by Stephanie Manuzak (Yale Climate Connections) The newest farm bill offers support for algae growers. -- ..."Currently companies in the industry are producing plastics, and recyclable foam, and animal feed for cows and chickens and pigs, and aquafeed for shrimp,”
Agricultural Policy
Back TO HOMESurvey Finds Strong Opposition to EPA Oil Refinery Waivers, Strong Support for RFS
(Renewable Fuels Association) Registered voters oppose the Trump administration’s actions to exempt oil refineries from renewable fuel blending obligations by a margin of nearly two to one, according to new polling data released today by the Renewable Fuels Association. The nationwide
October 03, 2019 Read Full Article
Greens Support Use of Biofuels, but Only from Plant Waste Matter
(Sudbury.com) Party says there will be no food-based biofuels in transition to zero-carbon economy -- The Green Party of Canada says it supports the use of biofuels as the nation switches to a zero-carbon economy, but only if it's made from
October 03, 2019 Read Full Article
Cruel Summer
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) A series of unfortunate events this summer—all caused by U.S. government action or inaction—has led to a precarious situation in the biodiesel sector, but there may be a silver lining. -- ... The volume of
October 02, 2019 Read Full Article
KAI, Servo Railway Collaborate to Design B100-Run Locomotive
by Faisal Yunianto and Sri Haryati (Antara News) State-owned railway company PT Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI) Persero is working with private logistical railway service firms Servo Railway and Progress Rail for designing locomotives run on B100 biodiesel. The cooperation is a
October 01, 2019 Read Full Article
Daschle, Sombke Call Pending SAFE Rule the Path to Higher Ethanol Volumes
(Safe Gasoline Campaign) In a wide-ranging interview on a popular South Dakota Business Radio program, Sombke and Daschle stressed that moving to high octane gasoline is a way to build on the success of the Renewable Fuel Standard. The path to get there
September 30, 2019 Read Full Article
Corn and Soybean Leaders Compel Lawmakers to Stop EPA’s Anti-Biofuels Actions
by Dave Blower Jr. (The News Gazette) The Indiana Soybean Alliance (ISA) and the Indiana Corn Growers Association (ICGA) along with 12 other Indiana farm, ethanol and biodiesel plants and allied industries wrote to Indiana’s congressional delegation expressing frustration with
September 27, 2019 Read Full Article
Farmers Urge Trump to Address ‘Economic Crisis’ Facing Biofuels Industry
by Ken Anderson (Brownfield Ag News) Leaders in the renewable fuels industry say it’s urgent that President Trump fix the demand destruction and “economic crisis” created by RFS waivers. Ron Heck of Perry, Iowa, secretary of the National Biodiesel Board, says there’s
September 27, 2019 Read Full Article
Sizzlin’ Summit: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to Algae in the 2019 Farm Bill
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) At the hot and happenin’ Algae Biomass Summit in Orlando, Florida,Steve Mayfield, Director at UCSD California Center for Algae Biotechnology and Martin Sabarksy, CEO of Cellana, gave this illuminating introduction of some of the latest
September 26, 2019 Read Full Article
RFA to Lawmakers: Thanks for Letter to EPA
by Carrie Muehling (Energy.AgWired.com) The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) is applauding lawmakers for support of the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS). RFA thanked a bipartisan group of 25 members of the U.S. House of Representatives for asking the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to prospectively restore
September 24, 2019 Read Full Article
State Level Climate Smart Ag Groups Growing
(North American Climate Smart Agriculture Alliance) State-level climate smart ag groups are growing, evidenced by wide media attention drawn by a forum held last month by the Florida Climate Smart Agriculture (FL CSA) Work Group, and an early meeting of
September 23, 2019 Read Full Article
NACSAA Leaders Share Climate Change Advantages With Policy Makers, Lawmakers
(North American Climate Smart Agriculture Alliance) NACSAA Steering Committee Chairman Fred Yoder, Committee Member Ray Gaesser and Alliance Coordinator Ernie Shea held a series of courtesy briefings and listening sessions in Washington last week, meeting with USDA officials, top farm trade
