ncga annual report 2009
TRANSCRIPT
8/8/2019 NCGA Annual Report 2009
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STEPPINGUP2009 ANNUAL REPORT
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S T EP P I NGU
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NatioNal CorN Growers assoCiatioN Aua Report 2009
Time and again, corn armers have been challenged by doubters,
regulators, media, Mother Nature and more. Yet as each
challenge is tossed into the echo chamber, the National Corn
Growers Association steps orward to tell its story – the story o
thousands o innovative armers across the country who strive every
day to maximize production while protecting natural resources.
O course, NCGA is not standing alone.
You and 35,000 other NCGA members are beside us, stepping up to
give voice to our messages and representing a grassroots strength
that is a powerul orce on Capitol Hill and across the country.
Your support opens doors, and your eorts ultimately prove the
critics wrong.
America’s corn armers have truly stepped up to aect change
in virtually every area: You have stepped up production to meet
demand. You have stepped up your support o NCGA by helping
your association enjoy record membership numbers. You have
stepped up your eorts to ensure that the corn industry’s value
and contributions are both understood and appreciated.
Knowing we are on the right path gives us the conidence
and commitment to climb the steps, knock on doors, make the call
and send the e-mail. Every contact made and every relationship
built is vital to our success in an era when legislative and regulatory
actions can have a signicant impact on arming in so many ways –rom cap and trade to ethanol to research priorities.
We are a armer-led organization composed o action teams,
committees and working groups that identiy our goals, dene
our purpose and guide our decisions. These armers give their
time because they believe in the uture o corn production. They
see endless opportunity in this incredibly complex plant that can
provide eed, ood, uel, ber and more or people in our nation and
around the world.
It is their vision – your vision – that is the lieblood o NCGA. That
vision – and the energy and commitment that uel it – are helping
NCGA make giant steps in our mission to ensure a protable uture
or the nation’s corn armers.
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STEPPINGUP
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NatioNal CorN Growers assoCiatioN Aua Report 2009
W
hen the National Corn Growers
Association called on its members to
step up their support o increasingthe ethanol blend rate, its powerul
grassroots membership ollowed through
by submitting the most comments to the
Environmental Protection Agency in the
history o our electronic commenting system.
More amazingly, this tremendous response
began as planting was in ull swing and
continued into July. What an opportunity
corn armers had to tell the positive story o
ethanol and corn production to the EPA and
the country as a whole!
While energized with the response to the
ethanol waiver, this was only one component
o all the eorts put orth by NCGA and corn
armers across the country over the last year.
A new Administrat ion and Congress
coming to Washington created a dierent
atmosphere inside the Beltway. Visits by NCGA
armer-leaders and members allowed the
new Administration, agency and department
heads, members o Congress, Congressional
sta and others to better understand our
position on critical issues. This also gave us a
chance to build relationships and create an
atmosphere o cooperation.
Bob DickeyPresident
(2009)
This was particularly true when it came to discussions on climate change legislation,
popularly known as “cap and trade.” There are diicult choices to be made when
approaching legislation such as this. On one hand, NCGA members are very skeptical aboutthe impact o such legislation on armers. On the other hand, pushing or this legislation’s
demise could potentially leave growers and others in agriculture subject to Environmental
Protection Agency regulations.
Yet NCGA believed – rightly so – that by being involved and encouraging important
amendments to the version o the bill that passed the House would pay dividends down
the road. Ater all, as the saying in Washington goes: I you’re not at the table, you’re
on the table. Corn growers stepped up to take a place at the table, and because o that
we will be at the table should the legislation move in the Senate – or should EPA take
action on its own.
Over the years, NCGA has strived to be positive, work constructively and take the high
road. This has served your organization well, and when combined with a vibrant and active
grassroots membership, NCGA is a orce with a reputation that is second to none.
This reputation and strong grassroots is what allowed the Average Crop Revenue Election
program to be included in the arm bill and implemented in a positive way this year.
It was also behind enhancing the Farm Storage Loan program, which provides or low-cost
inancing or armers to build or upgrade grain storage and handling acilities, and the
adoption o a pilot program that will oer a greater opportunity or armers to convert
basic crop insurance to higher levels o coverage or enterprise and whole arm units.
While the contrived ood versus uel issue mostly subsided in 2009, with NCGA’s position
being proven correct, corn armers rom across the country elt it was time to share a ew
acts about corn production and use. NCGA worked with state aliates to launch a major
educational campaign in Washington that highlighted important messages. The primary
theme: Innovative armers are growing more corn every year with ewer resources whileprotecting the environment.
In turn, these messages were utilized by members in their own states to urther spread
the positive messages o arming today. In 2010, this campaign will dramatically broaden
its scope as the NCGA launches a program to enhance the image o the American armer
with the public. We will remind consumers about the innovative nature o our industry, the
many benets it provides or our citizens and our nation, and the stewardship that armers
across the country practice every day.
