Colorado Corn

The National Corn Growers Association’s Ethanol Committee has established a task force of corn farmers to focus on climate issues, such as land use change, greenhouse gas emissions, cap-and-trade policies, carbon sequestration and low carbon fuel standards.

“There is a wealth of information and research on climate change that we need to gather and communicate to our members and policymakers,” said Steve Ruh, chairman of the task force and a member of the Illinois Corn Growers Association. “We also know there is a need for more research to fill the gaps for policy and legislative initiatives that will help us maintain economic and environmental sustainability.”

In addition to a busy slate of conference calls and meetings as the task force organizes, short-term projects for the team include a response to the controversial low carbon fuel standard proposed by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) and a set of white papers on land use.

Members of the Climate Change Task Force, in addition to Ruh, are Steve Ebke of the Nebraska Corn Growers Association, vice chairman of the Production of Stewardship Action Team; Mike Geske of the Missouri Corn Growers Association, chairman of the Public Policy Action Team; Dave Loos, a staff member of the Illinois Corn Growers Association; David Nelson of the Iowa Corn Growers Association, a NCGA Corn Board member and Ethanol Committee liaison; and Fred Yoder of the Ohio Corn Growers Association, NCGA past president and member of the 25x’25 Carbon Work Group. Also on the team are Jessica Bennett, NCGA director of public policy, and Jamey Cline, NCGA director of biofuels programs.