It’s great to be back home in Indiana – and even better – I’m watching it rain outside my window. As farmers, we know from experience that there are things we can control and other things that we can’t control. Obviously, we can’t make it rain. On the other hand, we can tell our representatives and senators in Congress what farmers need to do our job.
Recently I traveled with a delegation of Hoosier farmers to Washington, D.C., for the National Corn Growers Association’s (NCGA) Corn Congress. This was a great trip. We were able to talk to corn growers from all over the country, and one of our own – J.R. Roesner – became only the third Indiana farmer to be elected to the National Corn Board.
We talked about several issues during Corn Congress, and we turned those issues into action by meeting with nearly all of our federal lawmakers while we were on Capital Hill. We talked with both U.S. Sen. Mike Braun and U.S. Sen. Todd Young. Sen. Braun serves on the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry. We were also invited to have an in-depth discussion on issues with Braun’s staff assigned to farm issues.
Indiana Corn Growers Association members also visited with the following representatives or staff: Rep. Frank Mrvan (D-Dist. 1), Rep. Jackie Walorski (R-Dist. 2), Rep. Jim Banks (R-Dist. 3), Rep. Jim Baird (R-Dist. 4), Rep. Victoria Spartz (R-Dist. 5), Rep. Greg Pence (R-Dist. 6), Rep. Larry Bucshon (R-Dis. 8) and Rep. Trey Hollingsworth (R-Dist. 9).
Here is a list of topics we discussed with these lawmakers:
• Ethanol – ICGA members asked Members of Congress to take greater advantage of higher ethanol blends to cut fuel costs and emissions and improve energy security.
• Regulatory relief – Farmers can feed and fuel the world, but we can’t do it with one hand tied behind our backs. Recent developments on glyphosate, atrazine and fertilizers threaten to hamper our work.
• Infrastructure – We ask that policymakers update the cost-share formula for the Inland Waterways Trust Fund in the Water Resources Development Act.
• Farm bill – As Congress begins to develop the next Farm Bill, NCGA has identified top policy principles.
• Protect crop insurance – Corn growers rely on marketoriented risk management tools, including federal crop insurance. Congress should protect the program from harmful budget cuts and reforms.
• Bolster international markets – Further boost U.S. agricultural exports and help U.S. agriculture and related businesses in rural America by increasing Market Access Program (MAP) funding to $400 million annually and Foreign Market Development (FMD) program funding to $69 million annually.
• Producer safety net – NCGA is developing specific recommendations to strengthen the Agriculture Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage (ARC/PLC) commodity programs.
• Support voluntary conservation – U.S. corn farmers are committed to conservation and their role as stewards of the land. USDA conservation programming plays an important role in helping advance the adoption of climate-smart agricultural practices.
• Champion issues for Rural America – The farm bill includes many programs and initiatives important to corn growers including agricultural research, rural broadband, energy programs and the biobased economy.
ICGA is working diligently to represent farmers and their interests at all levels of government. We know we can’t control everything, but we are telling our story to the best of our ability.
