Maryland grain farmers Chip Bowling, Chip Councell, and Paul Spies recently returned from the U.S. Grain Council (USGC) 14th International Marketing Conference and 57th Annual Membership Meeting in Panama City, Panama. The kickoff event of the trip allowed attendees to get a firsthand look at the new Panama Canal expansion, allowing a unique opportunity to see trade in action, and an important reminder of the dynamic global trade environment.

Before the tour, Chip Councell, USGC chairman, signed a formal memorandum of understanding with Manuel Benitez, Panama Canal deputy administrator, recognizing the importance of the Panama Canal to U.S. grain trade. Sixty-nine percent of all cargo traveling through the Panama Canal originates from or is destined for the United States, including roughly one-third of total U.S. grain exports. The new set of locks will open opportunities for larger and more efficient shipments of all products.

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 The Maryland Grain Producers Association will offer four $2,500 to students pursuing an agriculturally related degree or career in 2017. Applicants must be a resident of the state of Maryland and must be enrolled or accepted to a four-year institution working toward a Bachelor of Science Degree, or enrolled or accepted to a two-year institution with an agricultural program. The applicant, or the applicant’s immediate family, must be involved in the production of grain in Maryland and a member of the Maryland Grain Producers Association. Interested students should return a completed application to be received by June 1st.

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In a letter addressing attendees at the National Ethanol Conference on Tuesday, President Trump reiterated his support for the federal ethanol fuels mandate. "Rest assured that your president and this administration value the importance of renewable fuels to America's economy and to our independence," he wrote. "As I emphasized throughout my campaign, renewable fuels are essential to America's energy strategy." He promised to work with the industry’s Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) to “identify and reform” regulations on the industry, which he said “has suffered from overzealous, job-killing regulation.” Ethanol supporters cheered Trump’s letter at the reading. 

President Trump's Letter

Jason Scott, U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) Chairman, and Levi Wood, Western Canadian Wheat Growers Association President, called upon the Canadian government to take steps needed to allow “a free flow of grain in both directions across the border to improve the efficiency of the grain handling systems in both countries and eliminate artificial price distortions that frustrate farmers” in a recent op-ed. The letter was written in response to an outdated agreement on the grade of U.S. corn being exported to Canada. 

“Currently, Canadian farmers delivering wheat into the U.S. receive equitable treatment with grain grown south of the border; however, because of legislation and regulation that existed for years before the marketing freedom changes came to western Canada, U.S. producers who currently deliver wheat into Canada automatically receive the lowest grade, regardless of the quality or variety of grain, even if the variety is registered in Canada,” the two write. “This inequity has created significant concerns in the Canadian and U.S. wheat industries, especially given the potential of re-opening [NAFTA].”

Scott & Wood's Op-Ed

Between the conclusion of the Growth Energy annual Leadership Conference, and the start of both the Renewable Fuel Association’s National Ethanol Conference and the America Coalition for Ethanol annual Washington DC Fly-In, Chris Novak, CEO of the National Corn Growers Association provided the following commentary on past and future relationships of corn and ethanol. He reflects on the accomplishments the two have made, stating, “At last check, 214 biorefineries in 29 states supported nearly 360,000 jobs and displaced 527 million barrels of foreign oil keeping $26 billion in the U.S. economy. That’s something to celebrate.” He also discusses the opportunities and challenges that may lie ahead.  

“It is clear from the numbers that agriculture is fueling our nation’s growth.  NCGA – along with our 40,000+ growers – are looking ahead toward an even stronger renewable future.  We will continue to collaborate with our colleagues within the ethanol industry to make our voices heard in cities big and small and from sea-to-shining sea.  #Cornstrong,” Novak concludes.

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A meeting on Opportunities for Hulless Barley as a Livestock Feed will be held on March 3 at the Virginia Tech Alson H. Smith, Jr. Agricultural Research and Extension Center in Winchester, VA. There is no registration fee and lunch will be provided by the Virginia Crop Improvement Association.

Hulless barley is the same as traditional hulled barley except the seed hull starts to crack as the grain matures. The hull is then removed during harvesting to give a grain that has been shown in research to be equal to corn for many types of livestock. To RSVP or learn more information, please contact Bonnie McCauley at the Virginia Crop Improvement Association at 804-746- 4884 or bonniemccauleyvcia@yahoo.com.