January 19, 2010

The Honorable Joseph Glauber

Chief Economist, U.S. Department of Agriculture

14^th Street and Independence Ave., SW

Washington, DC  20250

Dear Chief Economist Glauber,

The American Corn Growers Association (ACGA) and the Nebraska Farmers Union wishes to bring to your attention an issue of much concern that has been raised regarding your department’s February 12, 2009 Crop Production and Acreage report.   This report which was widely regarded as a significant event due to the difficulties of the past crop production year which for many still has not been completed with crops still left to be harvested.

The nation’s farmers and the United States as a whole can no longer avoid this issue from either a moral or international competitiveness perspective.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 29, 2009 – Keith Dittrich, Chairman of the board of the American Corn Growers Association (ACGA), commended Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., for his tenacity and strong guidance in advancing “The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act” (H.R. 3590), the pending healthcare reform legislation, to a decisive and affirmative vote in the U.S. Senate on the day before Christmas.

The nation's farmers and the United States as a whole can no longer avoid this issue from either a moral or international competitiveness perspective.

GRAND ISLAND, Neb. - Dec. 11, 2009– Keith Dittrich, Chairman of the board of the American Corn Growers Association (ACGA), urged Sens. Ben Nelson, D-Neb., and Mike Johanns, R-Neb., to rethink their opposition to health care reform currently being debated in Washington. Dittrich was among participants on the importance of the Senate health care reform proposal to rural Nebraska teleconference to try to urge the passage of health care reform due to its importance to rural America.

 “An increase in the ethanol blend rate is a clear example of how innovative and committed the Obama administration is to continuing the march towards energy independence.”

WASHINGTON, Dec. 2, 2009– Keith Bolin, President of the American Corn Growers Association (ACGA) stated that his organization was disappointed by today’s announcement by the Environmental Protection Agency to postpone a decision to allow higher blends of ethanol in the nation’s gasoline supply, but was optimistic that a positive decision would be made on the issue in the coming year.

  China Takes Care of China

By: Daryll Ray
Published: January 8, 2010

It would not be a stretch to assert that Chinese imports have driven the recent growth in soybean production and exports by the US, Brazil, and Argentina. Between 1995 and 2009, Chinese imports of soybeans grew by 1.459 billion bushels (from 0.029 to 1.488 billion) while the rest of the nations of world increased their imports by 0.183 billion bushels (from 1.168 to 1.351 billion).

HASTINGS, Neb. – Dec. 3, 2009 – The Nebraska Chapter of the American Corn Growers Association (ACGA) elected a new slate of officers at their recent annual meeting in Hastings, Neb. 

 The nation's farmers and the United States as a whole can no longer avoid this issue from either a moral or international competitiveness perspective.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 9, 2009– Keith Bolin, President of the American Corn Growers Association (ACGA) applauded the passage of healthcare reform by the U.S. House of Representatives this past weekend. “ACGA commends the hard work, leadership and initiative exhibited by Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House leadership in passage of the Affordable Health Care for America Act (H.R. 3962) and calls upon the U.S. Senate to pass healthcare reform legislation and send it to President Obama for enactment before the end of the year,” said Bolin

 WASHINGTON, Nov. 4, 2009– Keith Bolin, President of the American Corn Growers Association (ACGA) again called upon the U.S. Senate to complete its work on the pending climate legislation this year.  He also urged a united voice by all farm and rural organizations to support the climate legislation as well as the pending energy bill in the Senate.

WASHINGTON – Sept. 17, 2009 –Keith Bolin, President of the American Corn Growers Association (ACGA) called upon the U.S. Congress to complete its work on the pending energy and climate legislation this year.  Bolin’s request follows ACGA’s annual business meeting held last week in Sioux City, Iowa, where the Board of Directors passed a resolution supporting a market-based cap and trade program as the best course to address Green House Gas (GHG) emissions and climate change.

The nation's farmers and the United States as a whole can no longer avoid this issue from either a moral or international competitiveness perspective.

WASHINGTON – Sept. 17, 2009 –Keith Bolin, President of the American Corn Growers Association (ACGA) called upon the U.S. Congress to pass healthcare reform legislation this year.

“There are a multitude of reasons that ACGA supports healthcare reform, but I wish to focus on two key reasons that have yet to be discussed – international competitiveness and jobs,” said Bolin.