Know Your Market Before You Grow The HybridBefore the spring rush, Wisconsin growers are being reminded to check the seed corn hybrids they’re planting to make sure they understand the marketing status of each hybrid for the harvested grain."In a globalized agricultural economy, it is important that farmers understand the delicate balance that must be struck between ensuring access to the technologies while also safeguarding export markets remain open to U.S. corn," said Jim Zimmerman, Rosedale, Wis., corn grower and a director on the Wisconsin Corn Promotion Board. "The balance is especially challenging in the case of China since the country already has an asynchronous approval system for biotech traits. This is only compounded as China has currently fallen behind even their normal asynchronous approval timelines.”
The newly revamped
Know Before Your Grow website, hosted by the National Corn Growers Association, offers growers important information to help make informed planting decisions in light of the release of new seed varieties currently unapproved in some export markets. NCGA stands solidly true to its policy in maintaining all new events must have approval in the United States and Japan prior to release. Additionally, the trait provider must be actively pursuing approval in all other markets for U.S. corn.
“While we must make vigorous efforts to maintain market access, farmers should remain aware of the important role these products play in effectively facing problems caused by biological stressors,” says Zimmerman, who also serves as chairman of the NCGA Trade Policy and Biotechnology Action Team. “Both biotechnology and export markets play a key role in maintaining profitability. Making decisions based on solid information are key to maintaining profitability moving forward."
The primary objective of Wisconsin’s corn checkoff program is to maintain and expand sales of Wisconsin corn. For more information on Wisconsin’s corn checkoff or the WCPB contact Bob Oleson, executive director of Wisconsin Corn Programs at w
icorn@centurytel.net, by phone at 262-495-2232 or go to the web site at
www.wicornpro.org.
Click here to visit the
Know Before You Grow website.
18-oz box
