Corn Comments Podcast with Jim Woster.

Are you interested in becoming a member of the South Dakota Corn Growers Association?

If you become a member before the end of the day on March 31, 2011, you will be entered in a contest to win  a $1,000 seed certificate to the company of your choice.

Becoming a member of the South Dakota Corn Growers Association also makes you a  member of the Natioinal Corn Growers Association.

Learn more about the other valuable benefits of becoming a member  of the South Dakota Corn Growers. Join today!

South Dakota Farmers and Ranchers are the True Environmentalists.

The South Dakota Corn Growers Association board directors and staff gathered at the state capitol on Wednesday and Thursday to meet with legislators to discuss current topics and legislation.

69 legislators joined South Dakota Corn and the American Coalition for Ethanol on Wednesday night at View 34 in Pierre for “An Enchanted Evening with Ag and Energy.” An event sponsored by the two organizations to show their appreciation for the state’s lawmakers.

“We appreciate the commitment, leadership and passion for public service shown by our South Dakota officials,” said Teddi Mueller, SDCGA’s legislative and industry affairs director. “This is a challenging year for the Legislature with the state facing a budget shortfall, and we recognize all the extra work they’re putting in.”

“We have great relationships with a number of South Dakota legislators, but there are many new faces and this event gives our directors an opportunity to meet with them in a relaxed setting,” said SDCGA president, Gary Duffy, a farmer and rancher from Oldham, SD.

Today, the SDCGA directors held their February board meeting in Pierre. Directors also sat in on several committee hearings including the House Ag and Natural Resources, House Taxation and the Senate Ag and Natural Resources.

“Having a presence in Pierre is an important part of the South Dakota Corn Grower’s efforts in best representing our membership,” said Duffy. “We are here as the voice for not only our membership, but all of our state’s producers.”

Wednesday morning, South Dakota House Bill 1216, “a bill to open up franchise agreements to ethanol blends” passed through the Senate Transportation Committee with a vote of 7-0.

The bipartisan bill from Representative Mitch Fargen and Senator Russell Olson was brought forward after gas station owners were unable to install blender pumps because of franchise agreements after attempting to use grant money from state legislation passed in 2010.

 “We are going to tell companies outside of our state they can no longer prohibit South Dakota owned franchises from selling ethanol,” said the bills co-sponsor, Senator Russell Olson. “This bill truly puts South Dakota first…and helps to free up our dependence on foreign oil.”

“We ran into places that were unable to install blender pumps because of their franchise agreements,” said Representative, Mitch Fargen, the bill’s prime sponsor. “This year the governor has a bill to expand the blender pumps program and we needed to do something with franchise agreement to give them the option of installing blender pumps across the state with the option of selling blends like E15, E30 and other various blends.”

“We are not requiring or mandating blender pumps, if you want to participate in the program, you can,” said, Harry Christianson of the Ethanol Producers of South Dakota. “It’s good for South Dakota, it’s good for the ethanol industry and it’s good for agriculture.”

HB 1216 now moves to the Senate Chamber.

In an attempt to reduce the federal budget, the United States House of Representatives voted to block the implementation funding of E15 to the marketplace through House Resolution 156.

While attempting to save money, Congress is actually squandering tax payer dollars as House Resolution 156 will waste the money that has been spent by the Environmental Protection Agency in the successful testing of E15. A move to E15 in light trucks and cars is a huge step for biofuels and the EPA recognized that by testing the blend more than any other fuel in history.

Finally H.R. 156 continues our country on a path of further dependence on foreign oil. E15 would reduce America’s dependence on foreign oil by a projected 7 billion gallons annually.

“They have changed the rules on testing for increased blends of ethanol, still results have always shown ethanol can be safely used in vehicles” said South Dakota Corn Growers Association president, Gary Duffy, a farmer and rancher from Oldham, South Dakota. ” We have been mandated 90 percent gasoline for too long.” 

The House of Representatives voting displayed an obvious sense of geography and not so much political party. However, things will be different in the Senate.

“With the ethanol industry still in its infancy, funding cuts to ethanol, America’s only readily available alternative to gasoline, could be costly to future biofuel markets,” said Duffy. “Sound science by the EPA has proven E15 safe for vehicles 2001 or newer, but congress now stands in the way of consumer choices at the pump.”

Corn Comments Podcast with Jim Woster.

Are you interested in becoming a member of the South Dakota Corn Growers Association?

If you join before the end of the day on March 31, 2011, you will be entered in a contest to win  a $1,000 seed certificate to the company of your choice.

South Dakota Farmers and Ranchers are the True Environmentalists.

All 43 cars at this weekend’s Daytona 500 will be running on E15, a blend of 15% corn ethanol and 85% gasoline, giving them additional horse power and leaving behind fewer emissions.  With Daytona being the first race of the season, and arguably the biggest race of the year, it sets the stage for the rest of the NASCAR series.

With NASCAR using E15, American Ethanol has been created to educate consumers about the value of corn ethanol for our nation’s economy and energy security. This partnership will provide an opportunity to promote America’s ability to lead in helping feed and fuel the world in a sustainable manner.

Ethanol is a great American success story and through NASCAR 75 million US consumers will learn more about what ethanol has to offer by watching a race this year either in person, on TV or both. NASCAR fans total 24% of the entire U.S. population and it all starts with Daytona.

“NASCAR and American Ethanol are ideal partners,” said NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France. “NASCAR is a great American sport in its third generation of family ownership, and ethanol is produced from the harvest of family-owned farms across our country’s heartland.”

“The American corn farmer’s productivity goes unmatched throughout the world which allows us to meet food and feed demands while producing a clean-burning, domestic fuel that’s reducing our dependence on foreign oil,” said David Fremark, South Dakota Corn Utilization (SDCUC) President and farmer from St. Lawrence, SD. “American racing fueled by American corn ethanol is a great partnership that will help educate all Americans about the value corn ethanol has on our nation’s economy, energy security and environment.”

To watch the Daytona 500, tune into FOX this Sunday at 12 noon central time.