U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue led a trade mission to Mexico this week to investigate new opportunities with our nation’s largest bilateral trading partner and second-largest export market for agricultural products. The secretary was joined by the heads of six state departments of agriculture: Bryan Hurlburt of Connecticut, Celia Gould of Idaho, Joseph Bartenfelder of Maryland, Chris Chinn of …
Flex Fuel Jeep Wrangler Debuts in Vegas
The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) and Kenny Hauk of Hauk Designs unveiled a new project at the 2019 SEMA Show in Las Vegas this week that highlights the benefits of higher ethanol blends in high performance vehicles – a Flex Fuel Jeep Wrangler with more than 1,000 horsepower using a high-octane, low-carbon fuel containing up to 85 percent ethanol (E85). …
2019 Florida Industrial Hemp Conference & Exposition
The inaugural Florida Industrial Hemp Conference & Exposition takes place in Orlando, FL. With an expectation of 200 attendees the actual number is about 450 according to conference coordinator, Gene Jones. The Florida Industrial Hemp Conference and Exhibition will focus on the development of the industrial hemp industry in Florida. Conference related topics include, but are not limited to: Hemp …
Suterra Introduces CheckMate®Puffer®NOW Ace™
Global pheromone leader offers an improved one-per-acre aerosol formulation that allows growers to effectively reduce Navel Orangeworm (NOW) damage,deploy faster and save money BEND, Ore. – Nov. 1, 2019 – Suterra today announced the launch of CheckMate® Puffer® NOW Ace™, a new aerosol pheromone formulation for season-long Navel Orangeworm (NOW) control in almonds, pistachios, walnuts, figs and other crops where …
Ethanol Report on Hearing Highlights
Back to back hearings on topics related to small refinery exemptions under the Renewable Fuel Standard brought ethanol supporters out to explain how EPA’s abuse of the waivers is hurting farmers and producers and how the new proposed rule is insufficient to fix the problem. In this edition of The Ethanol Report, we hear from some of those who testified …
ZimmCast 628 – Conversation with Demeter
In this week’s program I have a conversation with Sharlet Teigen, CEO, Demeter Communications. Sharlet talks about the start of the company and the challenges she and the team had to overcome. For her it began with a major move from Chicago to rural Montana. Listen to the ZimmCast here: Subscribe to the ZimmCast by clicking here.
USDA Deputy Secretary on Trade Mission in West Africa
U.S. Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Steve Censky is on a trade mission to West Africa this week to help United States exporters unlock new opportunities in a region where strong economic growth is driving demand for imported food and farm products. He is joined by representatives of more than 40 companies and organizations seeking to increase exports of U.S. agricultural …
Biofuels Groups Express Concerns at EPA Hearing
Representatives from multiple ethanol and biodiesel stakeholder organizations and companies testified at an Environmental Protection Agency hearing Wednesday on the proposal to make up for volumes lost under the Renewable Fuel Standard due to small refinery waivers. Audio from some witnesses: Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig – (5:42) Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Geoff Cooper – (5:16) American …
Biofuels Industry Testifies on Harm Done by RFS Waivers
Biofuels industry representatives testified during a House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee hearing Tuesday on how the increase in small refinery exemptions (SREs) under the Renewable Fuel Standard has hurt ethanol and biodiesel producers and farmers. Opening testimony: Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) – (5:00) Kelly Nieuwenhuis, Iowa farmer and Siouxland Energy Cooperative president, on behalf of Growth Energy (4:50) World Energy …
USDA Unveils Domestic Hemp Production Program
On Tuesday, USDA officials announced the establishment of the U.S. Domestic Hemp Production Program to create a consistent regulatory framework around hemp production throughout the United States. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue commented on the program and Under Secretary of Agriculture for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Greg Ibach and Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation Bill Northey offered details. …
President Trump Cabinet Meeting Comments on China
President Donald Trump talked about China buying agricultural products during a cabinet meeting on Monday, October 21. “If we could get $20 billion a year from China — that China purchases $20 billion a year of agricultural product — that would be a great thing,” said President Trump. “And I said, ‘I want more.’ They said, “The farmers can’t handle …
President Trump Praises Refinery Waivers
During a cabinet meeting on Monday October 21, President Donald Trump praised EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler for making small refineries happy by granting them waivers from the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). “And I know you’re working on the small refineries — getting that straightened away so that it’s going to be terrific for the small refineries,” President Trump said to …
USDA Deputy Provides Farm Bill Update
The Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry held a hearing Thursday to hear from USDA Deputy Secretary Stephen Censky regarding implementation of the 2018 Farm Bill, and commented on the EPA supplemental proposal out this week. Listen to his opening remarks below and read full testimony. (5:14) The announcement out of EPA this week regarding the Renewable Fuel Standard …
Ethanol Report on RFA Reaction to EPA Proposal
The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) is critical of the Supplemental Proposal for Renewable Fuels Volumes issued by EPA on October 15. “Simply put, this proposal is not what was promised by the administration (on October 4) and fails to answer President Trump’s personal call for a stronger conventional biofuel requirement of more than 15 billion,” says RFA president and CEO …
Iowa Groups Outraged Over EPA Proposal
Representatives of Iowa’s corn, ethanol, biodiesel and soybean producers held a press conference Wednesday in response to the Supplemental Proposal for Renewable Fuels Volumes released Tuesday by EPA. Iowa Corn Growers Association CEO Craig Floss quoted one farmer who is outraged over the proposal. “No more Iowa Nice, now it’s Iowa Pissed.” Floss was joined by Iowa Soybean Association farmer …