Hello and welcome to the ZimmCast. Agri-Pulse is calling this month a “September to Remember” with a total of four virtual or semi-virtual events they are hosting – that’s about 24 hours of content! Those events include: 2020 Virtual Food & Ag Policy Summit West – September 9, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm Pacific Time 2020 Ag & Food Policy …
USDA Secretary Perdue at NASDA Annual Meeting
The National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) kicked off its virtual annual meeting Monday with comments from USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue, and a virtual presentation of the NASDA Ambassadors Circle Award to him. NASDA President and North Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture Doug Goehring hosted the conversation with Secretary Perdue, who discussed how USDA has responded to COVID-19 impacts …
ZimmCast 654 – #FJFieldDays and DWFI Podcast
Hello and welcome to the ZimmCast. This week I had the opportunity to fly for the first time in over 5 1/2 months to put the Golden ZimmComm Microphone to work at a farm event. Thank you Farm Journal for having me help with your Farm Journal Field Days event which included on-farm activities as well as a significant virtual …
Ethanol Report 8-28-20
As the presidential election nears, the ethanol industry is watching closely to see which candidate will be more supportive of the Renewable Fuel Standard. While Democratic candidate Joe Biden released a strong statement of support for the industry this week, the Trump Administration’s Environmental Protection Agency continues to drag its feet on important decisions like the 2021 Renewable Volume Obligations …
Introducing the Daugherty Water for Food Podcast
Welcome to the Daugherty Water for Food Podcast! Since 2010, the Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute at the University of Nebraska has worked toward one goal: a food and water secure world — one in which global food security is ensured without compromising the use of water to meet other essential human and environmental needs. It’s a daunting vision, …
EPA and USDA Announce Next Gen Fertilizer Challenge
The Environmental Protection Agency has teamed up with USDA to advance agricultural sustainability with the Next Gen Fertilizer Challenges. The competition includes two challenges that seek proposals for new and existing fertilizer technologies to maintain or improve crop yields while reducing the impacts of fertilizers on the environment. EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced …
EPA Working on 2021 RVO, Waiver Requests
Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Andrew Wheeler says they are working to get the 2021 Renewable Volume Obligations “done as quickly as possible” and promises they will not be as late as the previous administration. During a press call on Wednesday, Wheeler said EPA is also being very diligent in its review of retroactive small refinery waiver petitions, which now total …
New Alltech ONE Virtual Session Focuses on Asia
The Asian Agri-Business session of the Alltech ONE Virtual Experience is underway this week. Kicking off the experience today was a young lady with an energetic spirit who began taking positive action to protect the environment before she was even a teenager. Growing up near the rice fields and beaches of Bali, Melati Wijsen saw the impact of plastic waste …
Conservation Goals Unite Livestock and Sporting Groups
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) and the Public Lands Council (PLC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) Monday with Ducks Unlimited (DU) and Safari Club International (SCI) with a commitment to conservation of natural resources through sustainable multiple use. The MOU outlines these groups’ efforts to cultivate healthier ecosystems, wildlife populations, and economies through active management. Hunting, fishing, and …
2020 Farm Journal Field Days
Farm Journal Field Days is the New American Farm Show™. It is a celebration of virtual learning and entertainment for farmers, ranchers and all of agriculture. From August 25-27, Farm Journal Field Days will take over the eyes and ears of the ag industry. Anchored by live events on farms in Jesup, Iowa, (August 25) and Bryan, Ohio, (August 27), …
Field Notes from Koch Agronomic Services – Episode 6
The Field Notes podcast series from Koch Agronomic Services (Koch) breaks down the science and technology behind agronomy to help growers do more with less. Crop science experts and others in the agriculture industry discuss topics ranging from nitrogen loss and soil health to ways growers can increase operational efficiencies. Fall and Next Season Information This episode features Kate Koehler, …
Ethanol Report 8-14-20
In this episode of The Ethanol Report, we cover a number of different topics on the ethanol front. First, we head to South Dakota for the 80th Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, where the Renewable Fuels Association once again provided free fuel and ethanol education for bikers, with the new addition of ethanol-based hand sanitizer as a giveaway. RFA’s Robert White, former …
President Considering Reciprocal Tariffs on Brazil Ethanol
President Donald Trump was asked about efforts to lower or eliminate Brazil’s tariffs on U.S. ethanol during a press conference this week. “I think that as far as Brazil is concerned, if they do tariffs, we have to have an equalization of tariffs,” President Trump responded. “It’s called reciprocal tariffs and you may be seeing something on that very soon.”
EPA Reviewing RFS Gap Year Waiver Requests
During a visit to Wisconsin this week, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Andrew Wheeler was once again questioned about the status of so-called “gap year” waiver requests from refineries asking for relief from their Renewable Fuel Standard obligations from previous years. Because the petitions go back as much as eight years, Wheeler said he is not sure how long it will …
USDA Announces More Eligible Commodities for CFAP
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has added new commodities to the list covered by the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP), and is extending the deadline to apply for the program to September 11th. Additional commodities now eligible for the program include a variety of specialty crops like pumpkins, rutabagas, shallots, tangelos; all types of sheep; aquaculture such as catfish, …