Page 1 28—Corn Talk; 'Lancaster farming, 'Saturday; October It, 1997
ST. LOUIS, Mo. NCGA
believes that corn’s future is
written in its genetic code.
That’s why the association
has teamed up with a consor
tium of private and public sec
tor organizations to launch the
National Com Genome Initia
tive. The group is seeking $143
million in federal support, over
five years, for research to map
the com genome.
Mapping and sequencing the
com genome is the key to U.S.
com growers’ future success in
the world market, explained
NCGA Research Committee
Chairman Doug Foss of
Illinois.
“To continue to compete
globally, we must improve our
com production capabilites.
We have to efficiently and eco
nomically maximize our yields
and combat serious threats
from disease, pests, and cli
mate changes, and we have to
do this without harming the
environment,” Foss said.
A com genome map will
identify the particular locations
of genes that control important
traits such as stress tolerance,
pest and disease resistance,
yield and nutritional value.
These genes can then be incor
porated into improved crop
varieties to address a diverse
range of producer and consum
er problems and needs.
The Senate Appropriations
Committee had allocated $4O
million to the National Science
Foundation for a National
BRINGING TECHNOLOGY
Ask about com hybrid
NC+ 4646
111 Days 2425 GDUs
♦ Dominating yield
performer
♦ Excellent standability
♦ Rapid drydown
Ask about com hybrid
NC+ 4880
112 Days, 2430 GDUs
♦ Strong yield potential
♦ Excellent germination and
seedling vigor
♦ Good standability and fast
drydown
Call District Sales Manager Harvey Doyle at
412-459-8580 or see one of these NC+ Dealers.
AARONSBURG MANHEIM
MICHAEL SPEICHER ARTHUR AUKER • 717-665-6627
ELLIOTSBURG
WAYNE FREEMAN • 717-582 2397
HALIFAX
BETHTEL FARMS, KENNETH
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KINTNERSVILLE
WAYNE LITZENBERGER
•610-847-5563
Biotechnology Holds Key To
Plant Genome Initiative that
will focus on deciphering the
genetics of com and other eco
nomically significant crops.
The bill now goes to a House-
Senate conference committee.
NCGA will be working with
House and Senate members to
ensure that the $4O million in
funding is included in the final
bill.
WASHINGTON, D.C.
The National Com Growers
Association (NCGA) is prais
ing the decision by the U.S.
Trade Representative to pursue
formal action to resolve a dis
pute with Mexico regarding
anti-dumping duties imposed
on high fructose com syrup
(HFCS) imported from the
United States.
Trade Representative Char
lene Barshefsky announced re
cently that the U.S. will request
immediate consultations with
Mexico under the dispute set
tlement provisions of the
World Trade Organization
(WTO). If the issue is not re
solved via consultation, the
U.S. may seek a WTO panel
ruling.
Earlier this year, Mexican
sugar interests alleged that
high fructose com syrup from
the U.S. was being dumped on
the Mexican market at prices
that were less than the cost of
Down to Earth
KUNKLETOWN
JEFFREY BORGER • 610-381-3785
LEBANON
CLARENCE MULL *717-865-2037
LITITZ
ELVIN HURSH* 717-733-3538
MANCHESTER
ANIMAL MEDIC *717-266-5611
Leading the fight' for this
funding on Capitol Hill are
Sens. Kit Bond (R-MO), Carol
Moseley-Braun (D-IL), Char
les Grassley (R-IA), and Tom
Harkin (D-IA), as well as Rep.
Jo Ann Emerson (R —MO).
The Clinton Administration
also has signaled its recogni
tion of the importance of plant
genome research. At the urging
of Sen. Bond, it recently estab-
Corn Growers Applaud US, Decision
To Fight Mexican Fructose Tariffs
production. In response, on
June 24, the Mexican Trade
Ministry imposed tariffs of as
much as $175.50 per ton on
MFCS imported from the
United States.
“U.S. exporters cannot pos
sibly compete at these exorbi
tant tariff levels, so all exports
of U.S. fructose to Mexico are
effectively stopped,” said
NCGA President Wallie Hard
ie, a com farmer from Fair
mount, N.D.
Hardie emphasized that the
ability to compete freely in the
international marketplace is
particularly important to U.S.
com growers following enact
ment of the 1996 Farm Bill.
“Freedom to Farm provisions
have eliminated the traditional
price supports available to com
farmers. In exchange, we were
told that we would be free to
produce for a growing interna
tional market,” he said.
“If left unchallenged, Mexi-
'win NC+ Lit nlit I in* tin InibihU mui Hint will yM foi you
RICHFIELD
SAMUEL KNOUSE • 717-463-2885
SALEM
DONALD EMEL* 609-769-1577
THOMPSONTOWN
DAVID SANER *717-535-5103
THOMPSONTOWN
ROGER SANER • 717-535-5307
Corn’s Future
lished an Interagency Working
Group on Plant Genomics.
Agencies involved include the
National Institutes of Health,
National Science Foundation,
Department of Energy, Office
of Management and Budget
and USDA.
Learn more about the impor
tance of the com genome to the
U.S. grain industry in a new
co’s decision to impose anti
dumping duties on U.S. fruc
tose exports represents a
breach of faith with com farm
ers who were assured of their
right to pursue markets around
the world,” Hardie said.
“Therefore, we applaud Am
bassador Barshefsky’s decision
to take action to ensure en
forcement of the fair trade pro
visions of the WTO and the
North American Free Trade
Agreement.”
The action enjoys wide
spread support on Capitol Hill.
PENNSYLVANIA MASTER CORN GROWERS ASSOC., INC.
America’s Nr
down to earth
seed company
video entitled “National Com
Genome Initiative: For A Bet
ter America, for A Better
World.” The 10-minute prog
ram was produced by NCGA
with the support of the Nebras
ka Com Development, Utiliza
tion and Marketing Board. To
obtain a copy, contact Amy
Mercer at (314) 275-9915, ext.
118.
In July, Congress passed a con
current resolution (S. Con. Res.
43) urging the U.S. Trade
Representative to take appro
priate steps to resolve the issue.
Hardie and the Com Growers
expressed gratitude to the
elected officials who have
championed the issue, includ
ing Senators Chuck Grassley
(R-IA), Richard Lugar (R-IN),
Tom Harkin (D-IA), Tom
Daschle (D-SD) and Robert
Kerrey (D-NE), and Repre
sentatives Glenn Poshard
(D-IL), Thomas Ewing (R-BL)
and Phil Crane (R-IL).
mm
Ask about com hybrid:
NC+ 5007 New
112 Days, 2440 GDUs
♦ Excellent yields and eye
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♦ Displays good tolerance to
gray leaf spot.
♦ Excellent ear flex and
rapid drydown.
Ask about com hybrid;
NC+ 5445
114 Days, 2515 GDUs
♦ Outstanding yielder.
♦ Good tolerance to most
foliar diseases.
♦Good hybrid in
soybean rotation.