Iowa Corn farmer-leaders recently traveled to San Antonio, Texas, to participate in 2020 Commodity Classic. The delegation from Iowa consisted of both Iowa Corn Growers Association and Iowa Corn Promotion Board directors, Iowa Corn farmer voting delegates and alternates, Iowa Corn Collegiate Advisory Team members, and grassroots leaders.
A key task for ICGA at Classic is speaking in support of policies and actions that the National Corn Growers Association should promote to benefit Iowa’s farmers. “Here in Iowa, our ICGA policy process starts with the grassroots farmer-members throughout the state through our membership survey and at our local roundtable meetings. The resolutions then move to the ICGA Annual Grassroots Summit held in August, and now onto national policy development during NCGA’s Corn Congress at Commodity Classic,” said ICGA president and farmer from Monticello Jim Greif. “Corn Congress allows Iowa corn farmers to bring important actions and policy positions that are top of mind in Iowa to the national platform.”
The Iowa resolutions passed by the delegate body include:
Support all EPA approved ethanol blends E15 and above being sold in all states.
Support consistent transparency of Small Refinery Exemptions from the EPA such as company name, the volume of waivers requested, and reasoning if granted. A period of public comment should be a part of this process.
Support legislation requiring a “Good Neighbor” policy for federal and state-owned land, including but not limited to existing property lines, management of noxious weeds, trees, and general care of the land.
As an alternative to federal and state agencies acquiring land, we support non-permanent easements or leases on the environmentally sensitive property for a period, with an option of renewal, so these lands continue in private ownership and on the property tax rolls.
Oppose mass dumping of silt back into a river by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and urge U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to pursue new uses of dredged materials in lieu of mass dumping into bodies of water.
“ICGA delegates presented resolutions and in turn voted on these and other resolutions and policies brought forward by other corn states to NCGA,” said Greif. “These policy positions set the framework for our federal legislative efforts and directly influence our direction for years to come.”
The new NCGA policy document will be posted at iowacorn.org/policy when it becomes available. For more information on upcoming policy development meetings in your area, contact the Iowa Corn office at 515-225-9242 or email at [email protected].