Differences between the policy and promotion sides of the North Dakota corn industry were on display in the House Agriculture Committee hearing Friday morning. A bill has been introduced calling for the North Dakota Corn Growers Association to receive 50 percent of corn checkoff funding for policy development and corn grower education. Andrew Mauch leads the grower group and said the organization is at a crossroads. “In Farm Bill years like this, a lot of this stuff is changing very fast and we need to respond and adequately educate legislators or the growers of our great state,” said Mauch. “That is everchanging and (it would be helpful) having the structure to know the funds are there.” North Dakota Corn Council Executive Director Jean Henning testified in opposition to this proposal. “I am concerned with the fact that half of the checkoff would continue to be subject to extensive financial controls, as it should be, but the other half will be free to be spent at the association’s discretion without the same financial controls.” Henning reminded lawmakers about a decision by the Attorney General’s Office and the Legislature in 2017 to provide financial separation between the NDCGA and the NDCUC.
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