Discussions on trade and technology fuel corn farming

The National Corn Growers Association’s (NCGA) Trade Policy and Biotechnology Action Team met in December to discuss policy and progress on programs, and to listen to industry experts talk about opportunities and challenges in the future.

“It can begin to feel like farmer leaders spend a large amount of time participating in meetings for a variety of agricultural groups during the winter months,” John Linder, a farmer from Ohio, said. “Yet, as I have become increasingly involved, I have come to deeply appreciate the breadth and scope of the myriad issues facing farmers today. By developing teams with specialization in major areas of opportunity and taking the time to analyze the issues in a critical, thorough manner, we are able to most effectively provide input on how, in our area, the Corn Board can shape NCGA policy and, subsequently, maximize the effectiveness of farmer-funded market development and production activities.”

The meetings held discussed how to best support agricultural exports, the importance of respecting refuge requirements and communion across value-chain on their issues, and suggestions to help the Corn Board guide NCGA.

“Through these discussions, we develop a solid appreciation for the importance of the exact connotation of each word used, and of those not used, in our strategic plan,” Linder said. “Examining the future of the industry, the scope of NCGA’s role in it and the potential pitfalls of seemingly benign statements leads us to policy recommendations that play a vital role in determining how the organization will proceed on our behalf.”