My best harvest memory happened one night on Halloween. I had just gotten home from picking corn when there was a knock on my door. It was not your usual trick or treaters, but my friend, Tom, with four girls dressed in costumes. Since I didn’t have any candy, I invited them in for a drink. The one dressed as a scarecrow, Suzie, made quite an impression. Not only was Suzie cute, but she left real straw from her costume all over my house. Later when I asked Suzie out, she said she was really busy as she worked two jobs and wasn’t sure of her schedule. I replied, “You surely are free Thanksgiving night.” She was and so we went to see the Indiana Jones movie, “Raiders of the Lost Ark” that night. Not many people have their future wife show up on their doorstep! Suzie and I have now been married 36 years and have two children and three grandchildren. Randy DeSutter - Woodhull, IL
IL Corn Growers Association is a state-based organization that represents the interests of corn farmers in Illinois by maintaining a high profile on issues in Washington, DC, and Springfield, IL. As a grassroots advocacy group, we strive to engage our members and advocates by sharing news and involvement opportunities that will impact farm families, agribusiness’, and farms overall bottom line. The quickest communication method we use, with the highest response rate is through text messaging farmers in Illinois. The Call-to-Action Process When a high priority issue is up for vote, or a docket is opened for comments, IL Corn summarizes the issue giving consideration to how it will impact corn farmers in Illinois. This information is then shared in a way that is easy to understand via a link. Staff draft a narrative that’s applicable to IL Corn advocates’ agricultural circumstances sometimes offering a step-by-step question and answer scenario making it an even more personalized submission that automatically gets submitted to either a docket or your congressman.
The Science of Carbon Capture and Storage Dr. Sallie Greenberg’s experience and depth of knowledge makes her an expert on the science behind carbon capture and sequestration. Greenberg, the former Principal Research Scientist on the Illinois Basin- Decatur Project dove into the science and safety of carbon storage in a webinar for members of the IL Corn Grower Association. “We’ve spent the last two decades sharing the information and the knowledge gained from our understanding to be able to do this…safely and effectively,” said Greenberg.
The days are ticking as Congress approaches the reality of a government shutdown. Although political debates in Washington D.C. may feel far from the midwest, the agriculture industry would be impacted if negotiations aren’t agreed upon before funding expires September 30, “You hear this debate in Congress on how Americans will feel whether or not there'll be a government shutdown,” said IL Corn Director of Public Policy Brad Stotler. “In the agriculture community, we will feel some of that.”
Fall is quickly arriving in the nation’s capital and with it comes the sense that Congress has much to accomplish in a very short period with potential roadblocks along the way. Perhaps the most serious potential impediment is a looming government shutdown as Congress approaches the September 30 deadline to fund the federal government. Over the last decade, we’ve gotten all too familiar with the ramifications far and wide that a government shutdown brings. Almost the entire federal government, including the legislative branch, comes to a complete stop. There will be politicians on both sides of the aisle trying to deflect blame, and there will be voters across the country trying to assign blame. In the event of a government shutdown, staff who might be deemed “essential” and able to continue to do their jobs are technically prohibited from working on any legislation unrelated to funding the government. It goes without saying that such a scenario could hamper progress on key agricultural initiatives, including reauthorization of the farm bill. Despite these challenges, NCGA continues to exercise laser focus on ensuring lawmakers understand our policy priorities during the farm bill debates. Throughout the month of September, videos of growers speaking on NCGA’s farm bill priorities will continue making their way into the social media feeds and pre-roll ads of key members of Congress, staffers and other influencers in Washington. This video series is yet another way we have found to bring the voice of the farmer directly into the legislative process. This effort comes on the heels of a call-to-action that has already led to thousands of corn farmers contacting their members of Congress. While continued outreach to the House and Senate remain top of mind, the halls of Congress are not the only place bustling with activity that is important to our members. Across town at the Department of Treasury, a big decision is expected soon on whether the Biden administration will use the Department of Energy’s greenhouse gas model known as GREET or a less comprehensive international model as it decides on which biofuels will receive tax credits under the recently passed Inflation Reduction Act. While the issue sounds esoteric, its ramifications for corn growers and the president’s climate agenda are far-reaching. The IRA allows for the allocation of tax incentives for biofuels that cut GHGs by 50% or more. Farmers have been pushing for Treasury to follow GREET as it assesses GHG reductions, as the model most accurately accounts for on-farm carbon reduction activities, feedstock yield increases and the improved agricultural production practices that farmers have adopted over the last 20 years. We have worked closely with officials in Congress and the administration on this matter, and we have been communicating our thoughts directly to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen. We are also closely coordinating with officials from the airline industry and other groups to elevate corn ethanol as the go-to biofuel in the air travel sector. Stay tuned. Moving to yet another government agency, we are continuing to work with the team at the office of the U.S. Trade Representative as it prepares to empanel experts in its dispute settlement with Mexico over the country’s decree banning the use of biotech corn for human consumption. NCGA has lobbied for the last year to get to this point and is pushing for a resolution of the issue. As your lobbyists, please rest assured that we are on top of all these issues. We are showing up and making a case on your behalf before Washington decision-makers. We invite you to follow our efforts and join our advocacy outreach by texting COB to 52886. There is strength in numbers and your voice matters. Here’s to a productive autumn and a bountiful harvest. Happy fall, y’all! Appleton is the vice president of public policy at the National Corn Growers Association.
