View From The Cab

By David Tollefson, Columnist

I recently got in the mail the report from the Minnesota Corn Producers Association.

I belong to the Pope County Corn and Soybean Producers, and thus also belong to the Minnesota Corn Producers, as well as the National Corn Producers Association.

As most of you know, corn is the number one crop in the United States, as well as in Minnesota and Pope County.

As a resident of southern Pope County, I am also pleased to live not too far from the President of the Minnesota Corn Growers Association, Richard Syverson.  He lives in the far southwestern township of Hoff. That is roughly ten miles from my farm, as the crow flies.

Richard farms corn and soybeans in a variety of soils – some in Langhei Township which is quite rolling, and also in Hoff Township which tends to be more level, but heavier and a little more challenging in wet years.

As president of the MCGA, Richard shares the report to the corn growers with Doug Albin of Clarkfield, Minnesota, the chair of the Minnesota Corn Research and Promotion Council (MCR&PC).

Here is their report:

We hope you had a relaxing holiday season. As we prepare for 2023, we want to thank you for your continued support of the Minnesota corn check-off and the Minnesota Corn Growers Association. Without farmers like you, we couldn’t fund critical programs or advocate for policies that support corn growers. Thank you.

For Minnesota’s corn organizations, 2022 was another successful year.  MCR&PC once again invested in important research, promotion, and outreach programs that increase opportunities for corn farmers. Meanwhile, MCGA successfully supported legislation that developed and maintained markets for corn, ethanol, and ethanol co-products. While we’re all proud of all our efforts, there are a couple we’d briefly like to highlight here.

In October, Minnesota Corn hosted international buyers at family farms during the U.S. Grain Council’s Export Exchange, which was held in Minneapolis. Thanks in part to these efforts, international buyers committed to purchasing over $225 million worth of U.S. grains and grain co-products. Also in the fall, Minnesota Corn signed a pledge by the Taiwanese Food Industry Association that commits Taiwanese feed manufacturers to purchase roughly $600 million in U.S. corn and DDGS (Distillers Dried Grains from ethanol production) in 2023 and 2024.

When it comes to research and utilization, Minnesota Corn continued investing in research with Lakril Technologies. The University of Minnesota-based start-up company has developed a cost-effective method of producing acrylic acid and acrylates, which are used to manufacture paints, coatings, and textiles, out of renewable feedstocks like corn. This could increase corn demand by tens of millions of bushels annually, providing a boost to Minnesota farmers and rural communities.

On the policy front, one of our biggest successes was the Biden administration’s emergency order allowing for uninterrupted sales of Unleaded 88 during the summer 2022 driving season. This order was spurred in large part by grassroots advocacy from corn farmers in Minnesota and across the U.S. Thanks to the order, Minnesota drivers filled up with Unleaded 88 at record levels last summer. Additionally in October, we celebrated the Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s announcement of grants to 44 fueling stations that was spearheaded by funding through an MCR&PC-state biofuel infrastructure grant program. The grants, funded in pat by a $1million contribution by MDR&PC in 2021, leveraged $6 million from the state to help thousands more Minnesota drivers access the benefits of higher ethanol blends.

Overall, 2022 was another strong year for Minnesota Corn of developing opportunities for the state’s corn farmers while improving quality of life for rural communities and all Minnesotans. It’s a pleasure working with such dedicated grower-leaders to advance the interests of corn farmers, and we appreciate your support.

Here’s to a successful 2023 growing season.

Signed, Richard Syverson and Doug Albin

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Along with the reports of Syverson and Albin in the report, are some relevant statistics for 2022:

U.S. corn production:

Acres planted: 88.6 million

Yield: 172.8 bushels/acre

Total production: 13.9 billion bushels.

Minnesota corn production:

Acres planted: 8.1 million

Yield: 191 bushels/acre

Total production: 1.4 billion bushels.

Pope County corn production (from 2021: 2022 figures not available yet):

Acres planted 123,000 acres

Yield: 143.6 bushels/acre

Total production: 16,873,000 bushels

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As I write this on Feb. 2, the temperature is -7, the high for the day possibly.

The forecast low for Friday morning is predicted to be -18.

But fear not, things are supposed to change by Saturday, and when you read this next week it could be up to around freezing.

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Please contact David Tollefson with thoughts or comments on this or future columns at: adtollef@hcinet.net