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 …
Corn Growers on Cuba Trade Mission
Nine farmer leaders and staff members from the National Corn Growers Association, the U.S. Grains Council and the North Dakota Barley Council traveled to Cuba last month to see first-hand opportunities for expanding U.S. coarse grain exports if trade is fully normalized with the island nation. The mission was part of an ongoing effort by the grains industry to assess …
Ethanol Report on RFS Hearing and Rally
Hundreds of ethanol supporters turned out for a rally and public hearing in Kansas City, Kansas last week on the EPA’s proposed volume obligations under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). In this edition of the Ethanol Report, we hear from some of those who attended. The report includes comments and testimony from Iowa Governor Terry Branstad, Missouri Governor Jay Nixon, …
iCropTrak Prepares for InfoAg Conference
The InfoAg Conference is only four weeks away and companies like iCropTrak are getting excited to showcase their products to a record setting crowd in St. Louis, July 28-30. In this interview, Aaron Hutchinson of iCropTrak talks about what’s new and what we can expect to see when visiting the company during InfoAg. iCropTrak Getting Ready for InfoAg Conference –
International Drone Conference Preview
The International Drone Conference & Expo, taking place in Las Vegas, September 9-11. Registration for InterDrone for trade and commercial drone builders, buyers and flyers and business owners is now open. One of the interesting components of the show is a drone flying area inside for vendors to show off their products. A number of ag focused companies are on …
2015 Bioenergy Conference
On June 23–24, the U.S. Department of Energy hosted the eighth annual Bioenergy Conference: Opportunities in a Changing Energy Landscape. Co-hosted with the Clean Energy Research and Education Foundation (CEREF), this year’s conference focused on opportunities and challenges in our current highly dynamic energy ecosystem. View the 2015 BioEnergy 2015 photo album Sen Klobuchar: Time to Govern by Opportunity – …
Crop Health Labs’ Plant Sap Analysis Increases Profits
Growers looking to reduce crop inputs and increase profits now have access to a program to achieve both – Plant Sap Analysis. The technology is offered by Crop Health Labs, in partnership with NovaCropControl Laboratories. Plant Sap Analysis offers a different approach to a very common nutrient management problem. Unlike traditional tissue sampling, Plant Sap Analysis provides immediate indicators of …
#RFSWorks Hearing and Rally
Hundreds of ethanol supporters showed up in Kansas City, Kansas on June 25, 2015 for a public hearing on the EPA’s proposed volume obligations under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) and a Rally for Rural America. The hearing heard testimony from over 200 stakeholders, including corn farmers, ethanol and biodiesel producers. The rally featured comments from the governors and agriculture …