2017 Fall Farm Outlook

Page 20 Oct. 25, 2017 2017 Logan County Fall Farm Outlook Magazine LINCOLN DAILY NEWS Corn genetics: The savior, and the great destroyer By Jim Youngquist T he current problem in the corn market: too much corn. The result is low prices, unsustainable prices, prices which may lead to ruin. What we know is that something has to change! This great, worldwide corn glut has been brought about by corn genetics. The Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) seed has delivered the ability to produce a bumper crop of corn that has exceeded all expectations despite adverse local weather conditions. It has been both a savior to Logan County corn growers and the great destroyer in the worldwide market. Perhaps we wouldn’t be so excited about, or so devastated with, our ability to produce such vast amounts of corn if the price had it never approached $8 a bushel. The world is swimming in a glut of corn. Producers do not set the price of their product. Corn prices are set by the consumers of the product, and the consumers don’t need as much corn as is being produced. What is needed: new uses, new markets for corn. New ways of using corn, which would lead to consumption of a significant portion of the corn glut would likely bring about the shift that is needed to raise prices. Researching what new markets are opening up for the use of corn turns up little news on the horizon. The Iowa Corn Grower’s Association says that corn research right now is focusing on Isosorbide, a corn derivative that is used to improve the properties of plastics. Isosorbide will be used to replace BPA in plastics. BPA is a petroleum based estrogenic compound, which is in everything from food storage containers to water bottles, tin can liners, and hygiene products. BPA containing plastics are used because they produce strong and resilient containers. But BPA may carry health risks with it because it is a synthetic hormone which influences bodily processes such as growth, cell repair, fetal development, energy levels and reproduction. BPA may cause cancer and infertility in men and women. ADM (Archer Daniels Midland Company) has become the first North American Continued ►►