Virtual Fly-In Gives Growers Opportunity to Meet with Members of Congress

The National Corn Growers Association remains hard at work to help improve the economic situation for corn growers amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

On the heels of NCGA’s first Virtual Corn Congress, the organization hosted a virtual fly-in to Capitol Hill July 22-23. NCGA typically hosts a fly-in for corn growers in Washington, D.C., in conjunction with Corn Congress each July.

NCGA’s fly-ins allow growers to provide members of Congress and their staffs, including that outside of the corn belt, first-hand accounts of how policies from Washington impact their farms. Even though coronavirus restrictions prevented growers from traveling to Capitol Hill this year, the virtual fly-in gave members the opportunity to share their stories and weigh in on ongoing policy discussions.

Growers discussed a wide range of topics including assistance for producers impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic; the benefits of ethanol and a strong RFS along with the push for a Low Carbon Octane Standard; NCGA sustainability and infrastructure priorities; and the benefits of expanded trade opportunities for corn farmers.

In addition to NCGA state association meetings with their Congressional delegation members, 42 corn growers and state staff participated in 109 virtual meetings with Members of Congress and their staffs from other delegations during the two-day event.