September 23, 2019 Read Full Article
Ethanol Blog: Economist Proposes Two RFS Changes to Appease Oil, Ethanol
by Todd Neeley (DTN Progressive Farmer) With a reported big deal for biofuels in flux, an economist at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign put forward a plan on Thursday to account for more than 4 billion gallons of biofuels exempted
September 23, 2019 Read Full Article
Trump’s Billion-Dollar Gambit: An Ethanol Deal to Meet the Demands of Farmers and Big Oil
by Tim Mullaney (CNBC) President Trump is planning an ethanol deal to please U.S. farmers angry that many oil refiners have been freed from obligations to use oil-based fuel. The deal, still not yet reduced to a written bill, is
September 23, 2019 Read Full Article
'Very Engaged' Trump Talks Biofuels Policy with U.S. Oil-State Senators
by Stephanie Kelly (Reuters) President Donald Trump on Thursday discussed biofuels policy with senators from U.S. oil states, including Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy, who said the president was engaged on the issue that has pitted Big Oil and Big Corn
September 20, 2019 Read Full Article
Davis Introduces Pro-Ethanol Legislation
(The Telegraph) Local ethanol officials are lauding the Small Refinery Exeption Fairness Act of 2019 introduced Wednesday by U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis, R-Taylorville. Davis introduced the bill after the EPA continues to increase the number of small refineries exempted from the Renewable
September 19, 2019 Read Full Article
NBB Member Testifies on Biodiesel’s Clean Energy Contribution
(Biofuels International) A member of the National Biodiesel Board (NBB) has testified to the House Small Business Committee on Rural Development on the contribution of biodiesel to the clean energy economy. Thomas Brooks, general manager of Western Dubuque Biodiesel, spoke at
September 19, 2019 Read Full Article
China May Not Enact Ethanol Fuels Mandate Amid Corn Supply Concerns
(Economic Times Energy World) Now in doubt as both stocks and output decline. -- China's plan to implement a nationwide mandate for ethanol-blended gasoline in 2020 is in doubt after a significant decline in the country's corn stocks, a government researcher said
September 17, 2019 Read Full Article
USDA Numbers Confirm Declining Demand For Ethanol
by Amy Mayer (Iowa Public Radio) The national average price for corn this season is back to $3.60 a bushel, about where it’s been most of this year except for an early-season spike ($4.16 in July) before the size and quality of the
September 16, 2019 Read Full Article
Global Leaders Issue Report Underscoring Imminent Need for Adaptation
(Solutions from the Land) A panel of political, business and environmental leaders is the latest to issue warnings about the growing climate crisis emanating from increasingly volatile global weather patterns. Citing what it calls new research findings, the Global Commission on Adaptation,
September 12, 2019 Read Full Article
Achieving NET ZERO -- Farming’s 2040 Goal
(National Farmers Union) The NFU has set the ambitious goal of reaching net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across the whole of agriculture in England and Wales by 2040. This is our contribution to the UK’s ambition of net zero by
September 12, 2019 Read Full Article
White House to Meet With Biodiesel Producers in Quest for a Deal
by Mario Parker and Jennifer A. Dlouhy (Bloomberg) Trump administration officials are set to meet with renewable fuel producers on Wednesday, as they seek to entice industry endorsements for a plan to bolster corn-based ethanol and soy-based biodiesel. The meeting is slated
September 11, 2019 Read Full Article
Many U.S. Farmers Fume at Washington, Not Trump, over Biofuel, Trade Policies
by P.J. Huffstutter and Tom Polansek (Reuters) ... Many farmers are angry, and some are directing their anger not at the Republican president, but at Washington’s bureaucracy. Trump has faced backlash from agricultural groups, ethanol producers and Midwestern politicians upset that
September 10, 2019 Read Full Article
Ethanol Advocate & Former South Dakota Sen. Tom Daschle Meets with Farmers Union Members in D.C.
