Winners and Losers in the Senate Farm Bill

Cindy Zimmerman

Most groups are saying very nice things about passage of the Senate Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act of 2012 and especially the quick work done by the Senate on the legislation. “The bipartisan farm bill approved today by the Senate (S.3240) provides farmers improved risk management tools consistent with Farm Bureau’s core principles,” said American Farm Bureau Federation president …

AFBF, Farm Bill, NCGA

Corn Technology Utilization Conference Concludes

Chuck Zimmerman

The 2012 Corn Utilization Technology Conference has come to a close and attendance was officially higher than in 2010. It has been a tremendous showcase of all kinds of research being done to continue to make new products and improve others made out of corn which is “Rooted in Human History (pdf).” To close out the conference and give us …

Ag Groups, Audio, Biofuels, Conservation, CUTC, NCGA

Atrazine Settlement a Relief for Farmers

Cindy Zimmerman

Syngenta is hoping that a settlement reached last week over atrazine in water supplies will help the farmers who depend on the herbicide that is more than 50 years old. The proposed settlement agreement will cost the company $105 million and still requires court approval but the hope is that it will “end the uncertainty and expense of almost eight …

Corn, Crop Protection, NCGA

Ethanol Rocks

Chuck Zimmerman

Okay, I think most of us will agree that a little ethanol on the rocks, rocks. Sorry, couldn’t help it :). Ethanol Rocks is actually a National Corn Growers Association video contest. NCGA is conducting a nationwide competition to promote the advantages of ethanol in motor vehicles. The NCGA “Ethanol Rocks” Video Contest invites high school and college students to …

Biofuels, Corn, Ethanol, NCGA

Farm Bill Work This Week

Cindy Zimmerman

While farmers are busy getting crops in the ground this week, members of the House and Senate Agriculture Committees will be busy trying to get a 2012 Farm Bill off the ground. As the Senate Ag Committee released a draft proposal on Friday, several agricultural organizations sent a letter to the leadership thanking them, while at the same time expressing …

AFBF, Corn, Farm Bill, NCGA

Just Say NO to No HFCS

Cindy Zimmerman

The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) is urging the food industry to stop the anti-high fructose corn syrup marketing “scam.” In recent letters to food marketers, NCGA called on them to stop marketing products as not containing high fructose corn syrup, implying there is something especially unhealthy or unnatural about corn sugar. “Such innuendos are not scientifically supportable and they …

Corn, Food, NCGA

American Ethanol on the NASCAR Track

Cindy Zimmerman

The American Ethanol No. 3 Chevy made its debut recently at the Las Vegas Nationwide Series Sam’s Town 300 with rookie driver Austin Dillon finishing strong in 7th place. Representatives of American Ethanol partners, the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) and Growth Energy, were at the March 10 race – pictured here with RCR team owner (and Dillon’s grandfather) Richard …

Audio, Commodity Classic, Corn, Ethanol, NASCAR, NCGA

Ag Groups Testify at Senate Farm Bill Hearing

Cindy Zimmerman

The Senate Agriculture Committee heard testimony from farmers and farm organizations Thursday on risk management priorities for the 2012 Farm Bill. Among those who testified was National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) First Vice President Pam Johnson. “NCGA has invested time and resources to develop and analyze concepts for a new farm bill that would help farmers in times of need …

AFBF, Farm Bill, NCGA

2012 Classic Officially a Barn Buster

Cindy Zimmerman

It’s official now – the 2012 Commodity Classic was a major record-breaker. Final attendance at the event surpassed all previous turnout records with a total of 6,014 attendees, up 25 percent increase from last year’s record of 4,826 attendees. Once again, farm families represented over half of the participants, with 3,505 growers, spouses and children attending. “We broke records in …

Commodity Classic, NCGA

Partnerships at Commodity Classic Important to BASF

Cindy Zimmerman

BASF Crop Protection is one of the biggest sponsors of Commodity Classic, encompassing everything from the hotel shuttle buses to scholarships and other awards programs to the final banquets. BASF participated in both the American Soybean Association (ASA) and National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) banquets during the 2012 Commodity Classic and was honored to have company executives speak during those …

ASA, Audio, BASF, Commodity Classic, Corn, NCGA, Soybean