The presence of ethanol and the Renewable Fuels Association is bigger than ever this year during the annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally and especially at the Sturgis Buffalo Chip. For the tenth consecutive year, the Renewable Fuels Association is partnering with the Buffalo Chip Campground to host the 78th annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, scheduled for Aug. 3-12 in Sturgis, S.D. The …
BASF Takes Over Bayer Assets
Yesterday was a brand new day for BASF as the Chemical Company marked its entry into seeds, non-selective herbicides and nematicide seed treatments. BASF closed on its acquisition of businesses and assets from Bayer, and has renamed the division from Crop Protection to Agricultural Solutions. “It strengthens our market position in agricultural solutions and creates new opportunities for growth,” said …
EPA Approves Sorghum Oil as Biofuels Pathway
Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Andrew Wheeler yesterday announced the approval of sorghum oil as an eligible feedstock under the Renewable Fuel Standard during a signing event at EPA headquarters in Washington, D.C., with sorghum farmers and other stakeholders. In addition to the nine ethanol producers already extracting oil from sorghum, several other facilities will now be able to purchase and …
2018 Southern Peanut Growers Conference
The 20th Annual Southern Peanut Growers Conference was held July 19-21, 2018 at the Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort, Miramar Beach, Florida. The three-day event provides farmers with information about peanut production, legislative issues, marketing and promotions. The conference is the annual meeting for the Southern Peanut Farmers Federation, comprised of the Alabama Peanut Producers Association, the Florida Peanut Producers …
ZimmCast 592 – Comedian Tim The Dairy Farmer
This week let’s meet Comedian, Tim The Dairy Farmer. Humor and dairy are near and dear to my heart and I hope you’ll enjoy the program as Tim talks about how he got into a comedy career. He also has some big news! Blue Collar meets Green Acres. That’s how comedian, Tim the Dairy Farmer, describes the release of his …
Growth Energy Urges EPA to Correct RFS Course
Growth Energy is calling on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to chart a “major course correction on annual biofuel targets.” The proposed rule raises the total 2019 Renewable Volume Obligation (RVO) by 3 percent over the 2018 requirement, and maintains a 15-billion-gallon requirement for conventional biofuels like corn ethanol, but does nothing to address the 2.25 billion gallons worth of …
Inari Aims to Transform Agriculture
A new plant breeding technology company called Inari Agriculture is being introduced today with the mission to transform agriculture and its impact on society and the environment by developing a more personalized plant breeding approach. Inari is a Flagship Pioneering company headquartered in Cambridge, Mass., which started in early 2016 and has since recruited more than 80 leading research scientists …
FDA Considering Fake Meat and Milk
The federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is spending time this month discussing meat and milk. Last week, FDA held a public meeting to discuss foods produced using animal cell culture technology – mainly lab-grown fake meat products – and which agency should be in charge of regulating. The meat industry believes fake meat should be regulated by USDA. Speaking …
Biofuels Advocates Testify at EPA Hearing
Biofuels advocates brought their concerns about damage to the industry caused by former EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt to a hearing on the proposed 2019 Renewable Volume Obligation (RVO) under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) Wednesday in Michigan. In its proposed rule, the agency declined to accept comments on the controversial waiver program or Reid Vapor Pressure restrictions on E15, but …
ZimmCast 591 – From the Tailgate
Tailgates are the perfect places to share stories, whether in a cow barn or the parking lot of a football game. That’s why Jamie Johansen named her new weekly television show From the Tailgate, which just started airing on KOLZ, Ch. 27 Springfield, MO, Nexstar Media Group. The show is hosted by Jamie and a product of her company Honey Creek …
ZimmCast 590 – Precision, Pork, Podcasts
Happy Independence Day week. This episode of the ZimmCast will introduce you to some other farm podcasters you may not be familiar with. If you are not subscribing to podcasts then get started. There are many really good programs and quite a few that have started recently. In this week’s program I’ll share the following: The Raven Precision Podcast – …
AMVAC Purchases Bayer Bromacil Business
AMVAC Chemical Corporation recently announced the purchase of the Bromacil herbicide business in the United States and Canada from Bayer Crop Science. The transaction is unrelated to the acquisition of Monsanto by Bayer, and financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed. I spoke with Greg Warren, Marketing Manager, AMVAC, about the transaction and what it means to the company. …
ZimmCast 589 – Incredible Eggs & New CEO of USFRA
In this week’s program you’ll hear mostly from Cindy and the people she interviewed recently. So, let’s get started by thanking our sponsor, GROWMARK, Locally Owned, Globally Strong. First up will be an interview Cindy did with American Egg Board Marketing Communications Manager Marc Dresner. They discuss the AEB’s eggciting promotional sponsorship of Disney-Pixar’s “Incredibles 2” that has audiences scrambling …
GROWMARK Wants More Interns to Stay
GROWMARK would like to see more of their interns to choose a full-time career at the cooperative after completing the internship experience. The Exploring Agriculture program is geared towards community college students and those with an interest in the operational side of GROWMARK’s business. This year a total of 32 interns joined that program, being placed throughout the cooperative’s core …
Ethanol Report on EPA RFS Proposal
At one time, the ethanol industry would have been thrilled with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposal for 2019 RFS blending requirements, which maintains the 15 billion gallon statutory level for conventional biofuels and increases the levels for advanced biofuels. But that was before EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt started handing out small refinery exemptions like Halloween candy resulting in over …