Ignorance may be bliss, but it is also extremely dangerous. We just recently came across this Penn and Teller video about how willing people are to sign a petition to ban water when it is called by its chemically proper but unfamiliar name, “dihydrogen monoxide.” This illustration of ignorance and radicalism is not new. Wikipedia traces it back to some University of California students in 1990. Penn and Teller updated the hoax in 2006 and it would be funnier if it wasn’t such a sad commentary on how gullible some people can be and how it could have disastrous consequences.

The Corps basically wants to put a band aid on the Bird Point Levee, which they blew up in May, sacrificing over 200 square miles of prime farmland and communities to save other downstream cities from potential flooding. The Corps’ current plan is to rebuild the levee to only 51 feet – 11 feet lower than its original height. The river has crested higher than that 12 times in the last 21 years. That’s kind of like rebuilding a house and not putting a roof on it.

“If the levees aren’t rebuilt to their original height, farmers near the levee will have to question whether it makes sense to farm that ground at all,” said Missouri Farm Bureau president Blake Hurst in a recent editorial. “The Corps blames budget constraints for the decision, saying they need an additional 20 million dollars to rebuild the levee to its original specifications. The Corps is holding Missouri farmers hostage to budget fights in Washington.”

At issue is 130,000 acres of prime farmland that has the potential to feed more than one million people a year, not to mention the thousands of jobs that $85 million worth of crops support. Hurst says if President Obama wants to save or create jobs, this is one way to do it. “The President might find that repairing the levee is not only the right thing to do, but also an example of economic stimulus that makes sense,” he says.

Find out more about what can be done to fix this government-made disaster on the “Disaster at Birds Point” website and watch the video below to see just what kind of damage was done. The video was produced by staff members of the St. Louis-based agricultural ad agency Osborn & Barr who have farming and family roots in southeast Missouri,

Iroquois White Corn has an unusual earthy flavor and a varied texture that chefs love and it’s worth about $840 a bushel for Marty and Kris Travis of Spence Farm in Livingston County, Illinois.

Marty and Kris started growing the heirloom corn several years ago. “We harvest it, dry it and then we roast it over an open fire, shell it and run it through our stone mill to make a roasted corn meal,” Marty said. “We sell that to the general public and to chefs for $15 a pound.”

The Travis’ have also started growing a red flint corn from Italy this year, a typical polenta corn that took them two years to find and is in high demand with chefs right now. “The red corn has this incredible, floral flavor that is unlike any of the corns that we’ve ever tasted,” said Marty.

Kris and Marty are seventh generation farmers and their operation is the oldest family farm in Livingston County, IL. The unique farming operation was a stop on the Conservation Technology Information Center Indian Creek Watershed Project field tour last week. Watch them talk about their specialty corn crops and how they’ve found a market for just about every part of the plant!

Boat racers from coast to coast gathered this past weekend in the ethanol-producing town of Garnett, Kansas to speed around Cedar Valley Reservoir running ten percent ethanol fuel (E10) at the National Boat Racing Association (NBRA) “Garnett Ethanol Hydroplane Nationals.” The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) partnered with NBRA earlier this year to help dispel concerns about the use of ethanol fuel in boat engines. The partnership includes the use of the RFA “Fueled with Pride” logo on signage around the racing events, as well as on all the racing boats and haulers.

“This was an opportunity to tell our story that E10 blends will run in any commercial type of vehicle, whether boats, auto or whatever,” said Steve Gardner, general manager of Garnett’s ethanol plant East Kansas Agri-Energy located in Garnett. “If this will run in racing boats, it will run in any type of boats.”

Garnett is also home to the Kansas Corn Growers Association and they joined with representatives from RFA and East Kansas Agri-Energy at the race where they provided fan bags with information and answered questions about the use of ethanol in marine engines.

Listen to my interview with Steve Gardner here: East Kansas Agri-Energy at NBRA Boat Race

All of the boats that race in NBRA competitions around the country this year have to prove they are using 10 percent ethanol fuel in order to be eligible for additional prize money in the race. “We test all the fuel before the race and then the top three entries in any class are tested when they come in to make sure they are running ethanol,” said NBRA president Dan Crummett.