As I refect on 2009, I take great pride in being a member o NCGA, an organization with 35,000
members – in 47 states – that has earned the respect o so many.
I am proud o the NCGA sta, its board and member-leaders who work tirelessly on behal
o all members to ensure that uture generations o armers will benet rom intelligentpublic policy decisions.
Finally, I would like to thank all members or their condence in NCGA leadership and words
o encouragement. Your spirit o cooperation and unity ensures a bright uture or us all – and
or those who will continue to step up to keep our organization moving orward.
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T
he United States clearly plays a key role
in global agricultural trade, and we
continue to be the major supplier o
corn to the world.
The National Corn Growers Association
and its joint trade team with the U.S. Grains
Council help to provide policy positions that
urther corn growers’ interest in trade and
its implications on many issues. Our team
reaches out to armers and arm groups
around the world, helping to represent
U.S. armers.
For example, trade policy issues were on
the agenda during a series o meetings in
Europe. Together with USGC, our armers met
one-on-one with World Trade Organization
oicials to talk about the Doha Round.
Having U.S. armers discuss these issues with
those involved in Doha is critical to ostering
understanding regarding unresolved issues
on market access.
This is true or more than just bulk corn. Corn
value-added products like gluten eed and
co-products such as dried distillers grains
with solubles are also aected by market
access issues.
While in Europe,
the trade team met
with the French Corn
Growers Association.
French armers
recounted the
dicult atmosphere
or biotechnology in
agriculture in Europe,
which has closed the
door in the past to corn
and many corn products.
Yet many French armers
believe adopting this technology
themselves would be beneicial.
Back at home, NCGA worked with the new
Administration as it appointed trade ocials
to key positions. As it is important to make
our members’ positions clear and to build
relationships, NCGA sta and armer-leaders
met personally with the new U.S. Trade
Representative, Ambassador Ron Kirk, and
his sta.
We encouraged the Administration and
members o Congress to move orward
with ree trade agreements that have
been negotiated but not yet approved
by Congress – a dicult task in a year ull
o change in Washington. Failure to address
trade will have direct impact on the balance
o trade and arm gate prices.
NCGA and 140 other agriculture groupsf
urged the Administration to work quickly to
resolve a dispute over the U.S. Department
o Transportation’s termination o the Cross
Border Trucking Pilot Program with Mexico.
Within days o this program’s cancellation,
Mexico placed retaliatory taris on
$900 million in agriculture products.
Travel restrictions between the United Statesf
and Cuba were eased somewhat, a sign tha
the current Administration may take step
to more normalized commerce between
the two countries. NCGA believes that Cuba
presents a signicant market opportunity
or U.S. agricultural products, including dried
distillers grains and other corn value-added
products.
Bill HomanColumbus, Wis.
Chair o the
Joint Trade Policy
Action Team (2009)
We continue to press Congress to passtrade agreements as these agreements
will help open new markets or U.S.
corn, distiller’s grains, meat and other
value-added products. Meeting with
ocials at the WTO provided important
perspective to us and we hope it
provided the same beneft to those
we met with as well.
5
NCGA First Vice President Darrin Ihnen, center, met with United
States Trade Representative Ron Kirk, right, in April to discuss
the importance o trade or corn growers. Also attending the
meeting was NCGA Vice President of Public Policy Jon Doggett.
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A
ter a hard-ought and successul
eort by the National Corn Growers
Association – and its grassroots who
stepped up to make it happen – the
Average Crop Revenue Election program
was implemented this year. ACRE provides
an optional risk management tool or
armers.
Just getting to the point where armers could
sign up, however, involved testiying beore
Congress to encourage a careul approach
at both the ederal and county Farm Service
Agency levels. NCGA also pushed or the
two-year price average or 2009 to be basedon the 2007 and 2008 crop years.
Success on both o these ronts was realized
when the U.S. Department o Agriculture
released its rules to implement ACRE. This
allowed armers to sign up or the 2009
ACRE program beginning in April. To provide
inormation to armers, NCGA co-hosted
a webinar that drew more than 1,000
participants. We also continued to distribute
an ACRE calculator and ensure updates
were made as ACRE numbers were nalized.
These eorts drew a large number o
armers to ACRE, with more than 13 percent
o base corn acres on more than 120,000
arms being signed up when registration
closed in August. Corn made up the largest
enrollment sector.
The new Administration arriving in
Washington also meant a new Agriculture
Secretary, new sta, new members o
Congress and more. While the transition
and changes created challenges, they also
created opportunities.
Whenever there is turnover like this, shits
occur. For example, climate change moved
to the ront o the line and Renewable Fuel
Standard implementation is happening with
a dierent Environmental Protection Agency
than was in place when the RFS passed.
This makes it critical that NCGA sta and
its grassroots members are on the ground
providing inormation on modern corn
production and encouraging proper
action on issues that are critical to armers,
including important risk management tools
like crop insurance and convergence issuesin utures markets.
