By KEVIN WALKER
Michigan Correspondent

LANSING, Mich. — The Michigan Corn Growers Assoc. (MCGA) held its annual meeting earlier this month amid concerns about a tough year and questions about how to market the ever-growing crop.

Ed Breitmeyer, vice president of the MCGA, was at the meeting, at the Thomas M. Cooley Law School Feb. 2. Cap-and-trade, water issues, education and public relations were all discussed; so was the question of what to do with the corn crop, which is getting bigger each year because of technology.

“There could be a potential problem with having markets for corn,” Breitmeyer said.

“Technology is making it possible for more and more production of corn every year.”

He said that technology means different seed varieties.

“The seed companies have a lot of new genetics coming,” he said. “As our yields go up, we have to have a place to market this corn.”
Bart Schott, a corn grower from Kulm, N.D., discussed these and other issues at the Michigan meeting. Schott is also first vice president of the National Corn Growers Assoc. (NCGA). Breitmeyer said the difficult year for growers also came up in talks.

“We have a lot of quality issues right now with corn,” Breitmeyer said. “The corn stayed wet too long.”

The excessive moisture caused much corn to get moldy. Breitmeyer said most farmers in the northern part of the state have their own dryers, but that adds to the cost. Also, he stated there are test weight issues with this year’s corn – meaning, it doesn’t weigh enough because of immaturity and over-drying.

Jerry Gulke, a columnist for Top Producer magazine and owner of The Gulke Group, discussed the market outlook for 2010. “Basically what he shared with us is that the market is not overly promising,” Breitmeyer said. “It’s going to stay low. The economy isn’t going to allow it (to go higher).”

Gulke said growers should expect $3-$3.50 a bushel for the upcoming year.

Kip Cullers, a corn and soybean grower from Missouri, was also at the meeting. He provided tips for growers wanting a greater yield. Cullers is a multiyear winner of the NCGA’s corn yield contest.
“He’s broken more records raising soybeans, but he really likes growing corn,” Breitmeyer said.

One of Cullers’ tips included keeping the plant green and lush until the very end, which subjects it to less stress. This is achieved by using fungicides on the crop more often, but in smaller doses.
The MCGA recognized Robert Craig and Frank Lipinski for their service to agriculture with the Friend of Corn award. Craig was director of the agriculture development division of the Michigan Department of Agriculture from 1991-2009.

He has also served on the boards of the MCGA and Corn Marketing Program of Michigan.

“Bob has always been a voice for agriculture,” Breitmeyer said. “He’s done a lot of work for corn and helped get ethanol plants in Michigan, and was instrumental in getting E85 fuel pumps in the state.”

He described Lipinski, a retired dairy farmer from Buckley, as a tireless advocate for agriculture, who does frequent radio interviews and sponsors the yearly Buckley Farm Show. “He’s always been a voice for agriculture,” Breitmeyer said.

Breitmeyer described this event as one of the most important parts of the yearly meeting.