Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Speaker A: Welcome to Missouri Corn Talk, your go to weekly agriculture podcast delivering fast, reliable updates on market development efforts, ethanol demand and the issues shaping today's corn industry. I'm your host, David Geiger. Every summer, corn growers from across the country gather for Corn Congress, the National Corn Growers Association's annual meeting where grower leaders help set policy priorities and chart the course for the year ahead. From ethanol and trade to fertilizer costs and the farm bill, these discussions help ensure growers have a strong voice in Washington. Joining us today is Missouri Corn Growers Association President Brian Lehman, a corn farmer from Vercells. Brian, for growers who may not be familiar with it, what is the Corn Congress and why is it such an important event?
[00:00:41] Speaker B: Corn Congress is pretty important event for, you know, not just Missouri farmers, but all farmers across the Midwest. It's where we shape our national policy, gives each state delegates to vote on different issues, but we can bring, you know, any issue of to the floor and debate it and it gives Missouri corn a seat at the table on
[00:01:02] Speaker A: a national level as you just spoke about. And as I mentioned in the intro there, it is a place to shape national policy so growers from every corn producing state can have a chance to debate some of their issues as well as make sure policy important to them gets in front of the people who might be able to affect it. Tell me about the grassroots effort side of this. How does that feel while you're there and what were some of those debates like?
[00:01:24] Speaker B: Yeah, there's always issues come up that pertain to corn or even outside corn. And some of the issues get thrown out because it's in a more of a broad issue than straight. We're focusing basically with our corn hats on that we want issues and policies that are going to affect the corn industry.
We're all farmers, we grow multiple crops and animals, but when we're there it's, it's pretty well dead on corn. And so E15 has been a big one for years and we finally got that through the House earlier this year. But we're still working on it through Congress, the trade USMCA with Mexico, Canada. That's another policy that we work on that when we go do the visits on Capitol Hill.
[00:02:07] Speaker A: So Missouri works year round with the national corn growers, of course, but Corn Congress specifically gives you all a chance to bring Missouri perspectives to that national stage. Brian, can you tell me some of the Missouri issues you got a chance to talk about and reflect on at this event?
[00:02:23] Speaker B: You know, this one we didn't have a Whole lot of policies brought up, but big one for us is the Missouri River, Mississippi River. So those. Missouri is a big leader in the river issues. So a lot of our policy is shaped around that. Even though other states, we have to educate other states and how important the river system is. So that's a big one. Rail issues and then everyday issues affect multiple states. But Missouri has a big, big hold in the Midwest. So a lot of things come through Missouri, going through other states. So those actions are important.
[00:02:58] Speaker A: I know there's been plenty of work going on over the last decade, especially on the Mississippi River. There have been opportunities to repair and make sure funding's there. And I know dredging has been the talk for a bit as well. Is there anything specifically that you want to see happen over the next few years on the Mississippi infrastructure?
[00:03:16] Speaker B: It takes years to get, you know, money through a transportation bill. So anything that can help the river issues that helps, you know, not only corn farmers, but all farmers and of course, the state of Missouri. So we're always hammering that. But the main national policies that affects Missourians that, you know, so we're. We're all there and creating these policies on a national level that we can go to Congress with and. And show our perspective of how it affects Missouri and how it affects national
[00:03:44] Speaker A: policy on the minds of corn growers all around the country. We obviously have demand and making sure there's enough demand for the crop. Everybody's growing, and that could be E15 or making ethanol markets bigger. It could be trade agreements or growing exports of corn or finding new ways that corn could become new products that are exported. Can you tell me about some of these pathways for increasing demand and how those pathways took you through this Corn Congress?
[00:04:11] Speaker B: Mexico, Canada trade agreement. That's very important because Mexico is our biggest importer of corn.
And then Canada across is the largest importer, ethanol from United States. So having those two trade agreements, we work hard to try to get that through. And we went to a couple embassies as well and building those relationships. We went to the Indonesia embassy and they're wanting ethanol and, and different things like that. So when they get a farmer in the room, you know, a couple farmers that can tell the story, there's no better person than to do that than actual farmers lobbying for. For ourselves. So it's. It's important there, you know, any trade deals that can happen that we're, you know, working all the time for that. And then, you know, biofuel products, B15 is important. There's all the other things Coming. There's maritime fuels, you know, in future. So you got to start somewhere and you just keep building that throughout these meetings across the Corn Congress and across the state levels. And NCGA is a big pusher behind that.
