In The News

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...

Feb 16, 2024

Key Issues: Production

Author: Krista Swanson

USDA released the Grains and Oilseeds Outlook this week providing an initial look at the 2024/25 marketing year projections that include lower production, greater domestic use, increased exports, and higher ending stocks as compared to the current 2023/24 market years. The following is a summary and some additional context for five projections from the latest outlook.   Yield Corn yield is projected at 181 bushels per acre. Yield projections depend on the modeling approach and time series used. While a 3.7 bushel per acre increase over the 2023 record 177.3 bushels per acre may seem like a stretch, a regression on annual yields from 2023 to several different historical points including 1934, 1980, and 1996 all predict 2024 yields within about one bushel of the USDA projection.   Trendline yields are a reasonable expectation at this point. Adverse weather is generally thought to have a negative impact on yields but in 2023 a record yield was achieved in a year with widespread...

Feb 9, 2024

Key Issues: Trade

Author: Krista Swanson

A combination of climate, conflict, and currency values are factors in cost competitiveness that impacts transits and overall U.S. corn exports.   Climate Climate conditions brought widespread drought to the United States Corn Belt in 2023. Dry conditions in the Mississippi River basin led to record low water levels. As a result, barge weight and traffic restrictions were imposed, and the 7.7 million tons of corn moved by barge on the Mississippi River in 2023 was 30% lower than 2022 and 54% lower than 2021. Ultimately, the cost of added time and weight restrictions were factors contributing to a higher corn price at port but also meant pace of getting grain to the port was slowed.   Climate-induced waterway challenges for U.S. corn don’t end at the Gulf. Extreme drought has forced substantial scaleback of shipping through the Panama Canal, a key global maritime channel. The Panama Canal Authority (ACP) has reduced traffic to 24 ships a day, about two-thirds of the normal...

Jan 30, 2024

Author: Beth Musgrove

The National Corn Growers Association’s (NCGA) new Fields-of-Corn.com photo contest site attracted new participants as well as seasoned contest alumni, resulting in a record-breaking number of entrants and high-quality photo submissions.   Our 2023 grand prize winner, for Ready! is no stranger to the Fields-of-Corn.com contest. Mary Morken of Casselton, North Dakota has been contributing since 2017!   https://fields-of-corn.com/image/4406   In contrast, the award for Most Popular belongs to newcomer Michael Sanders of Sun Prairie, Wisconsin for Sunset on Another Harvest with 2,850 votes.   https://fields-of-corn.com/image/4179   The tenth contest began Sept. 1 and broke records with more than 600 photos across eight categories. The new Red, White, and Blue and the Farm Family Lifestyle categories were awarded solely on votes, providing judges with aid as six remaining categories were just short of impossible to narrow down.   Twenty-six winners across 15 states were...

Dec 1, 2023

Key Issues: TradeTransportation and Infrastructure

Author: Krista Swanson

For the second year in a row, drought conditions are impacting transportation on the Mississippi River at the peak shipment point of the year. Shallower river levels mean barge weight restrictions, slower barge traffic, and higher costs to ship commodities on the river. Ultimately, this translates to a relatively lower price at the farmgate and higher cost for the world buyer.   Drought Slows Grain Barge Traffic in 2022 and 2023 The Mississippi River is an important channel for commodity transportation. The USDA reports the final mode of transport was barge for 13% of U.S. grains in 2020, and 46% of exported U.S. grains[i]. There are normally two peaks in grain barge movements, one in late summer leading up to the end of the marketing year for corn and soybeans, and the other emerging in the fall harvest season and into the post-harvest months.   The impact of low water levels on grain barge movements was notable in 2023, marking the second consecutive year of drought...

Dec 14, 2021

Author: Beth Musgrove

More than 300 photos were entered in the National Corn Growers Association’s 2021 Fields-of-Corn.com photo contest. Entrants and interested observers are invited to use the month of December to ramp up popularity through Facebook Likes.   Entrants compete for 26 cash prizes across 8 categories, with two $500 prizes, one for popularity and one of a panel of judges. The number of Facebook likes are an influential factor across all categories.   Annually the National Corn Growers Association invites amateur and professional photographers alike to help tell the story of farming field corn in America through the  Fields-of-Corn Photo Contest. Through this contest, NCGA seeks high-quality photos of corn growth from seed to harvest and the families that grow it.    Visitors can pick their favorite photos at Fields-of-Corn.com/vote by using the Like and Share buttons to accumulate votes through Dec. 31.     Winners are to be announced in...

Feb 11, 2021

Author: Beth Musgrove

In 2020 we went from one unprecedented event to another. A challenging year for so many, yet photographers continued to share essential farmers’ stories of perseverance through the seventh National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) Fields-of-Corn Photo Contest.   Also unprecedented was the number of social shares, breaking records overall for NCGA’s photo contest. NCGA awarded two Grand Prizes.  A grand prize was awarded for the single most popular photo, taken by Amanda Bush of Ohio, “Cotton Candy Harvest,” which gained more than 1700 likes on Facebook. Also, one selected by a panel of judges, submitted by McCullum Steen from Illinois with the photo titled “Harvest 2020.”   “Grit and grace characterize the photos of the year,” said NCGA Graphic Communications Manager Beth Musgrove. “The Facebook engagement this year is telling that people are appreciative of the beauty of rural America in their daily feed.”   “We continue to look at different ways to improve the contest by...

May 8, 2020

Author: Beth Musgrove

The seventh annual photo contest of the National Corn Growers Association, Fields-of-Corn.com is open for photographers to enter their submissions. This year there are two new categories and additional prizes.   The single, most popular photo with Facebook “likes” will be awarded a $500 prize. First ($300), Second ($200), Third ($100), prizes will be awarded for each of eight categories and, as in prior years, judges will select a single Grand Prize winner to be awarded $500. Two new categories: Livestock and Farm Pets A total of 26 cash prizes will be awarded.    “It is important to continue re-evaluating the contest and category offerings for photographers to submit their images as the landscape of agriculture changes and expands,” said NCGA Graphic Communications Manager Beth Musgrove. “Each year, we continue to get new photographers who enter, and it’s exciting to see the story of agriculture portrayed through their eyes.”   Visit Fields-of-Corn today to enter your...