Farmer visits to Washington – and telephone
calls, postcards, letters and e-mails – ring
loudly on Capitol Hill. These eorts are critical
and lend a signicant amount o credibility
and weight to the positions NCGA takes on
behal o armer-members.
Shortly ater ormer Gov. Tom Vilsack wasf
conirmed as Secretary o Agriculture,
NCGA met with him and his sta to discuss
budget proposals, the arm bill and ethanol.Vilsack told NCGA he was committed to
increasing the market opportunities or
ethanol and other biouels, including
through higher ethanol blends.
NCGA continues to push or undingf
to upgrade locks and dams along the
Mississippi and Illinois rivers. Current waterway improvements are only
unded through the design phase, not
construction.
Personal visits by corn armers rom acrossf
the country to members o Congress,
assorted ederal agencies and departments
and industry partners helps build
relationships and demonstrates that
armers are paying attention to issues
inside the Beltway. These grassroots eforts
open doors and ampliy messages that arecritical when key legislative or regulatory
items arise.
NatioNal CorN Growers assoCiatioN Aua Report 2009
Transition and change in political circlesin Washington, does not make our job
any better or worse. Regardless o
the political winds, we are charged with
the task to overcome challenges and
seize opportunities. While NCGA works
tirelessly on its members’ behal, the
secret lies within the strength o those
members, those armers and their
amilies who make up our grassroots.
Mike GeskeMatthews, Mo.
Chair o the
Public Policy
Action Team (2009)
6
The NCGA Corn Board met with newly conirmed
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack during a
March meeting in Washington, and discussed
President Obama’s ederal budget proposal, the
farm bill and ethanol.
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A
s armers survey their elds and prepare
or another crop each spring, they aim
to improve on the year beore and be
more efcient with resources on every
acre while producing a bigger crop.
This, in part, is what arming is all about –
and armers excel at producing more corn
with ewer inputs.
While armers have known this or some
time, and seen the results in their elds, the
National Corn Growers Association helped
organize hard acts to back it up through
its participation in Field to Market: The
Keystone Alliance or Sustainable Agriculture.
The Keystone Alliance is a collaborative
stakeholder group that includes NCGA and
other arm organizations, ood and retail
companies, agribusinesses and conservation
organizations.
The report’s indings show tremendous
improvement over the last two decades:
corn armers have reduced the amount o
land needed to produce one bushel o corn
37 percent, reduced soil loss per bushel
69 percent, reduced the energy used toproduce a bushel by 37 percent and reduced
important emissions by 30 percent. While
less than 15 percent o the nation’s corn crop
is irrigated, those acres that have cut water
use some 27 percent.
These are important numbers – and they
allowed NCGA and many member states
to more eectively share our sustainability
story with a much broader audience.
The Keystone report was one o several that
NCGA supported – or produced – duringthe year. For example, an NCGA whitepaper
on water utilization updated water use
statistics in corn production and helped put
this natural resource issue into perspective.
A whitepaper on hypoxia provided
important acts and a clearer picture o a
misunderstood and complex water quality
issue that can greatly impact corn growers.
Renewable uels are oten produced away
rom metropolitan centers, which may
make “energy corridors” that can move
ethanol and wind power more important
in the uture. To better understand
the potential and challenges
o energy corridors,
NCGA commissioned
the National Trans-
portation Corridorsand Renewable
Energy study.
Understanding the political windsf
in Washington, NCGA spearheaded an efort
to make “cap and trade” legislation more
armer-riendly. While NCGA realizes there
are divergent thoughts on climate change
legislation, by being involved and working
toward a compromise in the House we earned
a seat at the table or uture discussions and
negotiations, which will benet corn armers
across the country. NCGA has also initiated astudy to determine what costs armers would
ace should various climate change bills
become law.
A record number o entries – 6,960 – poured f
into NCGA or its National Corn Yield Contest.
A study NCGA commissioned that examined
National Corn Yield Contest data ound that
top yield winners in the contest are ahead o
the curve, setting trends that lead the industry
to the uture. In 2009, the 24 national winners
in eight production categories had veriied
yields averaging more than 300 bushels per acre.
NCGA unded research projects and pushedf
or more ederal unding to address concerns
with mycotoxins. A key ocus was building
ederal support to establish and operate the
Afatoxin Mitigation Center o Excellence. This
partnership between a number o land gran
universities and grower organizations look
or ways to control or mitigate mycotoxin
in corn.
This committee – Production & Stewardship– is perectly named because “production”
and “stewardship” are not two separate lines
on a balance sheet. Instead, corn armers
strive daily to produce high yields while
being good stewards o the land, air and
water. Important studies released this year
demonstrate the many good things armers
do and show that armers are indeed
producing more with less, a trend that is
certain to continue.
David WardMapleton, Minn.
Chair o the
Production &
Stewardship
Action Team (2009)
7
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NatioNal CorN Growers assoCiatioN Aua Report 2009
Tim DolanWinthrop, Minn.