(South Dakota Farmers Union) It’s a critical time for the ethanol industry said former South Dakota Sen. Tom Daschle today, Sept. 9, 2019, when he met with more than 300 farmers, ranchers and agriculture supporters in D.C. as part of the National Farmers
September 10, 2019 Read Full Article
A 26,000-Mile Road Test Finds Palm Oil Biofuel ‘Safe’ for Cars
by Yoga Rusmana and Eko Listiyoriniana (Bloomberg) Indonesia said it conducted the world’s longest road test using diesel blended with 30% palm oil, and the results showed that the biofuel is safe for cars. The country, which is the No. 1
September 09, 2019 Read Full Article
Trump in High-Stakes Balancing Act between Oil and Corn ahead of 2020 Bid
by Humeyra Pamuk and Jarrett Renshaw (Reuters) At a closed-door meeting at the White House on Aug. 19, President Donald Trump looked increasingly alarmed as his top envoy to China delivered evidence of rising Farm Belt frustration over his biofuel policy
September 06, 2019 Read Full Article
Politico's 2020 Tracker: 2020 Candidates Views on Energy, Environment & Climate Change
(Politico) ... All of the candidates have embraced a target of “net-zero” emissions by 2050 or earlier, and they all propose spending trillions of dollars over the next decade to get there. But many plans are fuzzy on where the money
September 06, 2019 Read Full Article
National Chicken Council Submits Comments to EPA on the RFS Program Standards for 2020 and Biomass-Based Diesel Volume for 2021
(Biobased and Renewable Products Update) On August 30, 2019, the National Chicken Council submitted a letter to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) expressing concerns with the proposed required volume obligations (RVO) for 2020 combined with the recent waiver that will increase
September 06, 2019 Read Full Article
Trump, Biofuels, 2020 and the Prospect of a Farmer Flip
by Matt Carr (Biofuels Digest/New Energy America) ... President Trump has repeatedly buckled under pressure from fossil fuel interests and their Wall Street backers, giving an unprecedented number of “small refinery waivers” to oil refiners that have reported record profits year
September 04, 2019 Read Full Article
Booker: We Will Stop the Oil Refinery Waivers, as Part of $3 Trillion Clean Energy and Infrastructure Plan
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In New Jersey, Senator Cory Booker announced that, if elected as US President, he would “Immediately end the granting of unwarranted RFS small refinery waivers to big oil companies, and substantially increase funding for the Rural
September 03, 2019 Read Full Article
Five Reasons Why Big Oil Is Wrong
by Scott Richman (Renewable Fuels Association) On Wednesday, the American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers and the American Petroleum Institute sent a letter to President Trump in response to reports that the administration is considering measures to mitigate the harm that the
September 01, 2019 Read Full Article
A Farmer's Plea to the President: Fix our Fuel
by Doug Sombke (The Hill/Farmers Union Enterprises and the South Dakota Farmers Union) ... I recently wrote a letter to the president suggesting a pathway out from under the proverbial rock. I urged him to direct the EPA to enforce the mandatory provision
September 01, 2019 Read Full Article
Election Campaigns Can Boost Role of Agriculture in Combating a Changing Climate
(Solutions from the Land) Rural America drew a considerable amount of attention in the last presidential election. President Trump won the White House in large part due to the support he received from voters in this nation's vast non-metropolitan areas.
August 28, 2019 Read Full Article
Iowa Corn Farmers to Trump: The Government Put Us in 'One Hell of a Bad Situation'
by Tal Axelrod (The Hill) The Iowa Corn Growers Association (ICGA) blasted the Trump administration on Tuesday, saying the government has put it in “one hell of a bad situation.” The trade association hammered President Trump for approving what it called 31 “unjustified” refinery waivers
August 28, 2019 Read Full Article
Klobuchar: In First 100 Days as President, Pledges Moratorium on Oil Refinery Waivers, Restoration of Renewable Fuels Tax Credit and More
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Klobuchar says “I will stop the oil refinery waivers”: In Iowa, US Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota said that, if elected President in 2020, would in her first 100 days in office order a moratorium on oil
August 28, 2019 Read Full Article
The Big Six: Trump, Biden, Warren, Klobuchar, Yang, Buttigieg Score in the Digest’s Bioeconomy 2020 US Presidential Poll
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Florida, US President Donald Trump led 19 other candidates in the first Digest Bioeconomy 2020 US Presidential Poll, gaining 31.7 percent support in the bipartisan poll which featured 18 leading Democratic candidates along with
August 27, 2019 Read Full Article
Dhamendra Pradhan to Launch IOC's Rs 800-cr Ethanol Project in Gorakhpur
by Virendra Singh Rawat (Business Standard) The unit is proposed to be set up on 50 acres of land in the premises of the now-defunct Dhuriapar Co-operative Sugar Mill -- Union petroleum minister Dharmendra Pradhan will lay the foundation of an ethanol plant being set
August 26, 2019 Read Full Article
If We Really Want to Sequester More Carbon, Agriculture Can’t Be Made the Enemy, Says Microbial Input Startup Locus
by Lauren Manning (Ag Funder News) ... Carbon sequestration is a phrase that’s becoming commonplace in the media, in food policy circles, and more recently around the dinner table. Put simply, Zorner says, carbon sequestration describes the process that plants use
August 23, 2019 Read Full Article
Trump Set to Discuss Biofuels Thursday with USDA, EPA: Sources
