National Corn Growers Association looks ahead to 2016 meeting topics

In mid-December, National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) members met in St. Louis, Missouri to discuss upcoming meetings in 2016 that would address a variety of changes and influences that would affect the industry in the near future.

“In January 2016, we will hold our Priority and Policy meeting, which not only addresses resolutions from delegates, but also gains information from industry leaders,” Joe Hodes, director of development at NCGA, recently told Crop Protection News.

Hodes also said 2016 meetings will explore possible changes to team policies and activities that could help their respective programs improve efforts to create and maintain opportunities for growers, while also discussing sustainability.

“We will be focusing on marketing developments and increased demands.” Hodes said.
“We discuss new strategic plans and visions” for the upcoming year to “feed and fuel a growing world. Some of our major initiatives focus on ethanol and livestock, while also addressing environmental issues.”

Hodes said NCGA’s committees define, implement and measure program actions in their areas of expertise: trade policy and biotechnology, ethanol, public policy, production and stewardship, research and business development and grower services.

The teams will meet in various locations around the country in February, then in Washington in July.

Founded in 1957, the NCGA represents more than 40,000 dues-paying corn farmers nationwide and the interests of more than 300,000 growers who contribute through corn-checkoff programs in their states. NCGA and its 48 affiliated state organizations work together to create and increase opportunities for corn growers.