Chair o the
Grower Services
Action Team (2009)
NCGA’s success is intrinsically linkedto its wide-ranging grassroots support
and that comes solely rom its active,
enthusiastic and broad membership.
Those who join us do so knowing NCGA
will work tirelessly on their behal,
while providing solid educational and
leadership opportunities. It also gives us
the ability to promote corn, prove that
armers today are more sustainable than
ever and deend armers’ interests on
Capitol Hill and across the country.
F
ew, i any, organizations see their
membership numbers grow consistently
rom year to year. Yet the National CornGrowers Association saw membership
numbers reach a new record o more than
35,000 in 2009, continuing an enviable
upward trend.
NCGA strongly believes that high ideals
and operating with integrity, while sharply
ocusing on member needs, will draw new
members to the organization. Meanwhile,
the more members NCGA has, the more
grassroots strength we can leverage when
pressing critical issues on Capitol Hill and
across the country. This eective stair-stepping method ensures growth and brings
tremendous benets or all.
Steady membership growth would not be
possible without active recruiters motivated to
share the benets o NCGA membership with
their peers. These individuals demonstrate
their excitement about NCGA’s eorts,
programs and accomplishments by engaging
others and adding to our strength.
Among the more than 400 recruiters, three
individuals were honored in 2009 or theirmembership recruitment work during the
previous year – Chad Blindauer, Mitchell, S.D.;
Gene Fynboh, Brandon, Minn.; and Gerald
Mulder, Renville, Minn.
For outstanding recruiting eorts year ater
year, NCGA inducted a new member into
the Recruiter Hall o Fame. Denice Dirks o
Luverne, Minn., is the teenth recruiter to
join this elite group with 134 new recruits in
2008 and 780 since 2003.
Within the elite Hall o Fame recruiters group,
our growers were awarded top honors. This
included Leslie Roach, Wheatland, N.D.;
Roger Bonham, Washington Court House,
Ohio; Douglas Toreen, Bird Island, Minn.; and
Myron Peterson, Sacred Heart, Minn.
In addition to honoring these individuals
at the 2009 Commodity Classic, NCGA also
recognized two state organizations or their
eorts to grow their membership base. The
North Dakota Corn Growers Association was
highlighted or a 25.24 percent growth in
its members, while the Iowa Corn Growers
Association was honored or adding 538
new members.
NCGA and its scholarship partner BASF Corp.f
awarded college scholarships to ve deservingundergraduate and graduate students
pursuing a degree in an agriculture related
eld. Each received a $1,000 scholarship and
was recognized at Commodity Classic. This
year’s winners included Rita Cook, Hubbard,
Iowa; Alex Coughlin, Iroquois, S.D.; Elias
Klokkenga, Emden, Ill.; Michael Sukalski,
Fairmont, Minn.; and Emily Treu, Berlin, Wis.
Nineteen armer-leaders attended NCGA’sf
Leadership Academy and spent three days
in Washington, or the second phase o the
program. The group had previously spent aweek in Greensboro, N.C., co-sponsored by
Syngenta. This program has been on-going
or two decades and helps NCGA cultivate,
identiy and train new leaders who keep the
organization strong and on-task.
NCGA continued to provide t imely f
communications to its members, partners,
media and consumers through its blogand other social media outlets, including
Facebook and Twitter. In addition, NCGA
launched Corn Action News, its members-
only weekly e-mail summary o news and
inormation important to corn armers across
the country. Visit www.NCGA.com to sign up.
NCGA’s Online Learning Library launched inf
2009, providing a resource or members to
learn more about insect resistance
management, weed resistance management,
“Know Beore You Grow,” and other
production-related inormation. A water quality module will launch in 2010.
Farmers rom across the Corn Belt took time o their schedule
to travel to North Carolina in August or an intensive three-day
leadership academy. The NCGA program, co-sponsored by Syngenta
prepares growers or being more eective spokespersons and leader
at the state and national level.
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A
t no time in history have corn growers
and researchers known so much about
the corn plant. Yet we are essentially
standing beore a blank slate – and
charged with the task o determining what,
exactly, we would like the corn plant to do.
Certainly ater so many decades o research
that may seem like an unusual situation, but
the successul decoding o the incredibly
complex corn genome provides researchers
with so many possibilities that they turn to
us and ask: What do you want?
This opportunity became very real over the
last year at meetings involving scientists
rom across the country and the National
Corn Growers Association research team.
From greenhouses in San Francisco to
convention halls in the Midwest, growers
were challenged to come up with clear,
concise priorities. What is your vision or
corn over the next two decades? How
do you want the plant to grow? And or
what uses?
To help answer these questions and create
an organized response, a steering committee
is planning a workshop in 2010 with
the research community that will lay
the groundwork.
In keeping with a recommendation
rom ailiated states to increase
collaboration and reduce research
duplication between states and NCGA, a
special research workshop was held prior
to July Corn Congress. This orum was
tremendously positive and productive.
