Canadian farmers harvested record crops this season, according to the December report from Statistics Canada. Production of most field crops increased in 2013 compared with 2012 as yields reached a number of record highs. Both canola and wheat production reached record levels in 2013. Analyst Bruce Burnett with the Canadian Wheat Board (CWB) summarized the report and his take on …
The Chicago Farmers Rebrands Farmland Fair
The Chicago Farmers annual Farmland Investment Fair has been rebranded for 2014 as simply “The Farmland Fair” with a continued focus on the connection of social media and farmland investment. The Chicago Farmers 2014 Farmland Fair – “Where People Come To Learn, Connect and Understand Farmland” – will be held on February 1, 2014 from 8:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. …
Veterans Enter Fight for RFS
Two new organizations have entered the fight for the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) today as concerns about the future of the RFS deepen with the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposed 2014 renewable fuels volumes going south. VoteVets.org and Americans United for Change held a press teleconference to announced their participation in the counteroffensive against what they are calling, “Big Oil’s …
IRFA’s Shaw: Obama Admin Needs Soul Searching
The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA) is urging the Obama Administration to conduct a thorough soul-searching after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced its proposal to “radically” reduce Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) levels for 2014. “Today’s RFS announcement represents the biggest policy reversal of the entire Obama Administration,” said IRFA Executive Director Monte Shaw during a press teleconference. “The …
USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack at NAFB
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack visited the 70th National Association of Farm Broadcasting (NAFB) Annual Convention in Kansas City on Friday. The Secretary centered his comments around the RFS announcement, record levels of exports, drought issues and the farm bill. He also answered questions from the broadcasters. Listen to or download the entire one hour press conference: 2013 NAFB Convention Photo …
EPA Announces 2014 RVOs, Industry Reacts
Today the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released its proposal for the 2014 Renewable Volume Obligations (RVOs) as part of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) for the amount of renewable fuels to be blended into gasoline and diesel. The EPA has proposed to set the cellulosic biofuel category at 17 million gallons, biomass-based diesel at 1.28 billion gallons, advanced biofuel at 2.20 …
Ethanol Industry Responds to AP Article
The ethanol industry is responding to an Associated Press “investigative report” to be released Tuesday on the renewable fuel’s environmental impact. Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) and CEO Bob Dinneen was interviewed for the story and comments in this report. Fuels America held a conference call with Geoff Cooper, RFA Vice President of research and analysis, and Leroy Perkins, an Iowa …
MGEX November Crop Call
USDA issued its November Crop Production forecast on Friday, calling for a record corn crop of just a hair under 14 billion bushels. During the Minneapolis Grain Exchange conference call on the report, Mike Krueger of The Money Farm commented on both the new production forecast and the new WASDE report.
Group Hopeful Conference will end Catfish Program
The National Fisheries Institute is hopeful that the farm bill conference committee will finally repeal the USDA catfish inspection program that was authorized in the 2008 farm bill. In this interview, Gavin Gibbons with the Institute, talks about support in Congress for the repeal and threats of WTO-sanctioned retaliation against U.S. ag exports by Vietnam and China if the law …
Consequenses of Lower RFS Requirements
Fuels America held a telephone conference call on Wednesday with biofuel stakeholders to discuss implications of lowering the 2014 Renewable Volume Obligations (RVOs) under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). Geoff Cooper, Vice President for Research with the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) presented an analysis on how much the oil industry stands to gain if the RVOs are lowered. DuPont Global …
RFA CEO on AAA, EPA, RFS, and RVO
Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) and CEO Bob Dinneen fears “the Obama Administration is about to make a huge mistake” in lowering the volume requirements (RVO) for ethanol under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). Dinneen also talks about the RFA’s response to AAA comments about the safety of E15 and how a recent NREL study proves it is safe in this …
House Passes WRRDA
By a vote of 417 to 3 on Wednesday, the House passed the Water Resources Reform and Development Act (WRRDA), a bill that includes provisions to update locks and dams on the nation’s transportation waterways critical to agricultural trade. Two representatives from Illinois are particularly pleased with their contributions to the Water Resources Reform and Development Act or WRRDA overwhelmingly …
Commodity Classic and AG CONNECT Announcement
The Association of Equipment Manufacturers, the National Corn Growers Association and the American Soybean Association today announced a new collaborative venture that joins two leading industry trade show experiences – Commodity Classic and AG CONNECT Expo & Summit. The inaugural event will be held March 3-5, 2016, in New Orleans. The Commodity Classic shows scheduled for 2014 and 2015 will …
TATT Roundtable and World Food Prize
The Truth About Trade and Technology (TATT) 2013 Global Farmer Roundtable was held in conjunction with the 2013 World Food Prize (WFP) Borlaug Dialogues in Des Moines the week of October 14, 2013. Thousands of agriculture and food industry representatives from around the world attend the events surrounding World Food Prize each year with the common goal of feeding a …
How Shutdown is Impacting Ethanol Industry
The nation’s capitol is “so quiet you can hear a pin drop” but the American Petroleum Institute (API) is still working to beat the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), and the government shutdown means E15 retailers are unable to get approval. This edition of “The Ethanol Report” features an interview with Renewable Fuels Association president and CEO Bob Dinneen on various …