WASHINGTON, D.C. Citing imminent losses in domestic and export corn markets, coupled with exorbi tant transportation costs, National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) Corn Board member Tim Burrack of Arlington, lowa, told the Mississippi River Caucus in Washington, D.C. that the future of agriculture rests on drastically needed improve ments along the Mississippi and Illinois rivers. Burrack noted that the future financial success of com growers throughout the nation is directly tied to the Mississippi and Illinois river system. Subsequently, infra structure improvements are a top priority for NCGA - bamely the doubling the 600- foot lock chambers at Mississippi River Lock and Dam 25, 24, 22, 20 and 21 and LaGrange and Peoria locks on the Illinois River. To further improve the river’s efficiency, NCGA is pushing (jlilia s) SUPERFLOW FERTILIZER SPRE *t, —SUPERFLOW SEEDER Spreaders are the most accurate broadcast spreaders in the world. The unique pendulum action keeps the spread pattern close to the rear of the machine while at the same time providing a symmetrical pattern on both sides The pattern allows “back and forth” as well as “around and around” operation. The “truncated” pattern offsets inaccurate overlap problems, eliminating streaking. Stop By Your Nearest Dealer and See First Hand Why They’re Worth The Investment PENNSYLVANIA Clifford • North East Dist.& Equip. 570-222-9090 Glen Rock • Wertz Farm Equipment 717-235-0111 Grave City • McDowell Farm Implement 814-786-7955 Klmgerstown • Stanleys Farm Service 570-648-2088 Distributed By: t CUMMINGS and BRICKER, Inc. I 1 100 Stover Drive, Carlisle, PA 17013 717/249-6720 Code Blue For for the extension of guide walls at the Mississippi Lock and Dam 18-14. “If we are unable to move agricultural products in an efficient manner, the United States will become less and less competitive in export markets and we will lose domestic markets as well,” Burrack said. “Unless we make the improvements along the river, US. agricul ture will pay the price.” Without continued invest ments in the transportation infrastructure, he said, US. farmers are being placed at a severe disadvantage as for eign countries increase their commitment to developing their agricultural export markets. For the past six years, NCGA has watched the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers conduct the $4O million upper Mississippi-Illindis Waterway Navigation Study and has attempted to be hilly engaged in the study process GREENLAND I li I ill il Kg® pi p I ; i UrM&.t9 «ntth Leola -M.M. Weaver* Son 717-656-2321 Lewisburg • Don Erdley Farm Equip. 570-524-2410 New Berlinville • Erb & Henry Equipment 610-367-2169 New Ringgold < Eckroth Bros. Farm Equipment 570-943-2131 Orelield • Eckroth Equipment 601-366-2095 100-120 Lehigh Ave , PO Box 928, Batavia, New York 14021-0928 716/343-5411 J w Peach Bottom • Triple H Equipment 717-548-3775 Penn Run • Manor Motors 724-254-4^53 Sharon •Watsons, Inc. 724-346-6514 NEW JERSEY Pittsgrove • Schaper Bros. 856-455-1640 Hammonton • Rodio Sales 609-561-0141 Old Man River, Says NCGA every step of the way. “However, our opinion of this process a true water shed has eroded from cau tious optimism to having lost all faith in the study” said Burrack. “Perhaps we were naive in thinking that this study would confirm the obvi ous; that the majority of locks are outdated, under capacity and under maintained, and in dire need of improvement. Instead, we have seen the Corps produce one implausi ble theorem after another.” He further illustrated NCGA’s frustration by noting that the Corps claims that the rail rates will not rise, even though they did not study capacity constraints at the ports; the Corps has decided that advances cur rently being made in biotech nology will not lead to beyond trend line yield increases; the Corps has not taken into account what U.S. competi tors are doing to strengthen their export positions; and ■QM (j@> Rust free polyester hoppers, "DURA-COAT” enamel on painted components with stainless steel metering plates, precision adjustments, and a variety of spouts for a multitude of applications have earned <UCj) Superflow seeder spreaders a world-wide reputation as the premier broadcast spreader. Corn Talk, Lancaster Farming, Saturday, March 4, 2000-Page 1 the Corps is indicating that the environmental benefits of river transportation will not be accounted for properly. “If this were not enough, they (the Corps of Engineers) have spent the last year try ing to determine the elastici ty of demand for barge trans portation, and quite frankly, they blew it,” Burrack said. He explained that lowa is the second largest shipper of corn and soybeans on the Mississippi and Illinois rivers that lowa farmers shipped an average of 203 million bushels of com and 66 mil lion bushels of soybeans on the Mississippi River every year during the 19905. In addition, a large volume of lowa grain is railed or trucked to the Illinois River Seeder spreaders are easily calibrated for extremely accurate performance. Versatile spreaders band material in vineyards, orchards and nurseries, as well as spread lime, and salt and sand for winter use. Serving Farmers Through Faim Equipment Dealers Sinct 1961 ®a.K raws PENNSYLVANIA MASTER CORN GROWERS ASSOC.. INC. Statement tity preservation require ad ditional handling, which may pose challenges for farmers and elevator managers during harvest. NCGA maintains that users who prefer guaranteed conventional corn must be prepared to pay for the added management costs and equipment expenses required to segregate it. NCGA will continue to work closely with all sectors of agriculture and with the government agencies that regulate biotechnology and that promote the export of U.S. crops. NCGA will con tinue to provide farmers with the information necessary to evaluate their markets. Fur thermore, NCGA will insist that technology companies provide farmers with timely, accurate information and the choice to buy the best hybrids either as conventional seed or as those enhanced through biotechnology. Silage Roller Mill A specialized mill designed for silage & high moisture grains. Diameter 10”x20" long. Rolls up to 600 bushels an hour of silage & grain. F.M.1.-Feedmobile 727 Furnace Hills Pike, Lititz, PA 17543 717-626-2680 for shipment. For com, the Mississippi shipments equal more than one of every eight rows grown in lowa, and in 1997, com shipments were worth more than $340 mil lion. 0k (Continued from Page 22) 171
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