This eort led to the development o
an online research database that will
acilitate an interconnected approach
to research ollowing its 2010 debut.
In testimony on Capitol Hill,
NCGA explained to members
o Congress why corn is the modelsystem or studying complex genomic
structure, organization and unction, and
that its high quality genetic map will serve
as the oundation or studies that will lead to
improved biomass and bioenergy resources
rom all crops. This is why it is critical that
adequate public unding is available
or projects like the National Science
Foundation’s Plant Genome Research
Initiative, which NCGA helped create.
NCGA involvement was key in researchf
used to develop a process to produce ethyl lactate rom ethanol. Ethyl lactate is an all-
purpose solvent and common ingredient in
pharmaceutical preparations, ood additives
and ragrances. Currently derived rom
petrochemicals, reactive distillation allows
it to be made inexpensively rom ethanol. It’s
renewable, green and competitive, and may
provide non-uel revenue stream or some
ethanol plants. NCGA continues eforts with
interested parties to license the technology.
The Farm Foundation released its report, “Thef
30-Year Challenge: Agriculture’s Strategic
Role in Feeding and Fueling a Growing
World,” which was sponsored in part by
NCGA. The report identies six major areas
o challenges acing agriculture. Within each
area o challenges, the report highlights key
issues public and private decision maker
may need to consider as they address the
challenges ahead.
The National Institute o Food and Agriculf
ture, created just last year, has improved the
visibility o competitive research grants and
raised the proile o agriculture research
NIFA is now the primary research arm o
the U.S. Department o Agriculture, and its
ormation was supported by NCGA.
Pam JohnsonFloyd, Iowa
Chair o the
Research & Business
Development
Action Team (2009)
9
Pam Johnson, chairwoman o NCGA’s Research and Business
Development Action Team, testifed beore a congressional
subcommittee in April, emphasizing the importance o
unding the National Science Foundation’s Plant Genome
Research Initiative.
It’s incredibly satisying and exciting to acea uture that is wide open, to be asked by
researchers what armers are looking or in
tomorrow’s corn plant. While we can only
imagine the possibilities in our felds today,
imagination and creativity is what it will tak
to outline where we want to go. We pushed
hard or unding the corn genome research
project, and it is the success o this program
and the continued push or public unding
and public-private partnerships that will lea
to innovations that will spark the imaginati
o tomorrow’s armers.
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B
y simply looking at planting trends,
the value o biotechnology to armers
becomes clear. In 2009, biotech hybrids
were planted on 85 percent o all corn
acres, an increase o ve points over 2008.
Biotech hybrids mean stronger roots and
stalks, ewer passes through the ield
and less tilling o the soil. These beneits
add up. Plants are better able to take on
nutrients, stalks stay healthy to allow or a
prolonged harvest and the plant is able to
produce more grain in periods o stress. It
also means a better overall environmental
perormance.
Farmers see all this and more. So do
researchers.
In act, the National Corn Growers Association
made note o several reports over the
last year that discussed the beneits o
biotechnology.
For example, a report rom the International
Service or the Acquisition o Agri-biotech
Applications listed several ways in which
biotechnology supports sustainable
development. They included contributing
to ood security and aordability, conserving
biodiversity , reducing agr iculture ’s
environmental ootprint, mitigating climate
change and contributing to sustainable
economic beneits. NCGA helped spread
these positive messages and noted that
they it perectly into other sustainability
messages that are important to corn armers.
NCGA, as it does every year, hosted numerous
visitors rom the United States and around
the world, helping to explain the science
behind and beneits o biotechnology.
NCGA, in conjunction with the U.S. Grains
Council and other organizations, hosted
visitors rom ive continents. Visitors rom
France, Denmark, Korea, Japan, China,Egypt, South Arica, Brazil and more had the
opportunity to interact with U.S. armers and
see corn research, genetic testing and export
acilities in action.
Importantly, NCGA continued its “Respect
the Reuge” campaign during the year,
pushing inormation to armers and their
advisors. Insect Resistance Management is
critical to the continued use o biotech crops,
and NCGA encourages armers to ollow all
rules when utilizing biotech hybrids. As new
reuge programs have been approved or
the 2010 growing season, NCGA will roll
out new learning materials to continue to
educate growers.
NCGA Biotech Working Group Chairmanf
Rob Korf had the opportunity to meet with
the United Nations Secretary-General Ban
Ki Moon at a ood security conerence in St.
Louis, Mo. Korf shared the many important
advances American armers have made
to produce abundant and aordable
ood, including how technology hasmade corn production more eicient and
stabilized yields.
A report by PG Economics conirmed f
NCGA’s position that raising biotech crops
contributes to environmental and economic
stability. The report noted that armers in
25 countries are seeing increased yields,
improved productivity and higher revenues
due to biotechnology. It noted that armers
also reduced tillage, which was equivalent
to removing 8 billion pounds o carbon
dioxide rom the atmosphere.
