CORN GROWER S ASSOCIATION Political Papers

JANUARY 2012

CONGRESSIONAL CALENDAR

Jan 17—House returns ICGA PAC EVENT RAISED NEARLY $4000

Jan 16—Federal Holiday

Jan 19-20—House District What has become an annual IL entertainment for current and A silent auction was held, raising Work Days Corn Growers Association Po- former board members and more than half of the funds for litical Action Committee fund- county leaders that are already in the evening. Thank you to our Jan 23—Senate returns raiser on November 21 raised Bloomington for the ICGA policy sponsors for donating items to Jan 26-30—House District nearly $4,000 for the ICGA session and Illinois Commodity make our PAC event a success: Work Days PAC. Conference the week of Thanks-  CornBelters The event focuses on providing giving.  Bloomington Meats This year,  Ropp Cheese Farm attendees  Big R played trivia  Syngenta games and  Farm and Fleet participated in  Case IH wine tastings  Sloan Implement trying to de- Please mark your calendars for termine which our 2012 PAC event on Novem- were locally ber 19 at the Illinois Corn home produced office in Bloomington, IL. GENERAL ASSE M B L Y wines. CALENDAR

Jan 11, 18, 25—Perfunctory Ses- sions

Feb 1—State of the State Address NEW CROP INSURANCE OPTIONS FOR 2012

Illinois Corn Growers Farmers all across the state have Association told us that federal crop insur- PO Box 1623 ance isn’t working for them. The Bloomington, IL Illinois Corn Marketing Board listened and funded research to 61702-1623 help fix the problem.

In 2012, Illinois farmers will have lower premium or will allow you that you are continually produc- P: 309-557-3257 the option to select the Trend purchase additional coverage for ing over the bushels you pro- F: 309-827-0916 Adjusted APH Yield Option the same incremental cost. duced the year before. This which will update your APH to There is not a corn or soybean number is added to your yield www.ilcorn.org more accurately reflect your farmer in Illinois who qualifies history and then the new num- [email protected] predicted yield instead of an aver- that will not benefit from this bers are averaged to predict age of your historic yield. option! next year’s yield for your farm. Essentially, updating your pre- How does it work? As an example, if a farm in dicted yield by taking this option McLean County had a yield trend The yield trend for each county is number of two, the option will allow you to purchase the calculated. This number basically same coverage as last year for a would add two more bushels to describes the number of bushels your APH in 2011, four more P A G E 2 “EVERY MAN OWES A PART OF HIS TIME AND MONEY TO THE BUSINESS OR INDUSTRY IN WHICH HE IS ENGAGED. NO MAN HAS A MORAL RIGHT TO WITHHOLD HIS SUPPORT FROM AN ORGANIZATION THAT IS STRIVING TO IMPROVE CONDITIONS WITHIN HIS SPHERE.” ~ THEODORE ROOSEVELT

Have you ever wondered how Let us know your interest and are opportunities to accommo- you could get we can certainly find an activity date that as well. more involved in that fits you and your interest Simply email the Illinois Corn level. If you support a certain [email protected] to express Growers Associa- candidate, ICGA can help you interest in getting more in- tion or its Politi- hold a fundraiser for that candi- volved. cal Action Com- date. If you are interested in mittee? seeing firsthand what ICGA We look forward to seeing you soon! Volunteering is simple! does in Washington, DC, there PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES GRADED

The Iowa Caucuses are re- didates, media and official re- the candidate’s website to cently over with Mitt Romney cords, each candidate was complete the voter guide. winning, but the Illinois pri- scored and graded. If a candi- Answers to the survey and mary voting day isn’t until date failed to complete the issue tracking are available March 20. The Illinois Corn survey, the committee used online at www.iowacorn.org/ Growers Association contrib- published statements, official corncaucus. uted to a project of the Iowa records or information from Corn Growers Association to grade all the candidates on issues important to corn farm- ers. Find out more The Iowa Corn Growers As- about your sociation released the Corn Caucus Project Presidential candidates for Report Card, a reference President via the guide to presidential candi- dates’ positions on agricultural Corn Caucus policies. Project at The Corn Caucus Project Presidential Report Card pro- www.iowacorn.org/ vides information on the eight major candidates’ responses to corncaucus. questions on legislative priori- ties for corn. Topics on the survey included: ethanol, farm programs, Environmental Pro- tection Agency regulations, trade and transportation. Based on survey responses submitted by presidential can-

POLITICAL PAPERS JANUARY 2012 P A G E 3 CROP INSURANCE (cont.) bushels to your APH in 2010 and ten more bushels to your APH in 2007. The adjusted yields would be averaged to predict your ex- pected yield in 2012 and then you would decide whether to insure 50%, 75% or 80% of that new ex- For more information on how pected yield. your checkoff dollars and asso- ciation are working for you, visit www.ilcorn.org.