Cameras, carts and security details created quite a buzz at the commodity tent IL Corn Growers Association members spoke with Governor Pritzker at Farm Progress Show about policy impacting Illinois farmers in late August. Steve Fourez, a corn farmer from Fairmount, spoke with the governor near the Illinois Farm Families booth and explained the consumer facing coalition. “Gov. Pritzker seemed very interested in learning more about our industry and priorities,” said Fourez. “He seemed to understand how important agriculture is to our state and was willing to listen to our message.”
The IL Corn Growers Association is calling on the agricultural industry to s ubmit comments to the docket regarding a proposal released by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA). The goal would require an industry fleet-wide average of approximately 58 miles per gallon for cars and light duty trucks by model year 2032. It would also require a 10 percent increase in fuel efficiency for heavy-duty trucks and vans year over year. The proposal would additionally decimate corn demand, costing American farmers nearly one-billion bushels of corn annually by 2033. “Electric vehicles, in my opinion, are a great concept, but we’re not where we need to be yet,” said District 4 ICGA Board Member Cliff Lane. “A large truck hauling grain to the elevator is not really feasible at this point in time.”
Asserting that U.S. tax policy should be tied to the best standards the government has to offer, 16 of the nation’s top corn grower leaders sent a letter to U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen today encouraging her to adopt an emissions model developed by the Department of Energy as her agency works with the Internal Revenue Service to determine which biofuels lower greenhouse gas emissions enough to qualify for sustainable aviation fuel tax credits under the Inflation Reduction Act. Corn Growers are calling on Treasury to use an emissions standard referred to as the GREET model, which was developed by DOE, while some groups want the government to turn to a less comprehensive international standard. “GREET is the federal government’s most robust and updated model or methodology for transportation lifecycle assessment,” the letter says. “It is used globally to measure lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions from transportation, and the Department of Energy has the best resources, expertise, and current ability within federal government agencies to assess lifecycle emissions accurately and scientifically.” Unlike other models, GREET considers the full environmental picture, the corn growers noted. “The GREET model accurately accounts for on-farm carbon reduction activities and feedstock yield increases and the improved agriculture production practices that farmers have adopted over the last twenty years,” the letter says. “This further solidifies GREET as the methodology Treasury and the IRS should use to determine tax credits for SAF under the IRA.” The letter comes as corn ethanol, which has been used for years to lower greenhouse gas emissions from cars and trucks while saving consumers money at the pump, is being considered for use in the aviation arena where experts say the biofuel would do for airplanes what it has done for autos. But as corn grower leaders point out, the tax credit from the Inflation Reduction Act will be crucial to ensuring ethanol is quickly made available in the aviation sector. A decision on that tax credit could come down to which emissions model is used to determine greenhouse gas emission reductions. Citing a recent speech in which President Biden said farmers will lead the way on aviation biofuels, the letter notes, “If we are going to make the president’s promise a reality, we are going to have to have a reliable model in place and one that bases U.S. tax policy on the best information and instruments the U.S. government has to offer.” Yellen is expected to make a final announcement on the tax credits this month. Read full letter