[00:05:19] Speaker A: I know. Recently on Missouri Corn Doc, we spoke on a new research piece that came out from the National Corn Growers association talking about how there were potentially lower input prices in South America than there were here, even though they were pretty much the same product. Was that on the mind of you all as you were talking about lowering input costs as opposed to just finding ways to raise corn prices?
[00:05:40] Speaker B: Yes, I mean that's always. We're, we're wanting to be us treated fairly, US Farmers. I know the countervailing duties from imported Moroccan phosphate was revoked. That was a big step. But then we don't want any other countervailing duties. So we're working with all the different avenues of that to lower prices that will help the US Farmer research on fertilizer. Trying to get more places in the US to, to manufacture that, that it's cost is a big thing right now, especially with lower prices. So any, any inputs that we can lower, whether it be through any of those avenues, from fertilizer to chemicals, it all makes a big dent in our bottom line.
[00:06:25] Speaker A: We've touched on it a little bit. The farm bill, specifically a modern farm bill that is up for debate right now. House passed a version, Senate is working on their version, and then there's going to be some back and forth after that. What was the discussion like at the Corn Congress about the farm bill and what do you hope makes it through into the final bill?
[00:06:44] Speaker B: Yeah, they're working on that as well. I know base acres, that's always a big talk. Conservation, different states. So we kind of give them a Missouri perspective on that when we, when we're there. And mandatory base update, I think is pretty well determined by recent planting history. So that's important for Missouri corn farmers and just having a modern day farm bill, we just need it for our future and let's get it across the line. So it's very important to Missouri farmers and national corn farmers as well.
[00:07:14] Speaker A: Brian, what are some of the ways folks can stay up to date on Corn Congress and a lot of these other efforts that are going on from the Missouri corn growers and the national corn growers, because it's all part of this grassroots movement of farmers trying their best to represent themselves on a national stage.
[00:07:28] Speaker B: But we want, you know, corn farmers to be involved in Missouri corn. I know we have social media channels that we try to give input through, of course our website. And then we have Corn Roots Leadership program through Missouri Corn. And we're fortunate enough to have, I think five or six join us out in Washington D.C.
and kind of show them the leadership that we go through, what we're doing to build the leaders for the next generation. We want people to be involved, not only, you know, on a local level growing corn, but state level, coming to Jess City for different things and then on the national level as well, being involved. And farmers aren't involved, then we're not sitting at the table. And that's what it's about is to be be involved in any industry and especially the corn industry for the future.
[00:08:16] Speaker A: Brian, before I let you go, I definitely want to check out what's going on locally on the farm. Can you tell me what your crop looks like and what the farm is doing so far this year?
[00:08:25] Speaker B: We're looking a lot better than we have in the last three years. Yeah, corn is looking pretty good around here as a whole in central Missouri, so we're pretty optimistic right now, but we're always two weeks away from a drought here, it seems like. But so far we're, we're happy and pleased with the way things are going.
[00:08:42] Speaker A: Missouri Corn Growers Association President Brian Lehman joining us today. Brian, thank you so much for your time.
[00:08:47] Speaker B: Thank you, David. Appreciate it.
[00:08:49] Speaker A: Corn Congress serves as an important reminder that the future of agriculture is shaped by farmers who are willing to get involved. Whether it's advocating for year round E15, protecting export markets, improving the farm bill, or addressing fertilizer costs. MCGA is working to ensure growers have a strong voice at both the state and national levels. Thanks for listening. This Missouri Corn Talk podcast is made possible by the Missouri Corn Merchandising Council and the Missouri Corn Growers Association. If you'd like to become more involved with Missouri corn, visit mocorn.org to learn more about membership, corn roots leadership and opportunities to help engage in issues impacting today's corn industry.
Thanks for joining us. I'm David Geiger.
