FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 8, 2007

CONTACT: Becky Grisham, Missouri Corn Growers Association, (573) 893-4181 or (800) 827-4181

WRDA BECOMES LAW!
Corn Growers Celebrate Hard-Fought Victory

(JEFFERSON CITY, Mo.)--President George W. Bush dealt a harsh blow to corn growers last week in his veto of the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA). Yesterday however, the U.S. House of Representatives again expressed overwhelming support of the act by overriding the president with a vote of 361-54, well beyond the two-thirds majority required. Senate action followed today with a vote of 79-14, thereby enacting WRDA into law.

"We're very pleased to see this long overdue river legislation finally become law," says Missouri Corn Growers Association (MCGA) CEO Gary Marshall. "Our thanks go out to our partners in this undertaking, including agricultural and business groups, as well as most members of Missouri's Congressional delegation, who have worked diligently over the last eight years to get this bill passed. No one deserves more credit for this bill becoming law than Senator Kit Bond. We owe him our sincere thanks for his vision and determination to see the locks and dams on the Mississippi and Illinois rivers upgraded."

The bill modernizes seven locks on the Upper Mississippi and Illinois rivers and provides funding for environmental restoration, flood control, port modernization, irrigation and hurricane protection. Passage of WRDA has been a longtime goal for MCGA, whose members depend on the river system for market access. More than 1 billion bushels of grain (about 60 percent of all grain exports) move to export markets via the inland waterways each year, accounting for $8.5 billion in exports.

"These upgrades will spur economic growth for mid-America and will certainly go a long way towards improving access to world markets," said MCGA President Mike Geske. "Our competitiveness in global trade has become much greater today due to the WRDA bill finally becoming law. We will now work with our Congressional delegation to see that funding is also approved."

It is predicted the passage of WRDA will prevent losses of $562 million in farm income, $246 million from lost exports and $316 million from lower prices and decreased domestic demand. WRDA will also create jobs and economic activity through the construction of the seven needed locks. The Corps of Engineers estimates that over 48 million man hours of work will be required to complete the new lock chambers.

"Great things come to those who wait, and it has been a long wait," summarizes Geske. "WRDA will help Midwestern farmers compete in a brutal world market for many years to come. This is a truly historic day."

To learn more, visit MCGA's Web site at www.mocorn.org or call the Missouri Corn office at 1-800-827-4181.