Why are they after us?

By Rick Tolman
Chief Executive Officer, National Corn Growers Association

When my kids were growing up and I asked them why they had done something, their automatic response was always a simple “Because.” If I wasn’t careful, I’d end up in the frustrating why-because-why-because circle.

As corn growers are being unfairly and inaccurately portrayed in the ethanol debate on Capitol Hill and in today’s news media, it’s not only prudent to ask why, but to look deep for the answer. Only then can we counter our critics with the pertinent facts. Let’s take a look at some of these folks and try to figure out why they are on the march against us, often working together despite their many differences.

First, Big Oil sees a threat to market share and profits due to the rapid rise in the popularity of biofuels. The Renewable Fuels Standard passed with the energy bill of 2005 – 7.5 billion gallons by 2012 – was higher than they wanted at the time but appeared to be a stretch for the ethanol industry to achieve. The ethanol industry grew much faster than anticipated and the momentum grew. People began to talk about much bigger numbers and Big Oil decided it had to get things back in hand. Demonizing corn and corn ethanol has become the lynchpin of their strategy to undermine biofuel’s popular opinion and political support. Millions of petrodollars are being spent to accomplish this.

Second, some environmentalists see the opportunity to gain status and make money. As the writer P.J. O’Rourke once said, “Everyone wants to save the world, but no one wants to help Mom do the dishes.” Environmental groups long ago learned you can’t raise money unless there is a crisis. Create a crisis, real or imagined, and wallets open. Some environmental groups are very serious about global climate change and the opportunities presented by a move to biofuels. Others, however, see the biofuels boom as their opportunity to raise their profile along with the balance in their checking accounts. They don’t really like conventional agriculture anyway, so they join Big Oil’s attack and present themselves as part of the solution. This is an opportunity crisis of the moment and the greater they can make the crisis seem, the greater the opportunity for federal and public largess.

Third, many livestock groups are addicted to cheap $2 corn. Thankfully, some groups have taken an enlightened view and realize the synergies that exist for them and the opportunities for all of agriculture. They’ve adjusted and found the pony in the manure pile. Many state pork and beef groups fall into this category – as does the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC). While they still have concerns and want safeguards, they see the opportunities and the rational pathway. On the other hand, it is disappointing that some national groups are dominated by large corporate players who view corn strictly as an “input” that they want at the cheapest price possible. The $2 and below range of the previous few years was just fine, and they want to go back to that. If anyone should understand and accept corn growers’ viewpoint, it is the ranchers with whom we partner so much. Growing productivity needs growing markets and growing markets will stimulate a healthy and growing corn production, assuring abundant supply and providing a stimulus to rural economic development. The NPPC and some of the state groups agree with this, and we have assured them we are looking only for rational growth and reasonable prices. But other groups seem to have forgotten this. Corn growers have delivered the abundant supply to meet market demands (with a projected 2 billion bushel carryover), but some of these groups still are actively opposing growth in the biofuels market and stirring the food-versus-fuel nonsense.

Finally, there is the mainstream news media that thrive on soundbites and lurid headlines. Negative stories get attention, positive ones do not. In the competition for eyes and attention, a catchy, controversial headline wins every time, while checking facts and details take too much time. Why do David Pimentel and Lester Brown continue to get headlines when they say the same thing time and again, and when time and again they are wrong and refuted by more credible sources? Because they are sexy in a perverse, controversial way. They thrive on controversy and, unfortunately, so do the news media.

Knowing the motives behind our critics is important as we face the challenges ahead. It helps us determine the best approach, and the best set of facts to emphasize in what we do. A simplistic, head-in-the-sand approach does not go far in an age of sophisticated communications technology and at a time when we are attacked from extremes on both sides of the policy world.

Just as in parenting, a simple “Because” just doesn’t cut it.