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Corn Congress looks at tax policy, climate smart ag and trade

The National Corn Growers Association updated and added new resolutions on tax policy and climate smart agriculture, and talked trade at Corn Congress this week.

Missouri farmer and newly elected board member Jay Schutte tells Brownfield there’s support for a non-refundable federal tax credit given to farmers using certain practices that lower the carbon intensity of corn production.

“The farmers then would get a benefit on their tax return for implementing these changes and with a lower carbon intensity score, it would make us more attractive to foreign markets to export our ethanol.”

He says attendees also heard from Chief Ag Negotiator in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative Doug McKalip on trade. He says there was an update on Brazil’s ethanol import tariff.

“They talk about the dangers of that. They couldn’t go into details, because of confidentiality, but he says it’s on their radar and they hope to get resolution on it soon.”

Schutte says there wasn’t much new to update on the U.S.-Mexico GMO corn dispute.

Schutte is one of five new farmers elected to serve on the NCGA board next year. Other newly elected officers include Jon Miller from Ohio, Jason Lewis and Dan Nerud from Nebraska and Randy DeSutter from Illinois.