Organization for Competitive Markets
P.O. Box 6486
Lincoln, NE 68506
Date: February 14, 2005
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Michael Stumo, 860.379.6199
Fred Stokes Receives Carl King Award
Lincoln, NE ~ The American Corn Growers Association (ACGA) presented OCM past president Fred Stokes with its prestigious Carl King Award at the ACGA annual meeting February 11, 2005. The award is named for Texas corn grower Carl King who founded ACGA 14 years ago and served as chairman of the ACGA board for many years.
“Carl King is a man I have respected for many years,” said Stokes. He has been a decisive, influential and visionary leader for American agriculture. I sought his advice and support when OCM was established in 1997.”
King was also president of the Texas Corn Growers Association, an organization pre-dating ACGA, for 26 years. He led corn growers in opposition to GATT, WTO and other free trade agreements. King worked for domestic farm programs to help producers, not global grain traders. His policy approach focused on low cost farm programs providing grower income from the marketplace, not taxpayers.
Though semi-retired, King still attends ACGA meetings and presented the award to Stokes. “Fred Stokes has shown insight and leadership which has inspired producers across the country,” said King. “His efforts have been crucial to making the Organization for Competitive Markets a major, national force in agricultural antitrust, competition and trade policy.”
The Organization for Competitive Markets (OCM) is a multidisciplinary, nonprofit group of farmers, ranchers, academics, attorneys and policy makers dedicated to reclaiming the agricultural marketplace for independent farmers, ranchers and rural communities. OCM helps lead the Cattlemen’s Competitive Market Project which is a voluntary contribution program funding the effort to increase demand for U.S. cattle and beef in open and competitive markets.