by Humeyra Pamuk and Stephanie Kelly (Reuters) President Donald Trump, faced with mounting anger in the farm belt over policies that allowed oil refineries to use less corn-based ethanol, is set to meet with cabinet members on Thursday to discuss ways to
August 22, 2019 Read Full Article
2020 Dems Aim to Capitalize on Trump’s Ethanol Policy
by Brian Dabbs (National Journal) Democratic presidential candidates are exploiting a controversial White House ethanol policy to try to generate support among President Trump’s staunchest backers. The Environmental Protection Agency waived ethanol blending requirements for more than 30 petroleum refiners earlier
August 22, 2019 Read Full Article
Governors Ask EPA to Clarify Biogenic CO2 Not Regulated under CCA
by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) Governors representing Iowa, Indiana, Kentucky, Nebraska and North Dakota recently sent a letter to U.S. EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler urging the agency to clarify biogenic CO2 is not a pollutant subject to regulation under the Clean
August 21, 2019 Read Full Article
NFU Writes to Government for Biofuel Policy
(National Farmers Union) The NFU has written to Government ministers calling for E10 – a type of petrol which contains 10% renewable bioethanol – to be introduced by 2020 to help the UK reach its net zero targets. Currently commonplace on UK
August 21, 2019 Read Full Article
It’s Time to Rebuild: Farmland as Critical Infrastructure
by Michael A. Fatigati (Vantaggio Renewables/Biofuels Digest) ... We believe that one of our nation’s important natural resources, while protected in some ways, is being neglected to our peril and should be re-classified as infrastructure. This segment of infrastructure supplies
August 21, 2019 Read Full Article
Wound up over Waivers
by Alex Guillén (Politico's Morning Energy) EPA's internal watchdog is being asked to determine how the agency decided to grant the vast majority of exemptions from the Renewable Fuel Standard that oil refiners have requested. EPA approved 31 petitions for waivers
August 21, 2019 Read Full Article
Dems Fear another Rural Wipeout Will Reelect Trump
By Elena Schneider and Catherine Boudreau (Politico) Pitches by some 2020 candidates aren’t yet translating into a broad conversation about the needs of rural voters. -- As Democratic presidential candidates descended on the Iowa State Fair, a plane buzzed overhead, an
August 20, 2019 Read Full Article
NACSAA Webinar Underscores Need for Wider Scale of Global Ag Talks
(North American Climate Smart Agriculture Alliance) A NACSAA webinar held last month on what transpired at the June climate talks in Bonn (SB50) underscored the limited approaches to climate smart agriculture under discussion by global representatives. The global conversation about the
August 19, 2019 Read Full Article
Report: Trump Ordered Waivers: Ongoing Court Challenges May Be Only Avenue Left for Biofuels
by By Todd Neeley and Chris Clayton (DTN Progressive Farmer) ...The president sided with oil refiners over ethanol producers and corn farmers, just two months after reiterating his support for ethanol at a rally held at Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy
August 19, 2019 Read Full Article
E15, E30, and Blender Pumps May Become Generally Available, but Refinery Exemptions Make the RFS Irrelevant
by Doug Root* (Advanced Biofuels USA) Farm Fest in southern Minnesota is always a forum on the health of the agriculture sector of the economy and biofuels. This year was no exception as Rep. Colin Peterson hosted a listening session
August 17, 2019 Read Full Article
Trade Dispute Affecting Ethanol Production in Midwest
by Andy Knight (The Herald Bulletin) Officials with POET Biorefining in Alexandria are monitoring the ongoing trade dispute between the United States and China, which has resulted in significant tariffs on U.S. ethanol shipments to that country. POET employs more than 40
August 16, 2019 Read Full Article
In Iowa, Candidates Are Talking About Farming's Climate Change Connections Like No Previous Election
by Georgina Gustin (Inside Climate News) About half the candidates have policy proposals or statements addressing climate change impacts on agriculture or farming's potential as a climate solution. ... They also brought an unprecedented focus on agriculture's connections with climate change—an issue that's
August 16, 2019 Read Full Article
Audio Available from 2019 American Coalition for Ethanol Conference
(Ag News Wire) The 32nd annual American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) conference is taking place August 14-16, 2019 in Omaha, Nebraska. The event includes a welcome from Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts, followed by industry updates and a keynote presentation by new U.S. Grains
August 16, 2019 Read Full Article
Iowa Farmers Stick With Trump Despite Trade War
by John McCormick and Jesse Naranjo (Wall Street Journal) ... “He’s doing the right thing,” said Leo Balk, a fifth-generation farmer who raises corn, soybeans, oats, beef and dairy cows on about 300 acres near New Hampton, Iowa. “It hurts, but
August 15, 2019 Read Full Article
Florida Ag Producers, Foresters Share Ideas to Deal with Climate Change
(Solutions from the Land) Florida Rep. Kathy Castor told a group of farmers, ranchers and timber producers in her state Monday that responding to a changing climate must be a collaborative effort, drawing together producers, government agencies and academics to
August 14, 2019 Read Full Article
Pete Buttigieg: To Tackle Challenges Like Climate Change, Unlock the Potential of Rural America
by Pete Buttigieg (Des Moines Register) ... To empower farmers to confront climate disruption, we will dramatically increase agricultural R&D. As president, I will double these investments over four years, dedicating nearly $50 billion over a decade. With scientists indicating
August 14, 2019 Read Full Article
The Safrinha Subpoena, or, Do They that Soy the Wind Ripen the Whirlwind?
