National Corn Growers Association News

At its Board of Trustees meeting held November 2 in St. Louis, the National Waterways Foundation (NWF) elected Matt Woodruff, Vice President of Public & Government Affairs, Kirby Corporation, as Chairman for a term expiring in 2023. He succeeds consultant Rick Calhoun as Chairman (2020-2021).The NWF, which develops the intellectual and factual arguments for an efficient, well-funded and secure inland waterways system, also elected the following Officers to serve one-year terms expiring in 2022President: *Tracy Zea…

After more than 30 years of frustratingly slow progress, cost overruns and more than a few mistakes, Olmsted is finally poised for success. That’s something to celebrate.It is official: The U.S. Army Corp of Engineers (USACE) wants Olmsted operational by October. After more than 30 years, the ribbon cutting to officially open the Olmsted Locks and Dam took place on August 30. The very old (1929) upstream locks and dams – Nos. 52 and 53, which Olmsted is replacing – will be dismantled by December 2020. Before that happens, Olmsted’s performance will be tested and confirmed.

WCI President testified before House Water Resources & Environment Subcommittee on substantial economic importance of inland waterways system navigation projects, once completed, will provide jobs and billions of dollars for american economy. Michael J. Toohey, President and CEO of Waterways Council, Inc. (WCI), testified today before the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee’s Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee on “The Economic Importance and Financing Challenges of Recapitalizing the Nation’s Inland Waterways Transportation System.”  Mr.

Matt Woodruff, a member of the Inland Waterways Users Board, the Waterways Council Board of Directors, and Director- Government Affairs for Kirby Corporation in Houston, Texas, testified before the Senate Committee on Environment & Public Works about the essential value of the waterways system to the nation’s economy, jobs and America’s continued competitiveness. He specifically addressed the Inland Waterways Capital Development Plan, a comprehensive, consensus-based package of recommendations formulated by an industry and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers working group to improve the reliability of the U.S. inland navigation system and its infrastructure over the next 20 years.

To date, more than 200 industry stakeholders including national organizations, state, regional and local organizations, and companies have endorsed the new comprehensive, consensus-based package of recommendations formulated by an industry and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers working group to improve the reliability of the U.S. inland navigation system over the next 20 years, known as the Inland Waterways Capital Development Plan. Among the supporters are the United States Chamber of Commerce, the National Association of Manufacturers, American Land Conservancy, National Corn Growers Association, National Grain & Feed Association, Steel Manufacturers Association, National Mining Association, National Council of Farm Cooperatives, and many others from diverse segments of the American economy.

An independent committee of the National Research Board tasked with reviewing a re-structured navigation and environmental study of the Upper Mississippi and Illinois Rivers today issued a mixed initial review of the study, suggesting that the 12-year, $67 million study be extended again beyond the current six-year extension, while at the same time urging action to move forward: "at some point, scientists and managers must decide that existing data are sufficient to allow for management actions to be implemented" (page 21). One of the committee's criticisms concerned grain export projections, citing them to be too high. "Everyone understands that grain export projections are a moving target," said S. Richard Tolman, Chairman of MARC 2000 and CEO of the National Corn Growers Association.

Prejudicial, Premature or Both? actions to be implemented" (page 21). One of the committee's criticisms concerned grain export projections, citing them to be too high. "Everyone understands that grain export projections are a moving target," said S. Richard Tolman, Chairman of MARC 2000 and CEO of the National Corn Growers Association. "But if we plan to capture a growing market share, we have to stop relying on 70-year-old lock and dam infrastructure and start a long-term program to support export demand well into the future. now let's get our domestic policy synchronized," he continued. 2000. similar," commented Mr. Brescia. Suggestions that the existing traffic needs to be managed more efficiently have been studied.

The National Waterways Conference has called for “common sense and balance” regarding the latest report issued by the National Wildlife Federation and Taxpayers for Common Sense. "I'm sure this is just the 'first salvo' in the annual charge by the extremist activists to discredit the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and waterway stakeholders by discrediting the Corps' primary missions--navigation and flood control," said Worth Hager, president of National Waterways Conference (NWC). "I've seen the new 'Crossroads' report. It appears to be a rehash of previous claims and innuendoes, and is a testament to the willingness of these groups to…