Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) won the Republican ticket in Iowa last night with Donald Trump coming in second despite Cruz’s ambiguity on ethanol and the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). However, ethanol has gained a significant amount of positive ground according to a press conference held by Growth Energy. On the call: Tom Buis, Co-Chair of Growth Energy Monte Shaw, Executive …
ARA Hosts National Policy Conference
The Agricultural Retailers Association is hosting its National Policy Conference in Washington, D.C. February 1-3, 2016. During the event, members will conduct the business of the association through committee meetings leading up to a final board meeting mid week. In addition, ARA members will hear from regulators and interact with legislators while they are here, addressing their priorities on the …
#NBB16 Feature of this Week’s ZimmCast
The 13th National Biodiesel Conference and Expo was held last week in Tampa and it was the 11th year that ZimmComm has done the Biodiesel Conference Blog. Way back in 2006, the National Biodiesel Board (NBB) was one of the first industry organizations to see the value in new media like blogs and they continue to stay on the cutting …
GOP Debate Spotlights Cruz’s Views on #Ethanol
With the Iowa caucuses coming up on Monday, agriculture and renewable fuels finally got some attention in the Republican debate last night, as Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas was asked about his position on the Renewable Fuel Standard. “We should be developing oil and gas and coal and nuclear and wind and solar and ethanol and biofuels but I don’t …
Wetland Preservation Gets $9M from USDA
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced the establishment of the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Wetland Mitigation Banking Program, made possible by the 2014 Farm Bill. The program will provide $9 million to help states, local governments or other qualified partners develop wetland mitigation banks that restore, create, or enhance wetland ecosystems, broadening the conservation options available to farmers and …
Mavrx Announces First Promotional Grower Offer
Mavrx, a leader in Ultra-High-Resolution (UHR) imagery for agriculture, introduced its first promotional grower offer during the 2016 Top Producer Seminar. Mavrx CEO Max Bruner made the announcement at a series of luncheon meetings with top growers during the event where Mavrx is a premier sponsor. Bruner explains, “With commodity prices the lowest in years, growers are seeking tools to …
Cattlemen, Cattlewomen Head West for CIC & NCBA
Cattlemen and women made their way West January 27-29, 2016 to take in the sunshine and sea breeze for the 2016 Cattle Industry Conference (CIC) & National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) Trade Show in San Diego, CA. The event brought beef leaders together to attend the educational Cattlemen’s College, walk the aisles of the industry trade show and network, network, …
New Practices Aim to Increase Productivity for Lamb Producers
Lamb producers were introduced to the industry’s first set of Productivity Best Practices at the 2016 Sheep Industry Convention January 27-30. Lambs sold per ewe is the biggest influence on profitability, and implementing the new Best Practices to Increase Your Lamb Crop gives sheep producers more control over price volatility, according to the panel of sheep producers and production experts …
International Attendees Flock to #IPPE16
The Georgia World Congress Center is the home for the International Production & Processing Expo. The event is sponsored by the U.S. Poultry & Egg Association, North American Meat Institute and American Feed Industry Association. There were 1,300 exhibitors occupying almost a half million square feet. 2016 IPPE Photo Album Novus Talks Innovation at IPPE – Novus Offers Sustainable Antibiotic-Free …
Coast-to-Coast #NBB16
The 2016 National Biodiesel Conference & Expo (#NBB16) is being held in Tampa, Florida January 25-28. This 13th annual event for the industry has the theme of “Coast to Coast” and features a trade show, as well as sessions on timely topics such as biodiesel’s role in reducing climate change, the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), ASTM, mitigating risk, biodiesel tax …
Common Ground Grows Food Dialogues
The national Common Ground conference took place in Washington D.C. last weekend. The event, sponsored by the United Soybean Board and the National Corn Growers Association, was created to help farm women learn how to better communicate with urban women about the safety and security of their food. “The ideas is that women are the primary grocery shoppers in the …
Ethanol, Media & RFS Focus of Ethanol Report
With the Iowa caucuses coming up February 1, the Hawkeye State has been inundated with both candidates and reporters, and ethanol has become a topic for mainstream media to report about, often inaccurately. In this Ethanol Report, Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) president and CEO Bob Dinneen discusses the inaccurate terms being used to describe the RFS, urges the media and …
GROWMARK Introduces Sustainability Initiative
GROWMARK is launching a new sustainability initiative called Endure that will reinforce the company’s commitment to sustainability. The program is a System-wide effort to ensure continued profitability for the company, owners, and customers, while developing programs that help the environment and greater good. “In the GROWMARK System, we believe it is our responsibility to ensure our earth and industry perform …
A Zippy 500th ZimmCast
We wanted our 500th ZimmCast to be something special so we felt it appropriate to spotlight the new president of the American Farm Bureau Federation who has a name that is sure to be unforgettable – Zippy Duvall of Georgia. Duvall, who served as president of Georgia Farm Bureau for nine years, was elected as AFBF’s 12th president at the …
#SHPsummit16
The 2016 Soil Health Summit was held in Indianapolis January 21-22. The Soil Health Partnership, is a National Corn Growers Association Initiative, with Initial Support From Monsanto and The Walton Family Foundation and with technical support from The Nature Conservancy. SHP has a goal to learn more about soil health and share the information with farmers. 2016 Soil Health Summit …