National Corn Growers Association President Pam Johnson took advantage of one of the nation’s largest farm shows to talk about NCGA’s membership milestone and the need for corn farmers themselves to make themselves heard on such important issues as ethanol and the farm bill. “Now is the time for action,” Johnson said at the Farm Progress Show, underway in Decatur, Ill. “I urge all of our 40,000 corn growers and those who support them to get involved – whether by reaching out to your lawmakers, getting active in social media like Facebook or Twitter, or volunteering time and talent with our state corn grower associations. Opportunities for engagement are numerous, and we cannot win the battles ahead without our grassroots getting more involved.”
Johnson and NCGA First Vice President Martin Barbre toured the show, met with scores of farmers and took part in numerous interviews with farm media at the annual event, which alternates between the Decatur and Boone, Iowa locations.
At the end of July, NCGA announced a record membership of more than 40,000, and Johnson said she saw a lot of promise in that number. “Since 1957, NCGA has been a respected voice for corn farmers from Capitol Hill to Main Street to Wall Street,” she said. “We’ve been a leader, fighting for key legislation and building important alliances to help all of today’s agriculture move forward. This membership record is a reflection of our current position as a strong and vital ag trade association at a time when many struggle to maintain, let alone increase, their size and influence.”