NCGA Calls on Congress to Pass Funding Bill Important to Growers
<div class=\"default-font-wrapper\" style=\"line-height: 1;font-size: 12pt; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;\"><div style=\"line-height: 1;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;\">National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) President Kenneth Hartman Jr. today sent a letter to members of Congress asking them to support the continuing resolution, which would ensure consumers have access to year-round and permanent sales of E15, provide critical economic and disaster assistance to farmers and provide a farm bill extension.<br id=\"isPasted\"><br>“The market opportunity provided by allowing year-round E15 sales cannot be understated: Standardizing year-round E15 will result in an increase in corn demand of about 2.3 billion bushels per year,” Hartman noted in the letter. “Considering that about one-third of corn produced in the U.S. is used for ethanol production, this demand creation will result in an impressive improvement in profitability for operations across the nation.”<br><br>The letter also noted the importance of the package for farmers and rural America.<br><br>“This legislative package is very good news for corn growers – and in the midst of turmoil in the agriculture economy – we need good news,” Hartman said. “On behalf of corn growers across the nation, please throw your support behind this package; it will provide a boost to the U.S. corn industry that will have rippling effects across rural America.”<br><br>The letter also championed economic and disaster relief, saying it would be critical in helping corn growers recover from recent devastating losses.<br><br>The letter is the latest in a string of advocacy efforts by NCGA and its state groups to secure grower wins in the end-of-the-year legislation.<br><br></span></div></div>