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Today we’re going to relate a detective story which begins with an unexplained and foul stink, and branches off into climate, trade, the eradication of poverty, crop rotation, the politics of the Amazon, the flow
August 13, 2019 Read Full Article
U.S. Ag Volatility Affects Novozymes: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to Novozyme’s First Half of 2019
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Novozymes is a leader in biological solutions focusing on enzymes and microbes. The company just released their report on the first half of 2019 that showed while there was a second quarter improvement, overall the entire first
August 12, 2019 Read Full Article
EPA Strikes Icy Blow to Ag & Biofuels: 31 Waivers Hit Heart of American Farmers and Biofuels
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) EPA might have a new name in some circles – Exemptions for Petroleum Agency – thanks to the 31 small refinery waivers issued on Friday which has the biofuels and agriculture industries reeling after promises
August 12, 2019 Read Full Article
European Scientists Call for EU Rethink of “Retrograde” Gene-Editing Legislation
by Katherine Durrell (Food Ingredients First) Scientists across Europe are calling for a rethink on the restriction of genome editing technology by the newly-elected European Parliament and European Commission. The open statement is signed by 126 research institutes and comes exactly
August 06, 2019 Read Full Article
New IPCC Report to Assess the Interaction between Global Warming and Land Use
(Agence-France Presse/FirstPost) The overlapping crises of climate change, mass species extinction, and an unsustainable global food system are on a collision course towards what might best be called an ecological land grab. Coping with each of these problems will require a
August 06, 2019 Read Full Article
Federal Bill Could Create Biogas Tax Credits, Bolster Organics Infrastructure
by Cole Rosengren (Waste Dive) ... The expiration of the ITC benefits in 2016, followed by the expiration of related production tax credits in 2017, are frequently cited as key limitations for financing new biogas infrastructure. While other incentives such
August 05, 2019 Read Full Article
Positive Climate Perspective: Iowans Educate Democrats on Solutions Farmers, Biofuels Offer on Climate Change
by Chris Clayton (DTN Progressive Farmer) As Democratic presidential candidates traipse through Iowa talking about their plans to address climate change, a mixed group of farmers and biofuel advocates are stressing the role agriculture can play as a solution. Matt Russell, executive
July 31, 2019 Read Full Article
The Secret History of Why Soda Companies Switched From Sugar to High-Fructose Corn Syrup
by Tom Philpott (Mother Jones) In a mesmerizing recent article, Mother Jones’ Tim Murphy recounts the surprising backstory of one of corporate marketing’s greatest flops: Coca-Cola’s quickly aborted 1985 effort to tweak its formula and convince consumers to accept “New Coke.” ... Coca-Cola had already started
July 30, 2019 Read Full Article
Biobased Briefing: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to BIO
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... If you want to get a quick overview of what BIO does, some fascinating statistics they have on the U.S. renewable chemicals market, both current and predicted, and more, check out today’s Multi-Slide Guide. Jim Greenwood,President
July 22, 2019 Read Full Article
These Candidates See Farming as a Climate Solution. Here’s What They're Proposing.
