In The News

Apr 18, 2024

Key Issues: Trade

Author: Bryan Goodman

Six of the nation’s major commodity groups, including the National Corn Growers Association, sent a letter to the U.S. International Trade Commission today encouraging it to vote negative in advancing a petition by Corteva Agribusiness to place antidumping and countervailing duties on imports of the herbicide 2,4-D shipped from India and China.   The letter said if the U.S. International Trade Commission votes to continue the case beyond the preliminary stage, farmers across the country could soon find it difficult to access critical supplies.   The letter, signed by leaders from the American Soybean Association, National Association of Wheat Growers, National Barley Growers Association, National Corn Growers Association, National Sorghum Producers and the U.S. Durum Growers Association, expressed concerns that the petition could hinder imports and cause herbicide shortages.   “The imports covered by this case are the large majority of sources of supply other than Corteva, which...

Apr 9, 2024

Key Issues: Farm Bill

Author: Bryan Goodman

National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) First Vice President Kenneth Hartman Jr. joined a press conference on Capitol Hill today to offer corn growers’ support of legislation to make crop insurance more affordable for producers through the farm bill.   The press conference centered around today’s introduction of the Federal Agriculture Risk Management Enhancement and Resilience Act, sponsored by Sen. John Hoeven (R-N.D.). The FARMER Act has been endorsed by NCGA. “Increasing the affordability of crop insurance is a top priority for our farmers,” said Hartman. “We applaud Sen. Hoeven and his colleagues’ efforts in ensuring that these risk management tools continue to be improved and meet the challenges producers face today.”   The legislation seeks to improve federal crop insurance affordability by increasing support for the highest levels of yield and revenue coverage and enhancing the Supplemental Coverage Option. Original cosponsors include several members of the Senate...

Apr 8, 2024

Author: Krista Swanson

Motor gasoline use is expected to decline in the future even under a baseline case, but new tailpipe emissions rules really put the pedal to the metal – rapidly accelerating that process. This would be a major shock on demand for corn used to produce ethanol spurring potentially devastating impacts on farmers and the rural economy.       The New Tailpipe Emissions Rule The Environmental Protection Agency recently released its final rule for multi-pollutant emissions standards for model years 2027 and later light-duty and medium-duty vehicles with heavy reliance on the use of electric vehicles. The ruling dictates that sales of non-electric vehicles will drop from over 92% of new vehicle sales in 2023[i] to under 30% of new vehicle sales in 2032. In the EPA central scenario, that translates to a 6.9-billion-gallon reduction in motor gasoline use in 2032, a 5.7% decline from the baseline projection for that year. Motor gasoline use is expected to decline in the baseline, but...

Apr 4, 2024

Key Issues: Trade

Author: Bryan Goodman

Saying growers need reliable access to essential farming tools, the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) President Harold Wolle warned the U.S. International Trade Commission today of the consequences for America’s farmers if the agency grants a petition to levy tariffs on imported 2,4-D, an often-used herbicide that has been on the market for decades.   “The scenario under consideration has the potential to limit imports of an important product, raise its price, and create a supply shortage, all while raising the cost of production in an already tight market,” Wolle said. “Farmers are price takers, not makers in selling our commodities, and closely managing our production costs is crucial to our success. Thus, tariffs on these products would create an even more difficult economic scenario for me, my family, and the farmers I represent.”   Wolle’s testimony comes after Corteva Inc. filed antidumping and countervailing duty petitions with the ITC on March 14 over India and...

Mar 27, 2024

Key Issues: New Uses

Author: Sarah McKay

At the Advanced Bioeconomy Leadership Conference (ABLC) in Washington D.C., the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) once again sponsored and facilitated a special session, outlining the national incentive for biobased chemicals and renewable materials that NCGA, along with Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) and other partners have been working on.     The panel was moderated by Sarah McKay, NCGA Market Development Director, and participants included John Torres, Director, Federal Government Relations at BIO, Ken Rubin, president, Gross-Wen Technologies, and Manning Feraci, Principal, Playmaker Strategies. The panel highlighted the efforts to date to support industrial biotechnology and develop for a national incentive for biobased products. Rubin also shared Gross-Wen’s technology and his perspective on how this national incentive will benefit a variety of agricultural feedstocks, a key component of the national incentive. McKay emphasized the value and...

Mar 27, 2024

Key Issues: YIELD CONTEST WINNERS

Author: Dusty Weis

Growers who limited their nitrogen application still achieved incredible results.   Now entering its 60th year, the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) Corn Yield Contest is an institution in the agriculture world.   Growers from all across the country can compete against one another to see who can coax the most bushels per acre out of their ground, blending tried-and-true techniques with new and emerging practices to maximize their production.   Last year, NCGA launched a new pilot class for the contest, the first in its history to limit an input in the hunt for high corn yields.   So in this episode of the Cobcast, we're discussing the Nitrogen Management Pilot Class of the Corn Yield Contest with Nick Preissler, the first-ever winner of the class, and Jim Isermann, an agronomist working with the NCGA to design rules for the class.   Together we'll discuss the impetus behind the development of the class, the challenges and opportunities it presents and the specific...

Mar 21, 2024

Key Issues: EthanolSustainability

A multi-state coalition of biofuel and farm advocates, including the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) and many state corn advocates, called on President Biden’s Treasury Department to swiftly resolve any questions standing in the way of efforts to scale up U.S. production of Sustainable Aviation Fuel. Specifically, they urged the administration to quickly adopt the U.S. Department of Energy’s GREET model for the calculation of SAF tax credits (40B) under the Inflation Reduction Act – completing a process that was originally scheduled to conclude by March 1.   “We are disappointed that the administration did not fulfill its commitment to release a modified GREET model by March 1, but we appreciate the importance of getting the modeling right,” wrote 26 organizations across 13 states, including Clean Fuels Alliance America, Growth Energy, National Corn Growers Association, National Farmers Union, National Oilseed Processors Association, and the Renewable Fuels Association....

Mar 20, 2024

Key Issues: Ethanol

Author: Bryan Goodman

The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) expressed grave concern and disappointment today with the Environmental Protection Agency’s final 2027-2032 emissions standards for sedans and light- and medium-duty trucks.   The plan still relies almost exclusively on the use of electric vehicles, requiring that a majority of the specified fleets are electric in less than a decade. A decision of this magnitude will have long-lasting negative implications for the rural economy because it ignores the benefits of ethanol.     “We are deeply concerned and disappointed that EPA has chosen to force a one-size-fits-all solution to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and ignore the readily available solution that biofuels like ethanol bring to the table,” said NCGA President Harold Wolle. “This decision will not only severely hamper the administration’s ability to reach its own climate goals, but it will also hurt family farms and rural communities that rely heavily on the sale of biofuels. On...

Mar 19, 2024

Key Issues: Trade

Author: Bryan Goodman

The National Corn Growers Association said today that it strongly supports the sentiments included in a letter from Reps. Randy Feenstra (R-Iowa), Darin LaHood (R-Ill.) and 18 other members of Congress that was recently sent to President Biden and the U.S. Trade Representative. The letter urges action to remove trade barriers affecting ethanol and other biofuels, and open new export markets that would benefit farmers.   “Opening new markets and reducing barriers to existing markets for biofuels is crucial to growing demand for corn growers,” said Minnesota farmer and NCGA President Harold Wolle. “We are highly appreciative of Reps. Feenstra and LaHood for standing up for farmers, and we hope it will provide a roadmap for USTR as it works to address some high stakes trade issues like the current ethanol tariff in Brazil.” In the letter, the members of Congress highlighted the economic benefits of free markets. “The United States exports approximately 1.5 billion gallons of...