By JODY E. POLLOK-NEWSOM
Corn Marketing Program of Michigan
Michigan Corn Growers Assoc.

As this edition of Farm World goes to press, I hope you are all wrapping up a safe and bountiful harvest. For the staff here in the Corn Marketing Program of Michigan (CMPM) and Michigan Corn Growers Assoc. (MCGA) office, harvest is always a busy season for us as well.

I would like to take this opportunity to update you on various topics including appointments to national action teams, a unique Bio-Energy Bus Tour highlighting Michigan’s ag-economy and a big “Go Green” effort to educate about corn heat.

Michigan corn growers appointed to national posts
Five MCGA members are among the 85 growers recently named to serve on Action Teams and Committees for the National Corn Growers Assoc. (NCGA).

As grassroots organizations, it is vital to both the NCGA and the MCGA that their grower members are actively involved and NCGA Action Teams are one way that growers can be engaged. NCGA Action Teams take the lead in facilitating problem solving efforts and policy setting for corn growers across the United States.
These selected teams decide the path NCGA will take throughout the next year. As one of 28 active corn growing states, it is very exciting to have five Michigan representatives appointed to these national level positions.

MCGA board member Alvin Ferguson, a corn grower from Allenton, was appointed to serve on the Bylaws Committee. The Bylaws Committee works closely with the Corn Board, the governing board of directors for the NCGA, to evaluate the rules and regulations which guide the NCGA and ensure that they are kept valid and up-to-date.

Also appointed to serve on an NCGA Action Team was MCGA board member Scott Miller, a corn grower from Elsie. Miller was appointed to serve his second term on the Trade Policy and Biotechnology Action Team.

The team works to support the availability, marketability and acceptance of biotechnology around the world, while protecting the integrity of U.S. corn. The group is also charged with providing quality information to NCGA member organizations and members on current approvals and marketability of biotechnology products.
Three MCGA members were appointed to serve on the NCGA Ethanol Committee, which works to unify the promotion, marketing and policy development for the ethanol industry in the United States. Jeff Sandborn, MCGA vice president and a corn grower from Portland, was appointed to serve a second term on the team.

Also appointed to the NCGA Ethanol Committee was Clark Gerstacker, CMPM president, NCGA Corn Board member and a corn farmer from Midland, who will serve as the NCGA Corn Board liaison to the team. Additionally, Jamie Wilson, CMPM and MCGA communication coordinator and ethanol specialist, was appointed to serve as the state staff member on the Ethanol Committee.

Michigan farmers are creating cleaner energy
Together with the Ottawa County Michigan State University Extension (MSUE), the CMPM and MCGA are hosting a unique event to educate our state’s leaders about the latest clean energy technologies during their On-Farm Bio-Energy Bus Tour. The event will showcase two of Michigan’s agricultural pioneers who are making a difference by producing renewable energy right on the farm.

On Friday, November 5, 2010, local officials, municipal leaders and city planners will all join in on the fun as they visit two west Michigan agricultural facilities. The On-Farm Bio-Energy Tour is a great opportunity for participants to see first-hand how agricultural clean energy technologies look, smell and sound.

They will have the chance to discuss with facility managers just how these innovative new technologies work and learn about the positive role that on-farm renewable energy can safely play in our rural and urban communities.

The Bio-Energy Bus tour will kick off Friday morning in Allendale. From there, the bus will depart to its first stop; the Rasch Farm ethanol production facility in Conklin. The Rasch’s utilize the corn-ethanol production cycle full circle by growing their own corn, processing that corn into ethanol on their property, utilizing the fuel in their farm equipment, feeding the co-products to livestock and then using the livestock waste to fertilize next year’s corn crop.
Attendees will hear about the challenges associated with an on-farm ethanol facility and how the system is benefiting the farm today.

After departing the Rasch’s, the bus will head southwest to the Scenic View Dairy anaerobic digester in Fennville. Owners of the Scenic View Dairy convert the waste from their livestock into valuable products such as electricity, gas and animal bedding. While some of the products are used by the farm itself, much of the gas and electricity are sold as sustainable energy to utility companies, creating another source of income for the dairy.
Spartan fans learn about corn heat during pre-game tailgate
Michigan State University (MSU) Spartan football fans will learn about a renewable way to keep warm this fall thanks to America’s home-grown energy source – corn.

During the final four MSU home football games, the CMPM will partner with local corn stove dealers to heat the WJR radio station’s broadcast tent. WJR broadcasters and their guests will be kept warm using heat from corn stoves, while also educating Spartan fans about the benefits of heating with corn.

Corn heating units will provide an economical, environmentally-friendly source of heat throughout the three-hour events.
Game attendees will learn about corn heat first hand by examining the heating units on-site. Corn heating units include stoves, furnaces or boilers which generate heat from burning corn kernels. Although these units are similar to wood-burning stoves, they are designed to burn a dry, granular fuel, such as shelled corn.
Some units are multi-fuel or biomass units and can burn other fuels in addition to corn, such as pellets, nutshells, small wood chips and other small grains like rye, wheat and barley.

Heating the broadcast tent is a great opportunity to showcase the fact that corn can be utilized for a multitude of uses, including heating purposes. Michigan’s farmers continue to improve their efficiency while growing more and more corn each year. This wonder crop can now not only be used to feed the nation and our livestock, but can also be used to heat our homes and businesses with corn heating units.