News
NCGA President says trade, climate resolutions passed during Corn Congress
Farmer leaders from across the country met to discuss policy priorities this week during the National Corn Growers Association’s Corn Congress.
NCGA President John Linder says farmers passed a resolution on trade.
“We had a policy consideration that passed to continue to effort of an effective Phase One Trade Agreement but not be limited to the realization of the goals within but also pursue expansions. We’re always looking for those opportunities to bring that stability to the farmgate and trade is a huge part of that,” he says. “Also included was a resolution recognizing intellectual property rights. Intellectual Property is always going to be near and dear to us. We need to support the kinds of things that protect agriculture’s IP because technology innovations in the industry have helped make agriculture and corn production so efficient. We don’t want anything that causes anyone to have to inappropriately disclose the traits behind it. It’s important keep our competitive advantage with our technologies.”
The Ohio farmer tells Brownfield there are several climate-related priorities including requiring EPA to update its greenhouse gas modeling for ethanol.
NCGA had a resolution supporting a requirement that EPA uses the Argonne National Laboratory’s Greenhouse Gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy Use in Transportation (GREET) model.
“What that does for us, if it’s kept up to date with the latest science, is it puts on display not only how ethanol is produced but also the carbon intensity clear back through the input side of it. The farmer’s carbon score coupled with the manufacturing of ethanol and the distribution of its co-products comes in as a Carbon Intensity score and so when we want to look at that fairly, we need a well-accepted model and the GREET model fits. We need to adopt that across the entire transportation sector so each energy sector gets measured by the same scale so we can level the playing field and put on display the distinct attributes corn ethanol provides in a brighter future today and going forward.”
Other priorities included: supporting a study of the commercial phosphate fertilizer industry as well as policies that bring transparency to the carbon market. Linder says corn farmers are also closely watching the Waters of the U.S. rule, crop insurance, and tax policy.
Corn Congress includes 127 state delegates representing the member states of NCGA. There were also action team meetings this week in New Orleans.
Audio: John Linder
