Michigan Students Can Enter 'Ethanol Rocks' Video Contest

LANSING -- The Michigan Corn Growers Association is encouraging students to showcase their budding visual talents and help spread the positive word about ethanol by entering a national video contest.

The National Corn Growers Association is conducting a nationwide competition to promote the advantages of fuel ethanol in motor vehicles. Corn ethanol replaces millions of gallons of imported foreign oil, burns cleaner than traditional gasoline and has created tens of thousands of  jobs across rural America.

The NCGA "Ethanol Rocks" Video Contest invites high school and college students to produce a promotional video that highlights the benefits of this renewable fuel. Two $1,500 awards and two $500 awards will be presented.

"Ethanol is having a growing and positive impact on our nation's fuel supply, economy and environment -- and educating consumers through a video contest is a great way for young people to get involved in making a difference by spreading its positive 'green' message," said Jeff Sandborn, MCGA president and a member of the NCGA ethanol cCommittee. "Students have shown that they are concerned about our nation's environment and economic well-being, and I'm sure their enthusiasm and talent will shine through when we see their videos."

Contestants must read and agree to the official rules of the contest, upload their completed video onto an unlisted YouTube site (directions on uploading are provided in the contest guidelines), and complete the application for contest eligibility. The entry deadline is Monday, Oct. 15.

For more information, visit the NCGA website at www.ncga.com/ethanol-rocks-contest.   Based in Lansing, the MCGA is a membership association that has represented the state's corn growers' political interests since the 1970s. The MCGA works cooperatively with the Corn Marketing Program of Michigan, a legislatively established program that uses one-cent per bushel of Michigan corn sold and invests in research, education, new uses and market development.

Michigan's corn industry adds more than one billion dollars to the state's economy annually and in 2011, Michigan's corn farmers harvested a record-setting crop of more than 335 million bushels.

For more information, visit www.micorn.org.