by Georgina Gustin (Inside Climate Change) ... Sen. Michael Bennet, like Biden, writes about voluntary markets to support better soil carbon practices. South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg talked at the first debate about climate change and farming's role, and how "the right kind of soil management and
July 19, 2019 Read Full Article
CM Okays 100 Acre Land for Bhandara Ethanol, Biogas Plant
Anjaya Anparthi (Times of India) Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday approved 100 acres land for a proposed project to produce ethanol and biogas gas from paddy straw at Bhandara. ... Fadnavis approved transfer of 100 acres land from the state government to MIDC
July 19, 2019 Read Full Article
Biden Plan Seeks to Boost Rural America through Investments
by Alexandra Jaffe (Associated Press) Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden on Tuesday sought to build on his appeal to rural voters with the release of a broad plan to revitalize rural America through investments in agriculture, rural economies and infrastructure. ... The plan
July 18, 2019 Read Full Article
NACSAA Pushes Science-Based Decision Making, Other Principles, in Bonn
(Solutions from the Land) Science-based decision making and putting farmers at the center of all discussions were among the guiding principles touted by representatives of NACSAA and many of its member organizations in a workshop held by United Nation's facilitators in
July 09, 2019 Read Full Article
Maharashtra: Divert 25% Cane for Ethanol Production, Sugar Commissioner Tells Industry
by Parthasarathi Biswas (The Indian Express) Millers now say they are looking for long-term commitment from the central government to keep prices steady for at least 10 years, which will allow them to recover investments in new machinery. -- Maharashtra Sugar Commissioner Shekhar
July 03, 2019 Read Full Article
Creed on ‘Challenges’ Oosed by Anaerobic Digestion in Ireland
by Claire Mc Cormack (AgriLand) While the Government has committed to investigating the long-term potential of establishing a wide-scale biogas industry in its newly-published Climate Action Plan, the prospects “remain challenging”, according to the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael
June 26, 2019 Read Full Article
Senator Amy Klobuchar Releases Plan of More Than 100 Actions for Her First 100 Days as President
by @AmyForAmerica (Medium.com) U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar released a plan outlining the more than 100 concrete steps she will take in her first 100 days as President of the United States to take on the biggest challenges we face at home
June 19, 2019 Read Full Article
NACSAA Representatives in Bonn for World Climate Talks on Agriculture
(North America Climate Smart Agriculture Alliance) North America Climate Smart Agriculture (NACSAA) representatives will be at UN talks in Bonn, Germany, next week to push the message that agriculture is a major solution platform for achieving global climate stability and sustainable development
June 13, 2019 Read Full Article
EPA Solicits Nominations for SAB, Related Committees DEADLINE: June 24, 2019
by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) The U.S. EPA is inviting nominations of scientific experts to be considered for appointment to the agency’s Science Advisory Board and four SAB committees, including the SAB Agricultural Science Committee, which provides advice to the chartered
June 12, 2019 Read Full Article
What Trump's New Ethanol Rules Mean for You
by Brittany De Lea (Fox Business) President Trump is in Iowa on Tuesday, just weeks after he lifted restrictions on ethanol – which could be a boon to both farmers and some drivers. At the end of May, the Trump administration announced it would allow
June 12, 2019 Read Full Article
Inslee’s “Evergreen Economy” Plan Includes Green Infrastructure and Climate-Smart Ag, but Barely
by Declan Foraise (Ecosystem Marketplace) Washington state Governor Jay Inslee has built his entire campaign on climate change, and today (May 16, 2019) he unveiled his “Evergreen Economy” proposal to redirect more than two dozen existing US programs towards the climate challenge.
