Members of the National Corn Growers Association have been on Capitol Hill this week talking about issues important to them, especially the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS).

More than 300 corn farmers joined members of Congress and ethanol industry leaders at a rally Wednesday calling attention to the proposed cutting of the RFS` for corn ethanol by 3.75 billion gallons through 2016, which represents nearly 1.5 billion bushels in lost corn demand.

“Our message to the EPA is clear and unequivocal: Don’t mess with the RFS,” said NCGA Chairman Martin Barbre, a farmer from Carmi, Illinois. “We are gathered here today because we all understand what’s at stake.”

Corn growers were also talking to legislators this week about the Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule promulgated by the EPA and scheduled to take effect at the end of August. “We at NCGA were the one association that kept working with the EPA trying to get the rule better, I think we made it worse,” says Barbre. NCGA recently joined with a number of other organizations representing a variety of industries that would stop implementation of the rule and send it back to the drawing board. Interview with Martin Barbre, NCGA

Also on Wednesday, Senator Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND) received the NCGA President’s Award for her leadership to advance issues important to corn farmers and agriculture.

“Senator Heitkamp has been a champion for farmers during her time in Washington,” said NCGA President Chip Bowling. “Her recent support of Trade Promotion Authority was critical to getting that legislation across the finish line. She has also introduced legislation to help increase agricultural exports to Cuba.”

“Every day when I come to work in the Senate, I’m fighting for rural America – and that includes the corn growers across North Dakota and the country who work hard to provide food and fuel for our families and communities,” said Heitkamp, who has also been a strong defender of the Renewable Fuel Standard.