ncga annual report 2009

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STEPPINGUP2009 ANNUAL REPORT



S T EP P I NGU



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.



STEPPINGUP




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.



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.



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.


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.



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




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.



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.



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.


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.



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.




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%



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




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



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

ncga annual report 2009

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