Nicole Hasheider Tapped to Lead NCGA’s Marketing and Communications Program

Nicole Hasheider has been selected as the vice president of Marketing and Communications at the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA). She will begin her new role on Monday. NCGA CEO Neil Caskey said Hasheider will help deliver on his vision for the organization. “I am thrilled that Nicole...

Neil Caskey Named CEO of National Corn Growers Association

Neil Caskey, a long-time professional in the agricultural arena, has been tapped to lead the National Corn Growers Association as its new CEO, according to the organization’s board of directors. Caskey will assume the role on Monday, February 27. NCGA board members say they are pleased...

National Corn Growers Association | Congress Reauthorizes U.S. Grain Standards Act

The U.S. House of Representatives late Wednesday approved the U.S. Grain Standards Reauthorization Act (S. 4054). The U.S. Senate approved the legislation prior to the Thanksgiving holiday and the bill now moves to President Trump’s desk to be signed into law. The U.S. Grain Standards Act (USGSA)sets the framework for the functioning of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA)Federal Grain Inspection Service. Earlier this week, NCGA joined a coalitionof agriculture interests in a letter urging members of Congress to support S. 4054 ahead of the impending Dec. 11 expiration of parts of USGSA. “The U.S. grain inspection system provides certainty to our foreign customers that all U.S. grains and oilseeds have been inspected and certified by an independent agency and provides great value to U.S. commodities, thereby enhancing our competitiveness in the world market. This certainty and reliability have helped grow export markets for U.S. commodities and serves as a significant advantage for U.S. products versus commodities from other origins,” the organizations wrote.

National Corn Growers Association | Chemical & Engineering News Partnership Highlights the Versatility of Corn as an Industrial Feedstock

The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA)is partnering with Chemical & Engineering News(C&EN)to underscore the many uses of corn, including opportunities in plant-based packaging, chemicals, and nutraceuticals. The Market Development Action Team funded this effort. “This is a way for us to enter into a conversation with an audience we don’t get to engage with on a day-to-day basis,” said Market Development Action Team Chair and Nebraska farmer Dan Wesely. “This is one of the many efforts we have in the new uses space. Being able to share corn’s story, that we are an abundant, affordable, sustainably grown and versatile crop with this audience is important to future corn demand.” C&EN subscribers will test their knowledge on corn production and uses by taking a quizwith questions ranging from “How much corn does the U.S. produce each year?” to “Which organic acid produced from corn is used in shampoos, conditioners, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals?” An infographicshowcases how corn is utilized in several ingredients in packaging and dietary supplements. “This platform helps us open the door for researchers and scientists to learn that corn can be used for everything for everybody from food, fuel, fiber, and chemicals,” said Iowa Corn Growers Association Industrial Innovation Manager, Dr. Alex Buck. “For many fermentation chemicals, you can use any sugar, and this will be an opportunity for scientists to realize that corn is an economical and commercially-available feedstock they could use as a feedstock in their research. Researchers need to know corn is already an industrial chemical feedstock.” You can test your knowledge by taking the quiz hereand view the infographic here. Chemical & Engineering News has been published by the American Chemical Society since 1923. It is a weekly print and digital publication, with a subscription base made up of individuals involved in chemistry and related fields. You can learn more about C&EN here.