June 11, 2019 Read Full Article
Government’s Contradictory Policies Killing Agro-Industrial Sectors in Nigeria
by Femi Ibirogba (The Guardian) ... Mr Rajavelu Rajasekar is a Director (Agro), Allied-Atlantic Distilleries, Agbara, Ogun State, where 250 metric tonnes of raw cassava roots are processed into ethanol. He revealed, in this interview with Head, Agro-Economy Desk, FEMI IBIROGBA,
June 10, 2019 Read Full Article
The Policy Enabling Environment for Climate Smart Agriculture: A Case Study of California
by Josette Lewis and Jessica Rudnick (Frontiers Media) Climate smart agriculture (CSA) provides a framework for balancing multiple dimensions of agriculture and food systems in an era of climate change: addressing agricultural contributions to global greenhouse gas emissions, vulnerabilities to climate
June 07, 2019 Read Full Article
2020 Democratic Front-Runner Joe Biden and President Trump Plan Dueling Campaign Stops in Iowa on Tuesday
by Jeff Daniels (CNBC) -Former Vice President Joe Biden plans to return to Iowa next Tuesday, marking only his second trip to the key caucus state since formally declaring a run for the White House. - But Biden plans to skip
June 07, 2019 Read Full Article
Expanding E15 Availability Is Only a Step Toward Best Use of Biofuels
(Solutions from the Land) At long last, after years of appeals from biofuel interests, clean air advocates and rural Americans, EPA has lifted the summertime ban on the sale of 15-percent ethanol-blended gasoline (E15). The rule lifting the selective, if not
June 07, 2019 Read Full Article
EPA Finalizes E15 Rule Agency Leaves Potential Biofuel Credit Reforms on Table for Later Time
by Todd Neeley (DTN Progressive Farmer) EPA beat the clock in finalizing year-round E15 on Friday, one day ahead of the beginning of the summer driving season. The agency announced a final rule that also takes a much softer approach on
June 02, 2019 Read Full Article
SfL's Kawamura: Agriculture Key to Achieving Sustainable Development Goals
(Solutions from the Land) Solutions from the Land (SfL) Co-Chair A.G. Kawamura recently issued a challenge to a diverse group of California agricultural stakeholders, cautioning that in these often turbulent political times, those who work the land must come together and
May 29, 2019 Read Full Article
Where the 2020 Presidential Candidates Stand on Food and Farming
by Julia Poska and the Civil Eats Editors (Civil Eats) We’ll be tracking policy positions and public statements so you don’t have to. --... Food and farming haven’t been high on the list of campaign priorities in recent decades, except maybe in
May 29, 2019 Read Full Article
Commentary: The Trade Barriers You Don’t Hear About
by Gary Truitt (Hoosier Ag Today) ... While we are struggling to export corn, there is a market that is ready buy U.S. corn just in a different form. Ethanol exports have been booming and could expand even more if the
May 28, 2019 Read Full Article
Malaysia Set to Raise Domestic Palm Biofuel Use - Trade Ministry
(Today Online) Malaysia is expected to allow for a higher percentage of palm biodiesel blends over the next few decades, the international trade and industry ministry said. The ministry said in a statement on Saturday that it is working with the Primary
May 27, 2019 Read Full Article
GST, Biofuels Push on the Wish List of Oil & Gas Companies in NDA's Second Term
by Kalpana Pathak (Live Mint) Industry believes bringing natural gas under GST would make its transport across the country more efficient; Biofuel is another segment which awaits a hard push from the government -- With the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) retaining power with a
May 27, 2019 Read Full Article
All For One: The American Coalition for Ethanol’s Annual Washington, D.C., Fly-In
by Lisa Gibson (Ethanol Producer Magazine) During a meeting with three attendees of the American Coalition for Ethanol’s 2019 Washington, D.C., fly-in, Jaqueline Schmitz, senior policy advisor for Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., said New Jersey voters are against ethanol. They don’t
May 24, 2019 Read Full Article
ACE Elevates Low Carbon White Paper to Senate AG Committee
(American Coalition for Ethanol) ACE CEO Brian Jennings sends Chairman Pat Roberts (R-KS) and Ranking Member Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) data on the positive impact agriculture and low carbon fuels like corn ethanol can have as a hearing takes up the policy
May 24, 2019 Read Full Article
Significance of Ag's Role in Addressing Climate Change Grows in Congress This Week
(Solutions from the Land) A hearing held this week by the Senate Agriculture Committee on the impact of climate change on the ag sector marks what is hoped will be the start of a serious effort by Congress to address the needs
May 23, 2019 Read Full Article
Hemp Is Hot! The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to Industrial Hemp
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Holland & Knight, a law firm based in Washington, D.C. and in the know of the fast changing federal regulations and rules, spoke at the Digest’s webinar this week about the road ahead for industrial hemp.
