Corn Comments Podcast with Jim Woster.

Become a member  of the South Dakota Corn Growers Association today. Together we can make a difference!

SDCGA works to promote corn, improve corn profitability, and influence public policy and legislative efforts. SDCGA is only as strong as our membership base: The more members we have, the stronger and more clout we carry legislatively. Your membership with SDCGA starts when you download and complete your application.

You still have time to register  for Growing On 2011 Part 2: Getting ready for Spring Planting and Field Preparation with Kevin Kimberly. There will be two day-long events with the first being in Watertown on Feb. 16th at the Watertown Event Center and in Sioux Falls on Feb. 17th at the Ramkota Hotel. Click here to register.

South Dakota Farmers and Ranchers are the True Environmentalists.

The message was loud and clear in President Barack Obama’s State of the Union address Tuesday night, as he pushed for further investment in biofuels and looked to cut billions of dollars in subsidies given to oil companies.

“I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but they’re doing just fine on their own. So instead of subsidizing yesterday’s energy, let’s invest in tomorrow’s,” said Obama. “With more research and incentives, we can break our dependence on foreign oil with biofuels.”

The statement was welcomed by both the agriculture and biofuel communities as it is exactly what the two industries have been saying for years. Corn ethanol and other biofuels have not only been lessening America’s dependence on foreign oil during the past decade, but have produced green jobs and spurred rural economic development.

“We were encouraged that President Obama spoke about the needs of rural America and the importance of our country’s global leadership when it comes to agriculture,” says National Corn Growers Association Chairman and Hurley, SD farmer Darrin Ihnen. “The success of all biofuels hinges on the success of ethanol from corn – on the growth of an ethanol industry that is leading the way, sustainably increasing in economic, environmental and energy efficiency.”

Farmers continue to produce more with less while meeting increased demands year after year, allowing an increase in domestic ethanol production that moves America closer to energy independence.

“Our growers have been working hard and smart to meet all needs for food, feed and fuel, and we have long recognized the need for policies and programs to grow opportunities for American farmers,” added Ihnen.

Corn Comments podcast with Jim Woster.

Register today  for Growing On 2011 Part 2: Getting ready for Spring Planting and Field Preparation with Kevin Kimberly. There will be two day-long events with the first being in Watertown on Feb. 16th at the Watertown Event Center and Sioux Falls on Feb. 17th at the Ramkota Hotel.

Become a member  of the South Dakota Corn Growers Association today. Together we can make a difference!

South Dakota Farmers and Ranchers are the True Environmentalists.

“Networking over the Net: Using Social Media to Tell Your Story”

Troy and Stacy Hadrick will be the second of three featured speakers at the South Dakota Corn Growers 25^th Annual Meeting on Saturday, January 22 at the Sioux Falls Convention Center. Troy and Stacy are fifth-generation ranchers from Faulkton and graduates of South Dakota State University who began speaking on agricultures behalf after a bad run-in with a New York Times reporter. The Hadricks have given over 30 presentations on the importance of agriculture “telling it’s story” all across the country in the past year. The Hadricks also have a blog and Facebook page they call, “Advocates for Agriculture” with the motto, “Promoting ag, one story at a time.”

The Hadricks will be encouraging producers to use social media, explaining the importance of promoting agriculture and the potential benefits of doing so.

“It’s all about putting the face back on the farmer.” – Troy Hadrick

“Will demand continue to push grain/soy prices higher in 2011?”

Sue Martin will be the first of three featured speakers at the South Dakota Corn Growers 25^th Annual Meeting  on Saturday, January 22 at the Sioux Falls Convention Center. Martin is the president and owner of Ag. & Investment Services bringing 38 years of experience in the brokerage business. Sue is an analyst for the University of Illinois radio Station, writes about ag market trends for AG Week newspaper and is a regular analyst on “Market to Market,” a syndicated TV program.

Martin will be speaking about corn and soybean markets, how demand will affect prices and how U.S. producers are affected by what’s happening in China.

The top things to take away from Martin include:

•Whatever happens in China has a growing impact on the U.S. If their prices fall, our prices fall. China will need to import our corn.

•The grain marketers have seen a healthy slide and there may be more to come. However, corn demand is likely to grow and the U.S. still has a crop that is in decline.

•Demand for distillers grains is good, and with crude oil prices in the $90-per-barrel range, ethanol should remain in demand.

•Beijing continues to take measures to make sure buyers are not stock piling grain. Corn supplies in North China and the Yellow/Huai River reaches are said to be growing quite slim.

Corn Comments with Jim Woster.

Time is running out to register for the South Dakota Corn Grower’s 25th Annual Meeting  this coming Saturday, January 22nd, starting at 8:00am at the Sioux Falls Convention Center featuring a full day of agricultural seminars and then its time to “Twist Again” with the evening enterainment, Chubby Checker and the Wild Cats.

Agenda:

7:30 – 8:30am Registration

8:00 – 8:45am SDCGA Resolutions Meeting

9:00 – 10:00am “Early Morning Marketing Session” – Sue Martin

10:15am – 12:30pm Emerging Opportunities in Agriculture

12:30 – 1:15pm Lunch/Program

1:30 – 2:30pm “Networking Over the Net: Using Social Media to Tell Your Story” – Troy and Stacy Hadrick

2:45 – 5:00pm “What’s So Great about American Agriculture? Just about everything!” – Dr. Jay Lehr

5:30 – 6:00pm Evening Social

6:00 – 9:30 “Corn Hop” – Celebrating 25 Years of Chart Topping Success!

Please click here to get registered today.

South Dakota Farmers and Ranchers are the True Environmentalists.