There are two big issues for corn growers this year in Washington, DC, climate change and higher blends for ethanol. I spoke with two representatives of the National Corn Growers Association at NAFB’s Washington Watch Issues Forum about them. Unlike the weather, not only is everybody talking about climate change, but they are trying to do something about it – …
Just the Facts from the Corn Farmers Coalition
All the Corn Farmers Coalition (CFC) wants to do is get policy makers to listen to the real facts about issues affecting America’s largest crop. For example, “It’s a little known fact that we are growing five times as much corn as our grandfathers did in the 1930s on 20 percent less land,” said CFC Director Mark Lambert during a …
Corn Growers Pleased With Start of ACRE
Sign up for the long-awaited Average Crop Revenue Election Program, or ACRE, started yesterday on the same day that farm broadcasters from around the nation were in Washington DC for the annual Washington Watch Issues Forum, so naturally it was a hot topic for representatives from the National Corn Growers Association to discuss. NCGA Vice President of Public Policy Jon …
AG Community Vindicated with CBO Report
“This report is welcome to the farmers and those I represent,” said Rick Tolman, CEO of the National Corn Growers Association. “This proves that there are no food and fuel issues, but merely the work of a campaign designed to shift blame on farmers and take our eyes off the ball.” Tolman joined several others in the agriculture and ethanol …
Loosening OPEC’s Grip On Price
We know that OPEC has had a monopoly control over the price of oil on the world market and we hope that the increase of more environmentally friendly biofuels will force that to change. However, David Zilberman, University of California, Berkeley, has created a model to measure how much impact we’re having. I spoke to David here at the Farm …
Corn Wipes Out Competition
Some students at Purdue University came up with a whole new way to look at corn and, umm . . . toilet paper. Glad they’re using the (Nature’s) silk. Better than the cob methinks. Three teams of Purdue University students that created new uses for corn and soybeans – melt-away cupcake liners, biodegradable cork and toilet paper – took top …
FMC Launches New Tools for Growers
FMC Corporation has launched several new products for the upcoming growing season including Capture® LFR™ a liquid insecticide that mixes with a starter fertilizer. “This year is shaping up to be rather challenging with fertilizer prices and we have a product, Capture LFR, that mixes very well with a starter fertilizer, said Brent Neuberger, Technical Specialist with FMC. “This product …
Pioneer Set to Launch Optimum Acre Max
Pending EPA approval, Pioneer is getting ready to launch their new Optimum Acre Max which is part of the Herculex family of traits. Specifically, the Herculex RW trait helps protect corn from corn rootworm damage. “Our hope is to be able to reduce corn rootworm refuge, and also to integrate rootworm refuge in a bag,” said Bill Belzer, Senior Manager Marketing, …
Pioneer Launches New Optimum Brand Innovations Products
Pioneer recently launched several new products within their Optimum Brand Innovations line. I was able to speak with Tracy Lindo, the Senior Marketing Manager – Optimum GAT about these new products. “Optimum Brand Innovations is the umbrella brand for our high quality input traits that Pioneer is hoping to bring to the market in the next few years,” explained Linbo. …
Corn Farmers Coalition Launched
After last week’s announcement about the Global Renewable Fuels Alliance and Tom Buis moving from NFU to Growth Energy I thought we now had plenty of organizations promoting not only renewable fuels but corn in particular since it is such an integral part of biofuels production today. However, we now have another new organization. This time it’s the Corn Farmers …