LANSING, Mich. — The Corn Marketing Program of Michigan (CMPM) has issued a request for proposals for another round of research. 

Proposals will be reviewed by the CMPM board, which is made up of corn producers from across the state. Projects selected for funding will be announced in early February. Proposals are due to the CMPM by Tuesday, Nov. 25.

Research funded by the CMPM is paid for by the penny a bushel checkoff for corn in Michigan, said Natalie Rector, research coordinator at CMPM. 

“We do agronomic projects; we do projects to find new uses for corn and corn byproducts,” Rector said. “It’s always good if you can find new uses for corn.

“Every year we have a call for proposals. This is about returning the farmers’ dollar back to them in the form of research to help meet the needs of farmers.”

Research goals for CMPM projects include developing new and expanded corn markets and value-added uses; finding new, environmentally friendly uses for corn and corn products; enhancing partnerships with researchers and developers of corn-based products, co-products and production research; promoting research that enhances sustainability through water management, nutrient utilization, pest management and conservation of resources; optimizing economic returns and environmental stewardship for corn production; and supporting demonstration and educational projects for the betterment of corn producers.

Current CMPM research projects include the Center for Excellence on the Road project, led by Tom Van Wagner of Lenawee County Conservation District. This project is financed by several commodity groups in that area, Rector said, and has been going on for at least 10 years. 

Van Wagner’s project includes demonstration projects, or experiments that seek out the best ways to raise corn. Demonstration projects include the use of tillage, new fungicides, strip tillage and narrow row tillage techniques. 

“There’s a report every year, and they hold a meeting each year as well,” Rector said. “This is mainly what the winter research meeting is about.”

Another current project is called Attaining the 300 Bushel Yield Goal on Highly-Productive Soils Through Climate-Tolerant Hybrids, Increased Population Densities and Nitrogen Management. It’s being led by Michigan State University (MSU) Extension Specialist George Silva. 

Silva is being funded to do a multi-year trial to raise crops using different nitrogen rates, Rector stated. 

“Given the cost of nitrogen, it makes sense to try to find the most economical nitrogen rate,” she added. (WHO IS ‘SHE’? Rector? or Silva?)

Another example of CMPM research now under way is the Michigan Corn Stover Harvest Project, led by MSU Extension Specialist Dennis Pennington. It’s a project to remove some of the stover from the field and then put in some cover crops to restore organic matter back to the soil.

The idea is that corn stover might be used at some point for cellulosic ethanol production.

Other current as well as past research projects are listed on the Michigan Corn Growers Assoc. website at www.micorn.org Click on RESEARCH on the orange menu. To get a detailed description of CMPM research goals and instructions to submit a research proposal, click on the same item and then click on 2015 Request for Proposals.

Otherwise, contact Natalie Rector at nrector@micorn. org or 888-323-6601.