July 19, 2024

Iowa Corn Farmers Take Priorities to Corn Congress

Iowa Corn Growers Association® (ICGA) farmer-leaders attended the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) Corn Congress meetings this week to advocate for key agricultural issues and priorities.

During Corn Congress, ICGA farmer-leaders met with representatives from Iowa Congressional Delegation offices including Senators Ernst and Grassley and Representatives Feenstra, Miller-Meeks and Nunn. In addition to the Iowa offices, ICGA farmers met with other congressional offices from across the country who do not have an established corn grower organization they can connect with to share how corn and ethanol impact their state and our country.

During their visits Iowa corn farmers expressed the need for a comprehensive Farm Bill this year and shared the value corn brings economically to our country through ethanol. They reiterated the need for year-round E15 nationwide and the input of Brazil ethanol tariffs to keep Sustainable Aviation Fuel access for corn growers across the country. They also touched on the Water Resources Development Act of 2024, which would increase funding for waterway transportation.

“One of the key benefits of being a member of the Iowa Corn Growers Association is advocating for sound agricultural policy that affects our farms. While much communication happens locally in Iowa, meeting staffers on the Hill is highly beneficial in getting to understand their processes and abilities to make change,” said ICGA President Jolene Riessen, a farmer from Ida Grove, Iowa. “At Corn Congress in D.C., we not only meet with our Iowa legislative offices to discuss federal policy priorities like the Farm Bill, but also engage with staff and congressional members from across the country who may not have the same connection to farmers. This allows us to make a significant impact while in the nation’s capital.”

While in D.C. Corn Congress attendees also had meetings with the Department of Energy, White House, USDA and the Federal Trade Commission. Iowa farmers also met with other state and NCGA farmer leaders to discuss policy they would like to see the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) implement and establish at the federal level. During the policy session, delegates passed policy on carbon tax credits and protecting current tax exemption rates on the estate tax, which would benefit Iowa’s corn farmers and corn farmers across the country.

For more information on Iowa Corn Growers Association policies, visit iowacorn.org.