MEXICO CITY, MEXICO — Harold Wolle, a corn farmer from Madelia, Minnesota, US, started this week as president of the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA).

Wolle discussed his goals during a press conference on Oct. 3, noting that reauthorizing a farm bill that reflects priorities of corn growers will be a top concern. He also plans to push for support of the Next Generation Fuels Act while making ethanol a go-to biofuel in the aviation sector.

“My theme as president is ‘shaping the future,’ and nothing shapes the future like effective advocacy,” Wolle said. “And no other group does advocacy as well as our state corn grower groups and NCGA.”

Wolle has experience from serving on NCGA committees and the organization’s board, including as board liaison to the National Corn-to-Ethanol Research Advisory Board. He is also past president of the Minnesota Corn Growers Association.

Wolle said the NCGA has the relationships and the clout to effect change on behalf of corn growers.

“As a membership organization with 37,000 dues-paying corn grower members that represents some 300,000 growers who contribute through corn checkoff programs in their states, we are well positioned to make a difference,” he said. “I plan to rally our growers this year as we work on these pressing issues.”

The NCGA’s board elects a member of the board to serve as president each year. The term begins in early October, the start of the NCGA’s fiscal year.

Tom Haag, the organization’s immediate past president, will now serve as chairman of the board.