From the Michigan Corn
Growers Assoc. As this edition of Farm World goes to press, it seems the dog days of summer are still holding on. I want to remind you that this is your last chance to register for Ethanol Night at the Races, to get out for some family fun before harvest.
I also want to take this opportunity to share with you some of the exciting events that we, in the Corn Office have been a part of this summer, as well as some of our upcoming fall events.
Register for the 2011 Ethanol Night at the Races
The Michigan Corn Growers Assoc. (MCGA) would like to remind its members that time is running out to register for the 2011 Ethanol Night at the Races at Dixie Motor Speedway in Birch Run on Sept. 9. You won’t want to miss this action-packed event, so be sure to sign up today!
Members should have received their invitations by mail and can choose any of our easy registration methods to obtain tickets. Attendees can reserve their seat at this year’s event by faxing their registration forms to the MCGA office at 517-668-2670 or by visiting www.micorn.org to register online.
Registration for MCGA members is free and guests are welcome to attend the event for a fee. The first four adult guests of an MCGA member will receive a discounted price of $15 per person, additional adult guests after the initial four will be charged $20 per person and children ages 6-12 will be admitted at the cost of $5 per child. Children under 6 are free.
Guests at Ethanol Night at the Races will be treated to a steak dinner, which begins at 4:30 p.m. and runs until racing begins at 7 p.m. Dinner will be followed by the “Eve of Destruction,” including chain gang races, Dixie crash cars, school bus figure-8s, figure-8 trailer races, flagpole races, spectator drags and open-wheeled modified invitational race.
In case of inclement weather, please contact Dixie Motor Speedway at 989-624-9778 to confirm Ethanol Night at the Races is still on. If the event gets postponed because of weather, the rain date will be Sept. 16.
MCGA annual golf outings a huge success Nearly 150 corn growers and industry supporters enjoyed a round of golf, games and door prizes at the MCGA annual summer golf outings. The Thumb Area Golf Outing was held Aug. 10 at Bird Creek in Port Austin and the Central Michigan Golf Outing was once again held at Centennial Acres in Sunfield on Aug. 17.
We would like to thank all of our members who attended the outings and helped make them such wonderful events. The MCGA would also like to thank this year’s sponsors of the summer golf outings for their ongoing support of both the MCGA and the corn industry.
These sponsors include: Bay Port State Bank; Corn Marketing Program of Michigan; Cooperative Elevator; Crop Production Services; Exchange State Bank; Dairyland Seed Co.; Fraleigh Law Firm; Great Lakes Crop Insurance Agency, LLC; Great Lakes Hybrids; Greenstone Farm Credit Services; Michigan Farm Radio Network; Mycogen Seeds & Dow AgroSciences; Northstar Bank; Pioneer Hi-Bred International; Sandborn Family Farms/Garst; Specialty; Steve Errer, a corn grower and Pioneer Representative; The Andersons, Inc.; Thumb National Bank; TNT Equipment; and Tri-County Equipment.
Please remember to visit these sponsors throughout the year to thank them for their investment in the MCGA and to show your support for those who support you.
Are you planning a plot tour
or some other farm event? As plot tours and other events are under way this fall, the Corn Marketing Program of Michigan (CMPM) and the MCGA would like to remind you that staff and board members are available to discuss ethanol, production issues, membership, events and new uses/markets for corn at any of your events.
The CMPM and MCGA also have giveaways or door prizes that could be utilized at your ag-focused event. For more information on speaking topics, giveaways or to schedule someone for your upcoming event or plot tour, contact the CMPM and the MCGA at 517-668-2676.
Requests for research proposals sought As the CMPM prepares to begin its new fiscal year, it’s time again to distribute requests for research proposals. In late August, requests for proposals were sent to parties interested in advancing Michigan’s corn market, including U.S. land grant universities, other state colleges and universities, Michigan State University extension offices and other interested research organizations and individuals.
The projects chosen will have the potential to add value to Michigan corn through the development of new markets and products; the enhancement of traditional markets and products; or production efficiency increases. One goal of the CMPM is to discover new ways or products to add value to the corn crop, either in the field or through processing, while also maintaining or increasing corn’s traditional markets.
Each year, exciting new research projects allow the CMPM to further advance this goal. Dollars submitted to the CMPM from the state’s corn farmers are invested in research to develop new uses and new markets for corn. They have already resulted in the further development of markets such as ethanol, carpeting, fabrics, a no-sodium salt substitute and plastics that replace petroleum-based products.
The proposals will be due electronically to the CMPM Nov. 4 and the projects funded will be announced in late January 2012. If you have a corn-related research idea and would like to be included on our mailing list, please contact Jody Pollok-Newsom at the CMPM by calling 517-668-2676.
Thanks to all for success at summer events
As summer draws to a close, I want to thank all of you who visited us at Ag Expo, a breakfast on the farm, plot tour or at any of the other summer events. These events allow us to visit all areas of the state and get firsthand accounts of the issues affecting the state’s corn producers every day. We appreciate you taking the time to share your concerns and ideas with us.
As always, if you have any questions about upcoming events, would like to join the MCGA or if you have any questions or suggestions for the CMPM or the MCGA, please call us at 888-323-6601 or visit us online at www.micorn.org |
