IL Corn Audio Update
The Illinois Corn Growers Association (ICGA) welcomes legislation introduced by Rep. Cheri Bustos in the U.S. House of Representatives today that will boost long term corn demand for clean, affordable ethanol. “We thank Congresswoman Bustos for her representation of the Illinois corn and ethanol industries and her recognition that corn farmers have a lot to offer as the U.S. considers new environment and energy policies. The Next Generation Fuels Act will build a better America by cleaning our air, making our fuel more affordable, and boosting the rural economies that produce corn-based ethanol,” said Bill Leigh, President of ICGA and Minonk, IL farmer. The Next Generation Fuels Act recognizes the high octane, low carbon benefits of corn ethanol and builds a clean energy future that utilizes the infrastructure for liquid fuels that already exists in America. Consumer familiarity with liquid fuels is also a benefit that will aid in quick environmental gains and smooth transitions to a new fuel.
Today, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a long-awaited interim decision regarding the reregistration of the triazines: atrazine, propazine, and simazine. After years of research and public comments from the agriculture community, EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler declared these fundamental crop management tools safe for continued use in controlling resilient weeds. The interim decision is a major milestone for farmers who rely on atrazine to fight problematic weeks and employ conservation tillage methods to reduce soil erosion and improve water and wildlife habitat.
Beef and dairy cattle, swine and poultry can all benefit from U.S. distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS) in their feed rations, but the feed ingredient can be hard to purchase and store in smaller quantities for small- to medium-sized producers in Central America. To address these logistical needs and discuss the advantages of DDGS, the U.S. Grains Council (USGC), funded by the Illinois corn checkoff, teamed up with a U.S. exporter for a recent webinar series. DDGS, a secondary product created in the production of ethanol, is an important livestock feed that adds value to ethanol production. Given the state of the ethanol industry in the U.S., increasing access and international demand for DDGS can help ethanol plants and corn farmers in Illinois.
A new marketing campaign highlighting corn’s versatility rolled out this past month. The ads help those living in cities better understand one of Illinois’ biggest crops. As part of the Illinois Runs on Homegrown Corn campaign, a new video highlights all the ways corn is used in our everyday lives. From toothpaste to medicine, art supplies to fireworks, corn can be found in a myriad of daily use products. In addition to the video, the campaign also features several farmers from across the state who give a face to the crop that is found in so many products. The farmers make the story personal and connect farmers and city dwellers through shared experiences. One farmer, Kathryn Mentzer, talks about her experience as a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) and how her two occupations overlap. Digital advertisements with this same content target city consumers in our state.
Pork exports are expected to rival poultry exports by 2021, providing Illinois corn farmers with an opportunity for increased demand. In fact, U.S. farmers exported 27 percent of the hogs raised in 2019 and 2020 is on pace for a record-setting year. Some of this growth is due to Illinois corn checkoff investments, allowing partner organizations like the United States Meat Export Federation (USMEF) to build relationships and driving global meat demand. Illinois Corn Director of Exports and Logistics Collin Watters said, “This is a really good example of the checkoff working for corn farmers. By working with global partners, we’re finding opportunities for corn consumption any way that we can. Often in ways you might not think of every day.” The demand for meat continues to grow globally.
