Cobcast: Inside the Grind with the National Corn Growers Association

The Next Generation Fuels Act is poised to reinforce the market for American ethanol, and it’s been introduced in Congress with bipartisan support.

And in this episode of the podcast, we’re joined by Illinois Congresswoman Cheri Bustos, who was honored with the NCGA President’s Award this year for her support as sponsor of the Next Generation Fuels Act.

She’ll outline the specifics of the bill, share the outlook from Washington and detail what you can do to make sure this important piece of legislation becomes law. 

Between a couple of recent high-profile court cases and all the hype surrounding electric vehicles, stakeholders in the corn and ethanol industry are looking for a little reassurance right now.

But the reality of the transportation energy puzzle is a little more complex than what you’ve heard on the news.

So in this episode, we’re joined by John Eichberger, executive director of the Fuels Institute, for a reality check about the present and future of the transportation energy sector. Together with NCGA CEO Jon Doggett, he discusses the shifting makeup of the American transportation fleet, the hurdles to mass adoption that electric vehicles still face, the probable impact of recent court cases, and why ethanol remains the best option for decarbonizing American transportation today.

In today’s world, farmers face growing consumer expectations, a need for economic resilience and the very real pressures of global climate change. 

And they’re meeting these challenges head-on with science-driven practices that prove that sustainability is more than a buzzword in the agriculture industry.

In this episode, Nebraska farmer and NCGA board member Brandon Hunnicutt outlines NCGA’s new sustainability goals, and the benefits he’s seen from thinking about the sustainability of his own operation. He shares his personal insights about smart farming advances, cover crop use, advanced irrigation management and other techniques that make his farm more sustainable, and how he’s saved money and improved yields as a result.

Plus, Jon offers up the view from Washington, and why it’s important for growers to be perceived as part of the solution in the ongoing discussion over sustainability. 

To learn more about NCGA’s 2030 sustainability goals, and to offer your feedback, visit ncga.com/sustainability.

With a grain content at least 51 percent corn, bourbon is a drink that’s near and dear to every grower’s heart.

But in the heart of bourbon country, there’s a really neat partnership taking root between the Kentucky Corn Growers Association and the producers of Yellow Banks bourbon, who source their corn from local growers and donate a portion of their profits to support corn research.

In this episode, we’re back at the Frazier Kentucky History Museum in Louisville for part two of our discussion about bourbon, as 8th generation master distiller Jacob Call from Green River Distilling talks about the partnerships… and the relationships… that make Yellow Banks possible.

Plus, Frazier Kentucky History Museum president and CEO Andy Treinen talks about how bourbon tourism is helping people reconnect with life on the farm.

And Laura Knoth and Adam Andrews from the Kentucky Corn Growers Association discuss how strongly-rooted bourbon and corn are in Kentucky’s economy and culture.

Bourbon is a uniquely American beverage.

Not only is its heritage deeply rooted in early Appalachian history, but up to two-and-a-half pounds of corn go into every bottle that’s distilled.

So in this episode of the podcast, we’re going on the road with Jon as he pays a visit to the Frazier Kentucky History Museum in Louisville. There, in the midst of the exhibit on bourbon, we’ll learn about the unique way that corn farming contributed to the history of this singular beverage from museum president and CEO Andy Treinen.

We'll also follow the crop from kernel to kettle to bottle with 8th generation master distiller Jacob Call from Green River Distilling.

And we'll explore how the corn industry and bourbon celebrate their shared history together from Laura Knoth and Adam Andrews from the Kentucky Corn Grower's Association.

Two and a half million Americans are getting their COVID-19 vaccine every day. And as America takes this critical step to beating the virus and re-opening the economy, it’s more important than ever that rural America does NOT get left behind.

So the NCGA has joined a nationwide effort to support that process, the COVID-19 Community Corps. Together with other founding members, NCGA will promote the science behind the safe and effective vaccines that are a critical component in the battle against Coronavirus.

In this episode, we talk about the unique challenges we face in getting rural Americans vaccinated with Alan Morgan, CEO of the National Rural Health Association, and Carrie Saia, the CEO of a small town hospital in Holton, Kansas. 

With planting season upon us, we continue our focus on agronomy for the month of March.

In this episode, we catch up with Brett Begemann, the Chief Operating Officer at Bayer Crop Science. He shares details about the new inputs they’ve got in their technology pipeline, what that means for the future of farming and how their role in the ag industry is evolving.

We also catch a bit of the March Madness and hear Jon Doggett’s secret for filling out his bracket every year.

Before joining Bayer, Brett served as President and Chief Operating Officer at Monsanto Company, where he led global efforts to connect farmers with solutions for growing better harvests. Brett worked for 35 years at Monsanto, holding a number of leadership roles, including Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer.

It’s that time of year when planting is on the front burner again.

And so here at the NCGA, we’re digging in on the topic of agronomy this month, talking to the leaders of some of the world’s foremost providers of agriculture inputs.

In this episode, Jon catches up with Tim Glenn, the Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer at Corteva Agriscience, about how they’ve navigated the roller coaster of the last couple years, what new technologies they’re bringing to bear, and what kind of barbecue they cook up in Alabama. 

Tim has been in the ag inputs business with Corteva and its heritage organizations for 30 years, and shares insights to help growers maximize their productivity after a roller coaster couple of years in the ag business.

The U.S. pork herd consumed 900 million bushels of corn in 2019. Not only does that make the pork industry a key customer segment for NCGA’s growers, but many of the same trade and sustainability issues that we grapple with in corn impact them as well.

So in this episode, NCGA CEO Jon Doggett chats with Bill Even, CEO of the National Pork Board, to review some of the cooperative efforts the two groups have underway, the challenges they face and the opportunities that await if they work together.

They also recount some of their favorite mouthwatering pork dishes. Spoiler alert: bacon is involved.

After a 2020 calendar year in which it seems like we were always asking, "What next?", we take a look at what the future holds for America's corn industry with the President of the NCGA, John Linder.

Linder is a fifth-generation farmer from the little town of Edison, Ohio. Prior to his elevation to the role of President, John served as the Corn Board liaison to the Market Access Action Team, on the Resolutions Committee and chaired the Finance and Engaging Members Committees. He also represented NCGA at the National Coalition for Food and Agriculture Research and the National Corn-to-Ethanol Research Center.

Together with association CEO Jon Doggett, they'll discuss new demand generation opportunities, why it's important to get new growers involved with the NCGA, and what Commodity Classic is going to look like in a pandemic year.