NCGA’s “Know Beore You Grow” databasef
continues to be a useul tool or armers
and corn marketers who need to keep up to
date with the regulatory approval status o biotech traits. As a result, NCGA continues to
make updates to this database.
NatioNal CorN Growers assoCiatioN Aua Report 2009
Biotechnology is one o the greatdevelopments o our time. I t is a hi-tech
tool that provides a sae and ecient
way to produce more grain or eed,
ood, uel and fber – with less o an
impact on our planet. When discussing
sustainability, biotechnology certainly
is one important component we will
continue to support.
Rob Kor Norborne, Mo.
Chair o the
Biotech
Working Group
(2009)
1
Rob Kor, chairman o NCGA’s Biotechnology Working Group,
provided comments regarding food security to United Nations
Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, center, at a ood security
conference this past June in St. Louis, Mo.
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T
he prospect o allowing up to 15 percent
ethanol to be blended into regular
gasoline, which would create jobs, ease
the ethanol blend wall and provide
lower uel costs and choices or consumers,
sparked a record number o comments
iled through the National Corn Growers
Association’s electronic comment system.
This tremendous grassroots response
to the ethanol waiver request put orth
by the ethanol industry began during
planting season. Realizing that armers
would have a diicult time submitting
c o m m e n t s t o t h e E n v i r o n m e n t a lProtection Agency during this time, NCGA
requested an extension that EPA granted.
By supporting the waiver request, NCGA
helped American armers tell the positive
story o corn ethanol and reminded policy
makers, legislators and the media that corn
ethanol diversies our uel supply and serves
as a critical part o domestic energy security.
It gave us an opportunity to explain that
America’s corn growers continuously exceed
market demands or corn and will continue
to meet the demands or ood, eed, uel
a n d i b e r i n a n e c o n o m i c a l a n d
environmentally responsible manner.
(In December, the EPA decided
to delay a inal decision to
later in 2010 but also said
initial testing o E15 as a uel
was positive.)
Additional involvement with EPA
centered around the agency’s
proposed rule to implement
the expanded Renewable Fuel
Standard. NCGA and a number
o s t a t e a i l i a t e s
expressed concern
about biases against
corn and the lack o transparency insome sections o the proposal. Concerns
were also raised about potential new
regulatory burdens armers would ace.
A major issue with the proposal centered on
EPA’s indirect international land use change
penalty or corn ethanol. NCGA countered
that EPA’s model was lawed – especially
considering that corn armers are more
than meeting the demand or corn and
EPA signiicantly underestimates uture
U.S. corn yields.
NCGA commissioned our studies that
support its positions and submitted them to
EPA or consideration.
NCGA also submitted comments to the
Caliornia Air Resources Board, which was
developing low carbon uel standards.
NCGA pointed out signicant faws in the
state’s proposal that could severely harm the
domestic biouels industry and increase our
reliance on oreign oil. Like EPA, Caliornia’s
ARB ignored the great growth in corn yields
expected over the next decade.
NCGA will continue to ght or renewable
corn ethanol and promote the tremendous
benets it brings to this country. The biouels
sector is a critical market or corn armers andoers compounding economic benets to
rural communities.
Because indirect land use became such anf
important subject in regards to ethano
production, NCGA held a land use change
conerence to pull together many respected
speakers and viewpoints. Their presentations
and discussions utilizing updated and
scientiically-based inormation helped
armers better understand the issues and
become more prepared to address them
Steve RuhSugar Grove, Ill.
Chair o the
Ethanol
Committee (2009)
Farmers are always adopting newtechnology and improving managemen
practices to produce more corn rom
the same acre o land. Yet too oten
regulatory agencies look backward at
corn and ethanol production data.
One message we emphasize is that
corn production is already meeting and
exceeding ethanol industry demands
– and will certainly do so in the uture
thanks to armer ingenuity backed by
sound technological advances.
11
NCGA held a conerence on land use and carbon impacts o corn
ethanol in August, welcoming scores o interested participants
to hear rom more than two dozen scientifc and policy experts
– scientists, academicians and others who provided a diverse
set of viewpoints.
