Ribbon Cutting by Pocket Knife The Commodity Classic trade show ribbon cutters were having a hard time with some dull scissors so it came down to a pocketknife to start the show. Good reason to pack it in your suitcase or drive to an event - you never know when that pocketknife can come in handy! Record Crowd Once again, …
The Future’s so Bright…
Martin’s got to wear shades. That was National Corn Growers Association president Martin Barbre looking like a rock star at the final Corn Congress session of Commodity Classic. Not by choice, he actually broke his regular glasses the night before and had to wear his prescription shades to read. But, Martin really does think the future is bright for corn …
Smithsonian Wants Iconic Corn Ads
National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) CEO Rick Tolman had bushels of great corn farmer news to share at the recent Commodity Classic about what the organization has done in the past year and what is happening now. We have since learned that this was the last Commodity Classic for Rick, as he has announced that he will be retiring at …
Classic Records Smashed
With more than 7,300 total attendees, the 2014 Commodity Classic convention and trade show, which took place last week in San Antonio, Texas, shattered previous records for the landmark event. “We knew it was the biggest event ever, but the numbers really surprised us as we saw them rolling in over the course of the event,” said Commodity Classic Co-Chair …
Parable of the Popcorn
In honor of the start of Lent, we present “The Parable of the Popcorn” as read by National Corn Growers Association CEO Rick Tolman at the Commodity Classic corn banquet last week. This is a clever take on the biblical Parable of the Sower (Matt 13:1-23) and most on-line sources say the author is unknown. It’s about choice and accountability. …
Standing O for a Corn Industry Legend
The National Corn Growers Association celebrated the long and productive career of a corn farmer, friend and industry legend last Saturday during the concluding Corn Congress at the Commodity Classic. Jere White is retiring from the Kansas Corn Growers after leading that organization for a quarter of a century. During the Congress, he was presented with the Meritorious Service Award …
Secretary Vilsack at Commodity Classic
As long as he has been Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack has made it a priority to address the annual Commodity Classic, so for the fifth time he took the stage last week at the event in front of a record crowd of more than 7,000. “It is awfully nice to come here today to talk about the PASSAGE of …
Speak Biotech in Simple Language
The granddaughter of the father of the Green Revolution is carrying on with his mission to help feed the world, and Julie Borlaug believes that must include communicating the benefits of biotechnology on a more personal level. “For years, we in the ag sector have been on the losing end of the argument, partly because we thought we could win …
Classic + Ag Connect = Really Big Show
With corn, soybeans, wheat and sorghum growers all part of the Commodity Classic, who thought it could get any bigger? But it will definitely be bigger in 2016 when Classic joins forces with AG CONNECT expo to become what may well be the biggest farm show on Earth. “2016 will be the opening salvo into a new bigger, better,” said …
Corn Growers Chart Policy Course
As it was last year at this time, getting a new farm bill was the top priority for delegates to the National Corn Growers Association Corn Congress policy meeting at the 2013 Commodity Classic. NCGA President Pam Johnson says NCGA supports fundamental changes to farm programs that include effective and affordable federal crop insurance to provide assistance only when most …