(NAFB.com) – Kenneth Hartman, Jr., a corn farmer from Waterloo, Illinois, is the new President of the National Corn Growers Association. As his term began this week, he has a number of things to work on, including pushing Congress to pass a robust farm bill, expand markets, and address tariffs that are being placed on ag supplies and passed on to farmers. He also wants to extend consumer access to higher blends of ethanol. The key to accomplishing big goals like this is building relationships. “My theme as president is ‘Building Bridges,’” Hartman says. “We need to build on our ties with existing allies while cultivating new relationships with other organizations inside and outside of agriculture.” He also says corn growers need to continue reaching out to policymakers and other leaders who may not represent rural communities but who benefit indirectly from the work of farmers. “We’re building a coalition,” Hartman adds.