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NatioNal CorN Growers assoCiatioN Aua Report 2009
1
Reveue FY oc. 08 - sp. 09
n Chck rvnu $6,488,258.91
n induy 915,600.00
n Cn Yd Cn 889,485.00
n Mmbhp 793,185.99
n Cmmdy Cc 454,295.00
n in 20,115.12
n oh 37,023.74
Tota Reveue 9,597,963.76
n Team Program Epee
Bch wkng Gup $97,580.71
ehn Cmm 534,530.09
G svc acn tm 50,161.52
Pducn & sdhp acn tm 616,837.24
Pubc Pcy acn tm 144,665.15rch & Bun Dvpmn acn tm 301,496.99
Jn td tm 30,096.29
Tota Team Program 1,775,367.99
n Aociatio Program
Cmmuncn $442,664.96
Cn Bd nd Fundng 820,902.14
Cn Uz n tch Cnnc (CUtC) 0.00
Mmbhp nd ldhp 492,029.37
NCGa Cmmdy Cc nd ad Bnqu 308,379.52
Cn Cng 235,342.87
s rn nd Mng 59,991.85
Tota Aociat io Program 2,359,310.71
n Huma Reource FY oc. 08 - sp. 09
Hh inunc $387,582.85
Py tx 202,924.00
Pn Dvpmn 2,375.00
rmn 250,271.22
s 2,997,561.20
Tota Huma Reource 3,840,714.27
n Property ad Equipmet
Budng in $51,397.05
Dpcn 77,455.36
equpmn l, rn nd Puch 75,741.02
it expn 55,136.44
Mnnnc 27,127.09
Pp y tx 36,223.85
rn 190,227.70Tota Propert y ad Equipmet 513,308.51
n Operatig Epee
accunng, lg nd Pn F $71,125.69
Du nd subcpn 34,862.46
ecnc Cmmuncn 42,930.33
Gn lby inunc 54,576.95
Mng 38,141.81
ofc expn 103,119.99
tv 25,553.76
U 68,851.05
Tota Operatig Epee 439,162.04
TOTAl ExPEn sEs 8,927,863.52
Net ReveNu es 670,100.24
These are unaudited fgures.
Audited numbers will be available later in 2010.
The National Corn Growers Association takes seriously its responsibility to deliver value
and careully leverage your investment – ensuring that NCGA’s initiatives stimulate
important advancements in a wide array o areas critical to armers across the country.
Your investment also allows NCGA to step up and deend your eorts to provide eed,
ood, uel and ber to the world. Our uture successes and the uture o the corn
industry depend on your continued support o checko programs – but know NCGA
understands that our strength comes rom being a good steward o your checko
investments.
19.9%
26.4%
43.0%
5.7%4.9%
TOTAl ExPEnsEs
REVEnUEs
67.6%9.5%
9.3%
8.3%
4.7%
0.4%0.2%
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Rick TolmanChie
Executive
Ofcer
13
2010 Action Team and Committee Members
E
ach and every year corn growers across the country have an opportunity to reach out and
make a dierence. This year was no dierent, with growers stepping up and letting their
voice be heard in Washington, and stepping orward to volunteer their time and energy or
the betterment o their ellow armer.
It is humbling to see such grassroots in action, and the success o the National Corn Growers
Association, as is the case with any organization, is attributable to these tremendous eorts.
Together this year, we advanced the cause o the American corn armer on many ronts – rom
regulation to legislation, rom environmental issues to sustainability. Yet one o the things I am
most proud o is the way armers rom dierent states came together to speak with one voice and
raise the prole o today’s contemporary armer.
Our ability to come together on critical issues serves us well. With the guidance and commitment
o NCGA’s grower leaders, combined with checko, membership and industry investments, we are
well prepared or whatever we may ace in 2010 and beyond.
PRODUCTION & STEWARDSHIP ACTION TEAM
Steve Ebke, Chairman
Dean Taylor, Vice Chairman
Jamie Jamison, Liaison
Art Bunting
Don Glenn
Brent Hostetler
John Mages
Larry Mussack Steve Sodeman
Wesley Spurlock
Scott Stirling
Roger Zylstra
Jim Tarmann, State Sta
Max Starbuck, NCGA Lead Sta
Rob Snyder, NCGA Sta
Melanie Gibson, NCGA Sta
Mycotoxin Task Force
Don Glenn, Chairman
Danny Willingham, Vice Chairman
Ken Hartman
Charles Ring
Wesley Spurlock
PUBLIC POLICY ACTION TEAM
Anthony Bush, Chairman
Mike Clemens, Vice Chairman
Martin Barbre, Liaison
Chip Bowling
Bill Chase
Curt Friesen
Bill Homan
Steven Kramer
Gary Lamie
Tim Lenz
Jerry Main
Lyle Pugh
Jim Reed Tom Lilja, State Sta
Sam Willett, NCGA Sta
ETHANOL COMMITTEE
Jon Holzaster, Chairman
Keith Alverson, Vice Chairman
Daryl Haack, Liaison
Mark Drewes
Rob Elliott
Kevin Hurst
Jim Rapp
Je Sandborn
Dale Tolison
Chad Willis
Randy Klein, State Sta
Teddi Mueller, State Sta
Jamey Cline, NCGA Lead Sta
Jessica Bennett, NCGA Sta
Melanie Gibson, NCGA Sta
RESEARCH & BUSINESS
DEVELOPMENT ACTION TEAM
Larry Hasheider, Chairman
Jay Nissen, Vice Chairman
Dave Nelson, Liaison
Dean Eppley
Julius Schaa
Paul Herringshaw
Gary HudsonDeb Keller
Ken McNamar
Kurt Stievater
Bob Timmons
DeVonna Zeug
Gary Clark, State Sta
Robyn Stevens, NCGA Sta
DaNita Murray, NCGA Sta
Sandra Wright, NCGA Sta
GROWER SERVICES ACTION TEAM
Tim Dolan, Chairman
Randy Woodru, Vice Chairman
Theresa Schmalsho, LiaisonBill Berg
Mark Degler
Larry Jons
Brandon Hunnicut
Herb Ringel
Jim Robbins
Don Rutledge
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NatioNal CorN Growers assoCiatioN Aua Report 2009
14
T
he National Corn Growers Association
represents the interests o 35,000 dues-paying
members rom 47 states. NCGA also works
on behal o 25 state grower associations and
more than 300,000 armers who contribute to corn
checko programs in 23 states.
