NCGA’S Tolman Emphasizes Synergies in Waterways Group Merger (12-19-06)

The merger of the Midwest Area River Coalition (MARC) 2000 with Waterways Council, Inc. (WCI) means there will now be a national emphasis on transportation improvements to the Upper Mississippi and Illinois Rivers, according to Rick Tolman, chief executive officer for the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA). Tolman is also chairman of the board of directors of MARC 2000.

“What this represents is an intensification and moving to a new plateau,” said Tolman. “The strength of MARC 2000 has been grassroots efforts. We’ve had strong support from corn growers, soybean producers and wheat growers. What we’re adding now is some real strong, high-powered, lobbying power that Waterways Council has. They’ve had a lot of [Washington] D.C. focus. They have some more expertise in appropriations. MARC 2000 has had expertise in authorization. Put those two together and it’s going to be a lot stronger entity. I think that will ultimately benefit corn growers.”

The two organizations will begin the merger process in 2007, Tolman said. New locks and other improvements to the Upper Mississippi River System, MARC 2000’s primary goal, will now be a primary goal of the new WCI.

“WCI led the successful fight to improve navigation and transportation on the Ohio River,” Tolman noted. He believes combining the two groups will help achieve the same results for the Upper Mississippi area. “Given this new merger and coalition it gives us another set of tools in the toolbox to get this done.”

WCI will maintain a presence in the Upper Mississippi region by opening a Midwestern office. Paul C. Rhode, current president and CEO of MARC 2000, will head the Midwestern office. WCI also will add two seats to its board of directors.

More information about the merger is available at the WCI website.