JOHNSTON, Iowa – March 1, 2013 – Iowa corn farmers joined with other corn farmer members from twenty-six states representing the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) at the annual Commodity Classic meeting in Kissimmee, Florida today.
NCGA farmer delegates discussed issues related to crop insurance, tax issues, farmer confidentiality, as well as farm image, sustainability and environment. The delegate body adopted several resolutions that Iowa Corn Growers Association (ICGA) members brought forth through the grassroots policy making process.
“This is the culmination of our grassroots policy development process. Starting with our local roundtable meetings, to our Annual Meeting, and now onto National policy in Corn Congress at Commodity Classic, this is how our grassroots members help develop national policy,” said Bruce Rohwer, a farmer from Paullina, Iowa and the current president of the ICGA. “Iowa farmers are here to be part of the process to develop policy positions of interest to Iowa corn farmers.”
Additional NCGA policy discussions will take place on Saturday afternoon. “With the drought conditions last year, we saw crop insurance work,” said Rohwer. “Grain farmers didn’t require an ad hoc disaster assistance bill, even with last year’s extreme weather conditions, as we have seen happen in the past. Our task at Commodity Classic is to make sure we have and maintain sound policy for Iowa’s corn farmers.”
The new NCGA policy document will be posted at www.iowacorn.org/policy when it becomes available. For more information on upcoming summer policy development meetings in your area, contact the Iowa Corn Growers Association at (515) 225-9242 or by email at corninfo@iowacorn.org.
The ICGA is a membership organization, lobbying on agricultural issues on behalf of its nearly 7,000 farmer members. For more information or to view the complete policy position book, log onto www.iowacorn.org.
The Commodity Classic is the premier convention and trade show of the US corn, soybean, sorghum, and wheat industries. Each year, the industry gathers at Commodity Classic to experience, learn and share information about issues, technology, and trends in US agriculture.
