Recent legislative wins for corn growers displays how to succeed in Washington 

By Brooke S. Appleton 

It’s winter in the nation’s capital, and the city hosted a state funeral for a former president and the swearing-in of a new presidential administration. All of this as a winter storm blanketed the city, closing government offices. 

As my team and I prepare to advance our legislative agenda this year on your behalf, we are contemplating how we make progress on our goals and what has worked in the past. 

Our persistent advocacy work led to a recent decision by an international dispute panel that ruled that Mexico violated its obligations under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) by blocking genetically modified corn imports. That outcome is a clear sign that advocacy is effective and will only increase our leverage moving ahead. 

The decision – which was a big win for farmers, as Mexico is our largest market – would not have happened if not for the monumental advocacy efforts by state and national corn grower leaders who pushed the Biden Administration to act. 

Indeed, as I think about it, at least four specific tactics helped us achieve this win: 

• Working with our congressional allies as they pushed for action. State and national corn grower leaders worked with members of Congress as they drafted letters to the administration calling for the dispute settlement process to be launched. We also had congressional briefings, which allowed us to educate a broader group of policymakers about the issue. 

• Organizing an open letter campaign. We joined state corn grower leaders in releasing an open letter calling on the administration to act. 

• Activating grassroots support. We issued a call to action encouraging corn farmers to contact their policymakers to encourage them to act on the issue. 

• Placing news stories in major media outlets. We worked with national reporters to raise the issue far and wide. This included several stories on Fox Business featuring interviews with our leadership and a Nebraska farmer affected by the ban. 

As we move into a new year of advocacy, we need the continued support of farmers. If you haven’t already, please sign up for the National Corn Growers Association’s (NCGA) action alerts and make sure you are a member of your state corn grower group. (You can join by visiting incornandsoy.org.) 

We need you by our side as we fight for growers in Washington, because, if nothing else, this recent win that maintains access to our largest export market teaches us that together we can shape policies that allow our farmers to fuel and feed the world. 

Here’s to a productive year ahead! 

INS and OUTS of 2024 in Washington 

If you expect twists and turns during an election year, this year certainly did not disappoint. In 2024, we navigated a presidential election like no other as we pushed Congress to act on our major legislative priorities and as voters contemplated the nation’s future. While we will end 2024 with a divided Congress and Democratic administration, soon into 2025 we will have a Republican president and a GOP Congress. Suffice it to say, our cup of INS & OUTs of 2024 runneth over. 

IN: Farm bill extension (Part II); OUT: Farm bill must-dos 

Despite successful efforts to mark up and pass a farm bill out of the House Agriculture Committee, the bill was never taken up or passed by the entire House. While the Senate committee leadership offered competing frameworks, it did not advance any legislation.  

Negotiations for a five-year farm bill do not look promising. Congress may settle for another one-year extension of the 2018 farm bill, which could be attached to a continuing resolution that continues to fund the government. We have been calling for the inclusion of disaster and economic assistance for farmers along with legislation that will allow for permanent consumer access to E15 year-round. When the new Congress is in session, we will continue a strong push for reauthorization of a robust five-year farm bill that includes corn grower priorities. 

IN: Republican trifecta; OUT: Divided government 

As we have advocated for corn grower priorities, we have had to navigate a divided government with Democrats controlling the U.S. Senate and the Republicans the U.S. House of Representatives. That will soon be the case no more. In the 119th Congress, Republicans will control the House, Senate and the White House. We expect this will mean that President-elect Donald Trump will be able to more easily advance parts of his agenda through budget reconciliation. 

However, we know from looking at history that at times the majority party can struggle and break into factions. For example, the conservative House Freedom Caucus often breaks with other wings of the Republican Party. When we are united, agriculture can have powerful messages that resonate across inter- and intra-party divides. We plan to make our case to policymakers of all stripes. 

We are witnessing the rise of some new faces as we enter a new year. For example, Trump has tapped Brooke Rollins to serve as USDA secretary. Rollins has a degree in agriculture from Texas A&M and will bring a fresh perspective to ag policy as well as a strong working relationship with President Trump. We look forward to working with her as she goes through the Senate confirmation process, and once she is at the helm of USDA. 

We are also saying goodbye to a few corn grower champions. USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack will conclude his tenure in January. Vilsack has worked on issues important to corn growers since his time serving as governor of Iowa. We will also see the retirement of Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), the top Senate Democrat on Agriculture since 2011. 

IN: Year of the Farmer; OUT: Hardships 

Growers have faced declining corn prices and high input costs. We know that this is a tough time for farmers, and that is front of mind for my staff and I as we advocate for you on Capitol Hill. Our goal is to make 2025 the year of the farmer. We plan to do that by pushing legislators to eliminate barriers you face while helping you and other growers make inroads into new markets.