The Corn Industry Has New Leader

The incoming National Corn Growers Association President, Kenny Hartman, Jr, of Waterloo, Iowa, says he has hit the ground running with several NCGA priority issues, one of which is ethanol.

“There's a lot of countries that are looking and just like we talk about Brazil and some of these other countries are low and going to higher blends of ethanol, Mexico is going to higher blends of ethanol, I believe. I know Canada is a big purchaser of ethanol from us. And I know I was just in Japan last January, and they're going from what they call ETBE that was in their fuel for the environment to higher blends of ethanol. I believe they're at 7% and wanting to go to 10. So there's a lot of lot of markets for exports for ethanol, and we're hoping, I know, I had a fellow here from last fall, from India, and he was telling me, you know, that they were very interested in India about going to ethanol and their fuels, the higher blends. And I said, Well, what are you what are you looking for here? He says, well, we're trying to figure out if we're going to buy ethanol from you or if we're going to buy a car. To buy a corn from you. So we're hoping that that would be a huge market in the future.”

And of course, NCGA is pushing for a new farm bill to be put into law. Sooner than later.

“We're going to get a new president. We don't know exactly what's going to happen with the House and the Senate, so if things get changed around, you're going to be starting all over again.”

In addition, he says year-round e 15 sales in all 50 states would be a big win for the US corn industry.

(Photo courtesy of National Corn Growers Association)