Corn Growers Rally for Responsible River Management

August 31, 2000

Corn growers battled 100 degree heat earlier this week on the Missouri River in Kansas City, MO, along with state and local politicians, conservation and transportation officials over responsible management of the Missouri River.

The rally, sponsored by the Missouri Corn Growers Association, was in response to a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) demand that the Army Corps of Engineers implement a "spring rise" (controlled flood) on the Missouri River to help protect endangered species.

Corn growers contend that changes in Missouri River flow, as demanded by the FWS, would negatively affect transportation of grain not only on the Missouri River, but subsequently the Mississippi, Illinois and Ohio rivers. They further contend that a spring rise would flood farms in bottomland and lower the river to unnavigable levels in the fall.

A vote in the U.S. Senate is expected next week. Missouri River navigation proponents argue that vote will decide the fate of river bottom farming and grain transportation in the Midwest.

Joining the rally were Sen. Christopher "Kit" Bond (R-MO), Rep.Ike Skelton (D-MO) and Kansas City Mayor Kay Barnes. Bond, along with Rep. Doug Beureter (R-NE), has for the fourth year sponsored a provision that would prevent a forced "spring rise."

Bond said he will fight the FWS and Sen. Tom Daschle (D-SD), who has indicated his intention to offer a provision that would strike Bond's proposal. "It makes no sense to have a spring rise on the Missouri River in flood prone spring months, to threaten the existence of the navigation industry, leaving our farmers, our shippers, our exporters at the mercy of the railroads," Bond said.

"It is ironic and tragic that the administration would propose a plan to eliminate a commercial transportation option as the railroads once again are notifying elevators that there will be rail car shortages this fall. So movement of grain will have to wait. What worse time could we pick to eliminate river transportation?"

Bond added that progress has been made to protect wildlife habitat on the Missouri River. "My Middle Mississippi-Missouri River Habitat Program is designed to help the Corps improve the conditions for fish and wildlife," he noted.

At a separate informational meeting, experts from the U.S. Geological Survey and the Missouri Department of Natural Resources questioned the scientific basis for a spring rise. Also, the Missouri Department of Conservation presented an alternative plan to the spring rise.

Agriculture and navigation representatives at the rally said they hope that sound science will prevail in the end. National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) President-Elect Lee Klein of Battle Creek, NE, said NCGA supports efforts to stop the FWS spring rise plan.

"NCGA is working on all fronts to ensure the movement of grain as well as the ability of farmers to get into their fields," he said. "We join the Missouri Corn Growers Association in urging their U.S. senators to support Sen. Bond's provision, which calls for continued responsible management of our river resources."