After a week of meetings on the Trans Pacific Partnership, trade ministers from a dozen nations left Hawaii last weekend with issues still unresolved but USTR Michael Froman says they remain optimistic. One of the biggest remaining issues to resolve is in dairy, according to New Zealand’s Trade Minister Tim Groser. “In every negotiation where I have been involved over …
2015 InfoAg Conference
The 2015 InfoAg celebrated 20 years for the premier precision agriculture conference. The event was held for the second year at Union Station in St. Louis July 28-30 and featured five tracks of concurrent sessions with two tracks repeating to allow attendees to hear more of the presentations while offering a wide variety of topics. 2015 InfoAg Conference Photo Album …
2015 Ag Media Summit
The 17th annual Ag Media Summit was held July 25-29 in Scottsdale, AZ. Ag Media Summit is a joint meeting of the American Agricultural Editors’ Association, the Livestock Publications Council and the American Business Media Agri-Council. The event includes annual awards honoring the industry’s best talent and the InfoExpo featuring agribusiness companies and organizations. 2015 Ag Media Summit Photo Album …
Ethanol to Help Fuel 75th Sturgis Motorcycle Rally
The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) will once again partner with the Buffalo Chip Campground at the 75th annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, which will be held Aug. 3-9 in Sturgis, South Dakota. More than 1.5 million motorcycle enthusiasts are expected to attend the event this year for the big anniversary and in this edition of the Ethanol Report, RFA Vice President …
Comment Deadline for RFS Proposal is Monday
The deadline for submitting comments to the Environmental Protection Agency on the proposed Renewable Fuel Standards for 2014, 2015, and 2016 is Monday, July 27. Here are comments from EPA, National Corn Growers Association (NCGA), and the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) encouraging stakeholders to submit comments on the proposal. Comment Deadline for RFS Proposal is Monday – Comments can be …
2015 Southern Peanut Growers Conference
The location is new this year but the 17th annual Southern Peanut Growers Conference has the same great line up of information and entertainment for peanut farmers and industry partners from Alabama, Florida, Georgia and Mississippi. For the first time in 17 years, Georgia is the host state for the event that has always been held in Panama City Beach, …
New Holland Media Days
New Holland just conducted their 2015 Media Days. A group of agricultural journalists spent two days in Pennsylvania at the North American Headquarters learning about the history of the company which is celebrating 120 years and got a look behind the scenes into the engineering department and how virtual reality plays a role in product development. They also got in …
Iowa Bird Flu Update
State and federal officials in Iowa say all sites hit by highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in Iowa have been depopulated and clean-up is well underway. The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and U.S. Department of Agriculture said depopulation has been completed at all 77 premises, with 34 million birds affected. According to USDA, disposal has been completed …
RFA Statement on Senate Finance Markup
Renewable Fuels Association president and CEO Bob Dinneen commented on the markup Tuesday by the Senate Finance Committee of a tax extenders bill that contains several provisions of importance to the biofuels industry. The bill contains a two-year extension of the Second Generation Biofuel Producer Tax Credit, the Special Depreciation Allowance for Seond Generation Biofuel Plant Property, and the Alternative …
Dairy Checkoff Launches ‘The Udder Truth’
Dairy Management Inc.™ (DMI) will launch “The Udder Truth,” a series of videos and edgy content designed to address common consumer myths, today. The Udder Truth is a continuation of the checkoff’s consumer confidence work to help protect and grow public trust in dairy farmers, products and the industry, particularly among millennials. “This effort is unlike anything the checkoff has …
EPA Administrator Talks to Corn Growers
Speaking to members of the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) meeting in Washington DC this week, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Gina McCarthy talked about recent agency actions, including the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) and Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS). More than 300 farmers and staffers were on hand to hear McCarthy’s explanation of the RFS and WOTUS decisions, as well …
Corn Congress and RFS Rally
Members of the National Corn Growers Association were on Capitol Hill this week talking about issues important to them, especially the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). More than 300 corn farmers joined members of Congress and ethanol industry leaders at a rally Wednesday calling attention to the proposed cutting of the RFS` for corn ethanol. In addition, corn growers were talking …
Visit to BASF Midwest Research Farm
Out in the Illinois countryside just a little southwest of Champaign is the BASF Midwest Research Farm (MWRF), which the company has developed into a showcase for the latest in crop development trials and stewardship practices. A group of agricultural journalists toured the site this week to learn more about what they do there and about the challenges facing Illinois …
Priority Issues for GROWMARK
GROWMARK Executive Director for Corporate and Government Relations Chuck Spencer is keeping an eye on many legislative and regulatory issues on both the state and national level that could impact grower members of the cooperative. In this interview, Spencer comments on EPA’s Waters of the United States regulation and proposed volume obligations under the Renewable Fuel Standard, food labeling, and …
Interview with New Holland’s Bret Lieberman
Last week Bret Lieberman, was appointed Vice President of North America, New Holland. I just completed an exclusive interview with him which is available to all ag media. We started our conversation talking about his background which is extensive and diversified. In fact, today he’s celebrating being with the company for 25 years. Bret joined the company in 1990 with …