U.S. Com Industry Unveils Aggressive Vision For Growth AMANA, lowa Coin industry Readers want to double the value of U.S. com by 2002. Developed as part of a strategic planning effort ini tiated by the National Com Growers Association (NCGA), the com industry vision state ment unveiled at the Farm Progress Show outlines where the com industry wants to be in the next five years. The vision is a direction, a rallying point to achieve results. “Com is worth about $27 billion a year to U.S. farmers,” said Wallie Hardie, president elect of the NCGA. “We believe we can realize $4O bil lion in cash receipts at the faim level by 2002." According to the vision statement, “The U.S. com industry will be a growth industry realizing a $4O billion market value at the producer level by 2002 as it responds and adds value to the food, feed and industrial needs of the world in the 21st Century. It will be a profitable and dynam ic industry, attracting tire best and brightest people, capable of expanding and capitalizing on global opportunities in both traditional and non-traditional markets." Hardie, a Faimount, N.D. com grower who serves as co chairman of the strategic plan ning effort known as “Global Positioning Com: New Think ing For A New Age,” agrees LET OUR TRAINED TECHNICIANS INSPECT YOUR ISBN DEERE MAXEMERQE* OR NANBIIEROE 2* PLANTER FOR AS LITTLE AS sloo*l Be sure your John Deere Max Emerge or Max Emerge 2 Planter is ready for the precision planting you need. Have our John Deere-trained service professionals check it now- It’s the best way to ensure that you’ll keep the accurate, consistent planting you’ve come to expect from your Max Emerge or Max Emerge 2 Planter. PROGRAM 111 KFrtGT FES. ITO APR. I U Finger Pick-Up Units Inspection or Monitor Test SMtOO Special Thru April 1,1997 mAt *«ch the vision is aggressive. “The vision is formidable, but achievable," he said. To reach the $4O billion level during the next five years, all segments of the com indus try will need to pool their resources and cooperate, said Everett Nbrdinc, 1997 chair man of the National Com Development Foundation and co-chairman of the “Global Positioning Com: New Think ing For A New Age" process. The cooperative process started with the formation of a Cora Industry Vision Task Force, which included com growers, livestock and poultry producers, specialty com pro ducers, state com grower asso ciation staff, grain merchandis ers, seed industry representa tives, com processors and representatives, from other segments of the com industry. Task force members began developing the com industry vision in January 1996. To crane up with the $4O billion target, they considered indus try structure, international markets, trade, demand, gov ernmental policy, environmen tal trends, production dynam ics and other competitive fac tors influencing the industry’s future. Using this infoimation, the task force drafted the new com ihdustry vision. The vision was scrutinized by the com indus try, and growers around the country were polled during the summer. Changes and recom mendations were incorporated into the final vision statement approved by the NCGA and NCDF boards in August “The next step is to develop the goals and strategies that will help us make the vision a reality," Hardie said. NCGA and NCDF leaders already are looking for ways to contribute to the achievement of the com industry vision. “The $4O billion level can be reached in several ways," Nor dinc said. “We can increase demand. We can also add value to our product in current mar kets by using new technology and developing new uses for com.” The NCGA is working on nine vision-related goals. “Each of the goals contributes to increasing demand or deve loping new uses.” Haidie said. “The goals will help us pull together as an industry, respond to growing demand and focus on our customers. At the same time, we’ll be getting to know our competitors better. The information we gain will help us protein our competitive advantage.” Other goals among the nine address government policy, research, education and information. “Government policy impacts our ability to profitably grow and market com,” Haidie said. John Deere 66- to 85-hp 6000 Series Tractors 635 Disk with Rock Protection • Load-sensitive C-spring gang sham protect your blades. • 600 Series tandem di breaker, with easy d( • Rigid, rigid-fold, and Com Tilk, Lancaster Firming, Saturday, January 25,' (DCDIEM TMM MIWO “One of the things that we can do at the NCGA is to work/or government policy that helps U.S. com growers access and compete in growing world markets.” The U.S. com industry already is the largest player in the world com market. U.S. growers hold about 70 percent of the global export market share. “The idea behind the vision is to increase our advan- |j a O H N D EE R E ] PENNSYLVANIA MASTER CORN GROWERS ASSOC., INC. For a copy of the com indus try vision and the NCGA’s goals, contact the National Com Growers Association at 1000 Executive* Parkway, #lO5, St. Louis, MO, 63141, attn: “Global Positioning Com: New Thinking For A New Age.” itional 16-speed PowrQuad™ transmission gives you four power iftable speeds in four synchronized ranges, or get the fully ichronized 12-speed SyncroPlus"' transmission. Both transmissions feature PermaClutch 2™ wet clutch for mmatched reliability, no adjustments. • The roomy Comfort Gard™ cab gives you better visibility and ■excellent climate control. • Powerful hydraulics give you greater capacity, faster cycle times. • Come in and test drive a new 66-, 75- or 85- hp 6000 Series Tractor. tage,” Handle explained, “not to sit tight and maintain, or lose, the market share we’ve got.” 187
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