National Corn Growers Association CEO, Rick Tolman took the podium on his farewell tour to address the general session at the Fuel Ethanol Workshop in Indianapolis this week. It’s the 30th year for the workshop and during his remarks he commented on how things have changed in the last 30 years from the acres of corn planted and bushels harvested to the gallons of ethanol produced and where things are headed in the future of the industry.
So far this year proves to be better than last year. Emergence of the 2014 corn crop pushed past the five-year average last week, according to a U.S. Department of Agriculture report released Tuesday. Despite strong storms with high winds and hail over the past week, the 2014 corn crop condition held nearly steady with 75 percent of all acres rated good or excellent as of June 8. This represents only a one-point decline from the prior week and remains 12 points ahead of the number of acres with the same rating last year at this point.
Tolman says we have planted a few less acres this year, and we continue to push through the 10-million bushel barrier that was so difficult to reach in his tenure as NCGA CEO.
You can listen to my interview with Rick Tolman here Rick Tolman, NCGA