Corn Farmers Represented at Copenhagen Climate Conference

If you would like an insider look into what is going on at the Copenhagen Climate Conference from a corn growers perspective you might want to check out and bookmark the new blog debuting today from Ohio Corn Growers Association Executive Director Dwayne Siekman.

In it he notes the talk of the conference has been the U.S. EPA’s endangerment finding on greenhouse gases, specifically cardon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide emissions.  Here are Dwayne’s thoughts in his own words:

“EPA’s ruling did not come as a surprise to me and the Ohio Corn Growers Association as this direction has been put in place since the Supreme Court ruling in April of 2007. The Clean Air Act and its amendments provide a “clear statutory command,” the majority of the Justices said, and “Greenhouse gases fit well within the Clean Air Act’s capacious definition of air
pollutant,” ruled Justice Stevens.”

“It seems that EPA’s decision has caught everyone off guard, when in reality, the decision was just a matter of time. Many attendees are wondering if legislation in the U.S. will gain momentum now. That remains to be seen, of course. Regardless, agriculture can play a substantial role in greenhouse gas reductions as farmers continue to utilize new technology and new methods of producing corn. The last few years are proof that farmers will continue to produce more with less land, fewer inputs and emissions and less water consumption per bushel.”

“This ruling has been the catalyst for OCGA’s involvement in carbon sequestration efforts with no-till and researching future agriculture offset economic opportunities for farmers. If the U.S. follows EPA’s path, agriculture has much to lose and costs will skyrocket across the board with no opportunity to be a part of an offset market.”

Look for more soon as National Corn Growers Association President Darrin Ihnen is also participating in the Copenhagen conference.