Doane Releases Planting Intentions Survey Results

Doane’s 2015 Planting Intentions Survey was released to subscribers and clients Friday, March 20th. Results from this year’s survey show a continuation of recent trends toward more soybeans and less corn acreage. Last year’s corn acreage declined significantly in 2014, down 4.8 million acres from the 2013 level, just a bit more than the 4.5 million acre decline implied by …

Biofuels Leaders Defend RFS

As the American Petroleum Institute on Wednesday renewed its call to repeal the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), representatives of the ethanol and advanced biofuels industry and corn growers defended the law and the fuel. Participating in a telephone press conference were: Tom Buis, CEO, Growth Energy Rob Elliott, National Corn Growers Assoc. First Vice President Adam Monroe, President, Novozymes America …

Corn Growers Welcome New Congress

The National Corn Growers Association spent Tuesday on Capitol Hill this week, welcoming the 114th Congress to Washington and talking up the importance of agriculture to the American economy. Pictured here is NCGA President Chip Bowling of Maryland with Rep. Rodney Davis (R-IL) – photo from NCGA. NCGA executive vice president Jon Doggett talks about the visit and important issues …

PacificAg Can Help Farmers and Biorefineries

The largest and most experienced biomass harvest company in the country wants to help ethanol plants develop or expand operations into the production of cellulosic ethanol by saving time and money on supply chain development. PacificAg is already supplying biomass for plants in Iowa and Kansas, including corn stover, wheat straw and milo stover products. In this interview, PacificAg founder …

Bayer CropScience Corn & Soybean Future Forum

The 2014 Bayer CropScience Corn and Soybean Future Forum takes place in Frankfurt, Germany. The Future Forum will be an excellent networking opportunity with interesting lectures, expert discussions and an attractive side program that feature upcoming trends and technologies in corn and soybean and will provide new insights into current and upcoming challenges and possible solution approaches. Audio Bayer CropScience …

Interview with Grains Council CEO

With a record corn crop being harvested, exports are more important than ever. The United States exported more than 11 percent of the U.S. corn supply to over 100 countries in the 2013/2014 marketing year, which U.S. Grains Council president and CEO Tom Sleight says is a nice recovery from lost market share after the drought of 2012. In this …

USDA Crop Report Comments

USDA has increased its estimate of both the corn and soybean crops this month, building on already forecast record highs. Corn production is forecast at 14.4 billion bushels, up 3 percent from both the August forecast and from 2013 and yields are expected to average 171.7 bushels per acre, almost 13 bushels an acre higher than last year. Soybean production …

Interview with National Corn President

Members of the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) had a busy week in the nation’s capital last week – hearing from and meeting with administration officials and lawmakers, saying goodbye to retiring industry leaders, and inspiring new young leaders. In this interview with NCGA president Martin Barbre of Illinois, he talks about their conversation with EPA Deputy Administrator Bob Perciasepe, …

American Ethanol 200 Wins Big in Iowa

The American Ethanol 200 presented by Enogen took place on Friday, July 11, 2014 and ethanol had a big win. Syngenta donated $108,000 to Growth Energy as part of its $1 per acre program to help support ethanol infrastructure. Syngenta’s $1 per acre program is a three-year program where the company donates $1 for every acre of Enogen trait corn …

2014 Corn Utilization and Technology Conference

The National Corn Growers Association 2014 Corn Utilization and Technology Conference was held June 2-4 in Louisville, Kentucky. 2014 CUTC Photo Album Promoting Kentucky Bourbon – NCGA President Kicks off CUTC – Gen 1.5 – Corn Fiber to Ethanol – Edeniq Stresses Cellulosic Ethanol is Here –

New Report on Economic Impact of Renewable Fuels

The Fuels America coalition released an economic impact study by John Dunham & Associates showing that the industry supports more than 850,000 American jobs and drives $184.5 billion of economic output. Fuels America held a telephone press conference introducing the report results featuring comments from Jon Doggett, National Corn Growers Association public policy; Adam Monroe, Novozymes; Larry Ward, POET; and …

2014 Commodity Classic

The 2014 Commodity Classic was held in San Antonio, Texas Feb. 27-March 1, 2014. Presented annually by the National Corn Growers Association, American Soybean Association, National Association of Wheat Growers and National Sorghum Producers, Commodity Classic is America’s largest farmer-led, farmer-focused convention, and trade show. 2014 Commodity Classic Photos Vilsack Thanks Farmers for Security, Farm Bill – Commodity Classic Presidents …

MGEX Call on WASDE Report

USDA released the latest World Agricultural Supply and Demand Report on January 10. Minneapolis Grain Exchange hosted a conference call with Brad Paulson of Northern Crops Marketing and Investment to analyze the numbers.

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 …

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.