Commodity leaders offer perspectives

The Commodity Classic annually offers a General Session that showcases the four sponsoring group leaders' common interests as well as different viewpoints on agricultural issues.

Held at Anaheim, Calif., the 2010 General Session was true to form as emcee Mark Mayfield held separate interviews with each farm leader, then led the association presidents in a group discussion.

First up was Darrin Ihnen, president of the National Corn Growers Association, who gave the large audience an update on hoped-for changes to the Environmental Protection Agency's Renewable Fuels Standard program to permit use of higher blends of ethanol in gasoline.

"The deadline is in sight, but it keeps getting pushed back a little," said Ihnen, a Hurley, S.D., producer. "We're hoping this will come in late summer.

"This is a top priority for us. The ethanol industry is one of the biggest users of corn. You look at the projections of bushels we are to grow in the future, and we know we can supply corn for all of our needs including the ethanol industry. To use up those additional bushels, we need higher blends, not only to help our bottom line and the ethanol industry, but to help all of agriculture."

Ihnen also discussed NCGA's opposition to proposed climate-change legislation.

"We commissioned a study from Informa Economics to look at how the House version of that legislation would affect corn growers, soybean producers, wheat growers and end users. There were three glaring points that jumped out at us," said Ihnen. "First, it was going to raise all of our production costs. In tight economic times, we can't afford it. Even though the costs upfront were going to be low, in the further out years, our costs increase."

The second point Ihnen made was that producer participation in the proposed program is through offsets using no-till, but not for rotations that included needed tillage.

"Lastly, there is a diversion of prime acres into grasses and trees. At a time when we are trying to feed and fuel the world, it just didn't make sense to take good cropland and put it into something that would affect rural America dramatically.

"If you plant a tree, it's there a long time. You won't have a need for a fertilizer dealer or your small or even mid-sized community because nobody has to be there. Coming from where I'm at in South Dakota, there aren't a lot of people there anyway."

While the House has passed legislation, a newly divided Senate has yet to tackle any bill so far this session. Ihnen said NCGA sees Senate opposition coming from both Republicans and Democrats.

"Some things have changed, it may not move this year at all, but we'll be ready if it does," Ihnen said. "We've got access.

"It comes down to how does this affect us and does this put us at a disadvantage with the rest of the world."

source: hpj