The process to approve this new product was a long one, riddled potential improvements to the Fed- Option in March when you make with government paperwork, eral crop insurance program in or- your crop insurance selections. beaucracy, and political power. der to bring this pilot program as an For farmers in Illinois, this product The Illinois Corn Growers Associa- option to our members. is a tool that you cannot live with- tion leveraged the Illinois Corn Please seriously consider signing up out. Marketing Board’s research on for the Trend Adjusted APH Yield STATE POLITICS PUNISH LIVESTOCK FACILITIES

Livestock is an important market and Governor simply will not let for corn grown in the U.S. Here in cows be milked on the premise. Illinois, though it is not our largest AJ Bos remains in favor of the Illi- market, it is a valuable market. nois site. Tradition Dairy with it’s Livestock in Illinois has room to ____ cows will not replace all the grow before it can fulfill the protein cows that JoDaviess County used needs of Illinois residents and to house. JoDaviess County is though it is also an opportunity for historically an agricultural county. rural economic development that our state desperately needs, the The agricultural community stands leaders of our state are NOT in behind this and other livestock favor of the industry. sitings that are punished by Illinois authorities. The Illinois ag associa- Governor Quinn and the staff that tions have sat down with Governor Now that Illinois agriculture is cer- he has placed around him try to Quinn and his staff, explaining the undermine the industry at every tain that livestock will not get a fair need for livestock in the state, how trial in Illinois, legislative changes turn. Perhaps the best example of livestock and grain farming work this is the AJ Bos Dairy (Tradition and political pressures are the next hand in hand, and how both are course of action. Dairy) in JoDaviess County where integral as an economic driver for Illinois leadership have thrown the state. Though at the time, the The agricultural industry simply hurdle after hurdle in front of the meetings seem successful, Gover- cannot allow public officials and dairy trying to prevent it’s siting. nor Quinn and his staff return to Illinois leaders to believe that they Though the dairy continues to meet their negativity about livestock as can stimey economic growth by and exceed all the requirements soon as our backs are turned. manipulating the legislative and legal asked of it, the Attorney General process to stop livestock. Illinois Corn Growers Association

PO Box 1623 Bloomington, IL 61702-1623

www.ilcorn.org

PRIMARY IN MARCH „12 PROMISES Help candidates who help you ... INTERESTING RACES! DONATE As the March 20, 2012 primary ap- District 16: vs. Don Donating to the ICGA PAC is easy! proached, take a moment to familiarize Manzullo (Redistricting caused yourself with your new legislative dis- Kinzinger to move into the incumbent Simply complete your personal check trict and the candidates you might be Congressman Manzullo’s 11th district.) and fill out the form below. voting for. Notable election races this fall include: Name: ______Keep in mind, the candidate you’ve had District 11: vs. for the last ten years might just be (Redistricting has placed former Con- Address: ______changing drasti- gressman in the 17th District Foster cally. into incumbent Congresswoman Big- Notable primary gert’s district.) ______races include: District 12: is retiring so ______District 2: Jesse the field is wide open! Jackson, Jr vs. District 13: With an entirely new dis- Amount: ______Debbie Halvorson trict and new constituents, Congress- (Redistricting has man Tim Johnson and Congressman PAC contributions are not tax de- placed former Bobby Schilling may have a good cam- ductible and cannot be treated as a Congresswoman in paign ahead of him to keep his seat. the 11th District business expense. For ICGA’s PAC Halvorson into As the election approaches, ICGA will Policies and Guidelines, contact the incumbent Con- keep watch over these races and con- gressman Jackson’s tinue to support the candidates that you ICGA office at 309-557-3257. district.) support!