FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Dale Ihry, Executive Director
| 701-364-2250
Fargo, North Dakota –North Dakota corn farmer leadership visited Washington D.C on March 28 and 29 to discuss current issues with the ARC/PLC and RMA programs. The North Dakota corn leadership group consisted of Carson Klosterman, President of North Dakota Corn Growers Association (NDCGA), Scott German, Chairman of the North Dakota Corn Utilization Council (NDCUC) and Dale Ihry, Executive Director of North Dakota Corn.
Meetings were held with the North Dakota congressional delegation, National Corn Growers staff, Farm Service Agency (FSA), Risk Management Agency (RMA) and the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). The main topics discussed include the 2014 and 2015 ARC-CO program administered by FSA and the crop insurance program administered by RMA.
“North Dakota corn was able to present a proposed policy paper to FSA to improve the current county yield setting policy used under the ARC-CO program when NASS does not deliver a county yield”, said Carson Klosterman, President of NDCGA. “This proposal would place authority at the local level, the State FSA Committee, to assign a county yield when NASS data is not available for the specific county.” This proposal would also assist with yield issues raised by LaMoure, Logan, Ransom and Steele County corn producers for 2014. And would be helpful in 2015, for counties such as McIntosh and Logan, as NASS yields were again missing when released in February of 2016.
The crop insurance program is also of concern to North Dakota corn producers. The meeting with RMA included requests to retain the crop insurance as is without further cuts, as is proposed under the 2017 budget. Another request was related to rerating the corn program and applicable premiums. “We asked for and were satisfied to hear that RMA will be rerating corn in North Dakota this summer, with rates applicable to the 2017 crop year,” said Scott German, Chairman of NDCUC. “We specifically asked that 2015 year be included in the calculation as that year of corn production had scant few losses in North Dakota and should help with rating.”
The meetings with the North Dakota congressional staffers was also beneficial as the North
Dakota corn leadership was able to present issues that are pressing and was satisfied to hear that all positions discussed matched the positions of the congressional leadership.
The North Dakota Corn Utilization Council (NDCUC) was created in 1991 and consists of 7
members representing 7 districts. The NDCUC oversees how North Dakota’s corn checkoff dollars are spent on research, education and promotion of corn and corn products.
The North Dakota Corn Growers Association (NDCGA) is the farmer-led organization focusing on policy that impacts North Dakota corn producers. The NDCGA consists of 14 growers from 7 districts along with 4 at-large directors. The NDCUC and NDCGA work together to grow a healthy, profitable business climate for northern corn.
ND Corn Leadership Visits USDA on ARC and RMA Programs