The NBRA races include a number of different classes of hydroplanes and runabouts with stock and modified outboards that run as fast as 96 miles per hour. Crummett says most of the issues that boaters experience when using ethanol-blended fuel can be addressed with better maintenance. “Any fuel will degrade over not a long period of time once the oil is mixed in it,” he says, which is why it’s so important for boaters to avoid leaving fuel set n the tank for an extended time.

Listen to my interview with Dan Crummett here: NBRA President Dan Crummett

Here’s a little video montage of representatives from the town of Garnett and the Renewable Fuels Association welcoming the racers and some race footage.

See photos from the race here: NBRA Ethanol Boat Race

Following the touching article, Progressive Farmer offered a direct link via a barcode to a video on grain bin safety jointly produced by the National Corn Growers Association and the National Grain and Feed Association.  Smartphone owners with a barcode scanning application can play the entire video on their device by simply scanning the code.

Take a moment to view the video by clicking here.

Grain bin accidents take only a moment to happen but leave friends and family devastated for a lifetime.  Review proper safety precautions, incorporate grain bin safety precautions into your routine, and share this life-saving information with all of the farmers you love.  In five short minutes, you could save a life.

In the photo, Indy car driver Ryan Hunter-Reay competes on pedal tractors with Dick Gallagher, Iowa Corn Promotion Board Chairman. Waving the green flag to start is Shannon Textor, Iowa Corn Growers Market Development Director. You may remember that Ryan was once the Indy Team Ethanol car driver and he showed some of his race car driving skills by winning this particular race.

Ryan says he loves coming to Iowa and working for the corn growers in this interview that Chuck Zimmerman did with him.

Chuck also spoke with Kevin Rempp, Iowa corn grower and current Secretary/Treasurer for the Iowa Corn Promotion Board who talks about the Iowa Corn Indy 250, the Iowa Corn Fed program and their new commitment to the Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series.

Check out the video below and more photos in the Iowa Corn “Join The Team” Indy 250 Promotion Photo Album

The Texas Corn Producers rolled out a new public information campaign recently, with the message that water conservation goals can be achieved without severe restrictions on irrigation that would damage the economy of Texas High Plains.

“Agriculture brings billions of dollars into the economy of the Panhandle and South Plains every year and is the main driver of economic growth in the region,” said David Gibson, Executive Director of the Texas Corn Producers Board. “Through research and development of new technology, we are finding ways to grow more crops with less water. This means we can conserve water for future generations without sacrificing economic growth today.”

The campaign includes televised public service announcements, a 10 minute video and a new website, www.WaterGrowsJobs.org, with the slogan “Water grows our economy; let’s make it last.”

Watch the video here:

Our host was Bill Couser. Bill conducted a fascinating presentation about his marriage of row crop farming (corn/soybeans), livestock production and ethanol production! You can see a portion of his explanation in the video below. He used a long table to display all the products he produces starting with an ear of corn and winding up with ethanol (2.81 gal/bushel of corn) as well as by-products like DDGS and ultimately fine quality beef. I loved his description about the whole food vs. fuel debate, “It’s rubbish!”

TATT Global Farmer To Farmer Roundtable Photo Album

Total for the nation is 6 percent, compared to two percent last year and four percent average. About half the corn is combined in Tennessee and North Carolina, where a good portion of the crop is rated below average compared to the rest of the country. All of the I-states have numbers in the harvested column this week, when none were there this time last year. Illinois has seven percent harvested already, compared to nothing last year and two percent average.

We highlighted Kelly Robertson of Benton, IL here on Corn Commentary earlier this year because he was one of the first to plant this spring. And he’s also one of the first to harvest, starting over a week ago. Here is a video from the Robertson Farm blog.

As Congress prepares for an Independence Day Recess to be followed by vigorous discussion of a new energy bill, the National Corn Growers Association has stepped up its campaign to ensure that corn-based ethanol is part of the formula that brings our country to energy security and independence.  More here.