants thrive despite planting delays," said NCGA President Pam Johnson, a grower in Iowa. "Early season weather always leads to speculation about the potential size of a year's crop, but the remainder of the summer's circumstances play the crucial role in determining how much spring plantings will yield." To view the full report released today, click here. For the full story, click here. |