Front row, rom let: Chairman Bob Dickey, Neb.; First Vice
President Bart Schott, N.D.; President Darrin Ihnen, S.D.;
Chie Executive Ocer Rick Tolman. Middle row, rom
let: Garry Niemeyer, Ill.; Jamie Jamison, MD; Daryl Haack,
Iowa; Martin Barbre, Ill.; Secretary Kathy Baker; Theresa
Schmalsho, Ill.; Guy Davenport, N.C. Top row, rom let:
Dave Nelson, Iowa; Clark Gerstacker, Mich.; Jerry Larson,
Minn.; Mark Schwiebert, Ohio; Mike Geske, Mo.; Pam
Johnson, Iowa; Treasurer Rodger Manseld.
2010 NCGA Corn Board
ary Small
lly Thiel
mmy Wedel
atalie Lehner, State Sta
m Brackman, NCGA Lead Sta
ckie Darland, NCGA Sta
OTECHNOLOGY WORKING GROUP
ob Kor, Chairman
had Blindauer, Vice Chairman
Mark Schwiebert, Liaison
ob Bowman
ric Kunzeman
ave Mielson
teve Ruh
ary Schmalsho, USGC Representative
m Thyen
avid Ward
ordon Wassenaar
ames Zimmerman
ared Coppress, State Sta
athan Fields, NCGA Lead Sta
aNita Murray, NCGA Sta
ena Claiborne, NCGA Sta
OINT TRADE POLICY A-TEAM
teve Yoder, Corn Chairman
arry Niemeyer, Liaison
Walt Bones
m Burrack
Donna Jeschke
George Morton
Ron Litterer, Ex-ofcio-APAC
Jon Doggett, Ex-ofcio-ATAC
DaNita Murray, NCGA Sta
FINANCE COMMITTEE
Jerry Larson, Chairman
Pam Johnson
Garry Niemeyer
Dave Nelson
Bart Schott
Rodger Manseld, NCGA Sta
ASSOCIATION RELATIONS COMMITTEE
Clark Gerstacker, Chairman
Martin Barbre
Bob Dickey
Mike Geske
Fred Stemme, NCGA Sta
NOMINATING COMMITTEE
Bob Dickey, Chairman
Je EngerLynn Chrisp
Warren Kemper
Steven Van Voorhis
Kathy Baker, NCGA Sta
BYLAWS COMMITTEE
Pam Johnson, Chairwoman
Kent Kleinschmidt
Jay Lynch
David Merrell
Tom Nathan
Kathy Baker, NCGA Sta
2010 COMMODITY CLASSIC COMMITTEE
Cal Dalton, 2010 Co-Chairman
Theresa Schmalsho
Martin Barbre
Fred Stemme, NCGA Sta
Tim Brackman, NCGA Sta
CORN PAC
Ken McCauley, President
Mark Degler, Vice President
Lyle Pugh, Secretary
Dwayne Siekman, Custodian o Records
Guy Davenport
Kevin Ross
Je Scates
Scott Wall
Tim Recker
Jon Holzaster
Jon Doggett, Executive Director
Rodger Manseld, Treasurer
DaNita Murray, Managing Director
Jennier Holdgreve, NCGA Sta
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T
he National Corn Growers Association, ounded in 1957, is the
largest and oldest national nonprot organization representing
the interests o U.S. corn armers. Checko investments made by
corn growers nationwide and the commitment and dedication o
armer leaders gives NCGA the opportunity to redene the role o corn
in the world’s uture through research, market development, public
policy, production and education.
You can join 35,000 corn growers in 47 states involved in NCGA by
connecting with one o our aliated state corn organizations or by
contacting NCGA. With your help, we will continue the remarkable
achievements o America’s corn industry – and step up to meet the
challenges corn growers ace every day.
State Organizations& Grower Members
Grower Members
STEPPING forward ToGEThEr.
Visit NCGA.com or more details and updates on the corn industry.
National Headquarters
632 Cepi Drive
Chestereld, Mo. 63005
636.733.9004
Washington, D.C. Ofce
122 C St. NW, #510
Washington, D.C. 20001
202.628.7001
©2009 National Corn Growers Association