May 23, 2019 Read Full Article
Chhattisgarh Mulls Plan to Become First Indian State Make Biofuel from Rice
R Krishna Das (Business Standard) Chief Minister Baghel says farming activity in the state was conducive to making fuel from rice, even sugarcane was in surplus and there would be no raw material crisis -- Chhattisgarh is planning to produce biofuel from
May 23, 2019 Read Full Article
New York Mayor Bill de Blasio Tours Ethanol Plant with Former Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack
by Katy Siddall (River Cities' Reader) New York Mayor Bill de Blasio toured the POET Biorefinery in Gowrie, Iowa and discussed the benefits of value-added agriculture in rural America. De Blasio was joined by Secretary Tom Vilsack, who served both as Secretary
May 21, 2019 Read Full Article
How Corrupt Nexus between Sugar Industry, Governments Affect Farmers
by Jitendra (Down to Earth) The sugar industry engages around 50 farmers and two million mill workers. If there is one crop that affects India’s economy, water supply and promotes nepotism, it is sugarcane. India was the first country in the world where
May 21, 2019 Read Full Article
QUOTE OF THE WEEK -- Patricia Murphy
"You’d think that the pain that farmers have felt since Trump came into office might leave an opening for Democrats to move into in 2020, but they’ll have to do more than Clinton did in 2016, when her rural policy pitch mostly
May 14, 2019 Read Full Article
POET Ads Spotlight Farm Crisis
by Cindy Zimmerman (Energy.AgWired.com) South Dakota-based ethanol producer POET, LLC, is launching a major advertising campaign directed at “leaders in the nation’s capital to confront the economic crisis in rural America and support crop-based products like ethanol to revitalize farm income.” “American farmers are
May 10, 2019 Read Full Article
WWF Submits Request for EU Report on Climate Impacts of CAP
(World Wide Fund for Nature) Agricultural ministers need all the facts for their climate discussion on 14 May. -- WWF has submitted a Freedom of Information request for a crucial assessment of EU farming policy’s impact on the climate. The assessment, carried
May 07, 2019 Read Full Article
Kenya’s Farmers Battle Drought through Biodiesel Made from Cotton Waste
by Sanjoy Sanyal and Esther Kahinga (World Resources Institute) ... While irrigation systems could help provide a more stable source of water, they currently cover only six to eight percent of Kenya’s land. Some farmers, though, are gaining access to them through a
May 02, 2019 Read Full Article
Why Democrats Should Visit Farm Communities
by Jennifer Rubin (Washington Post) A new report confirms that President Trump is causing the most pain in areas of the country that were the most supportive of his 2016 campaign. Personal income for farmers fell by the most in three years in
May 01, 2019 Read Full Article
Oil and Renewable Industries Locked in Tug of War over Trump's Ethanol Plan
by John Siciliano and Josh Siegel (Washington Examiner) The deadline for comments on the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed plan to allow year-round sales of 15% ethanol fuel closes at midnight, but neither side in the fight — that is, the oil and
April 30, 2019 Read Full Article
Beto O’Rourke Hints at Support for Carbon Pricing
(Argus Media) US presidential candidate Beto O'Rourke wants the country to slash its greenhouse gas emissions to near zero over the next 30 years, possibly through the use of a carbon market. The Democratic former US representative today released a sweeping climate change
April 30, 2019 Read Full Article
EIB to Unlock EUR 2 Billion for Agriculture across Europe with Special Support for Young Farmers
(European Investment Bank) EIB loans, channelled through partner banks, will mobilize close to EUR 2 billion of financing for agriculture and the bioeconomy; At least 10% of EUR 1 billion loans package will be dedicated to young farmers; Results of fi-compass survey of
April 30, 2019 Read Full Article
China's Huge Grain Stockpiles Set to Linger through Next Year
by Karen Braun (Rueters/NASDAQ) ... In 2017, China announced it would require gasoline supplies nationwide to be blended with ethanol by 2020, which would require about 15 million tonnes of the biofuel annually. China had an ethanol production capacity of about
April 30, 2019 Read Full Article
Solutions from the Land: Delivering 21st Century Solutions To 21st Century Challenges
(Solutions from the Land) Last week marks the fifth anniversary of Solutions from the Land (SfL), a nonprofit organization that places farmers, ranchers and foresters at the forefront of resolving food system, energy, environmental and climate challenges and achieving global sustainable
April 23, 2019 Read Full Article
Gov. Ivey Awards Grant to AU for Feasibility Study on Biofuels Crop
(Office of Alabama Governor Kay Ivey) A $39,757 grant, awarded by Gov. Kay Ivey, will enable Auburn University to determine if an oilseed crop can be successfully grown and marketed in Alabama as a biofuel and become another cash crop for
April 16, 2019 Read Full Article
Promising Opportunities for Circular Agro-Food Industries
(BioRescue) Education, training and awareness raising were identified as key factors to unlock the potential of 62 million tonnes of agricultural residues available annually in Europe during a policy conference organised by eco-innovation expert group Greenovate! Europe, where innovative examples of circular economy in
April 09, 2019 Read Full Article
Ohio Stakeholders Validate Utility of SfL's 21st Century Land Management Model
(Solutions from the Land) Smart Agriculture: Solutions from the Land (OSA:SfL), A Call to Action for Ohio's Food System and Agricultural Economy," Solutions from the Land's (SfL) integrated, land management model was validated by a diverse range of stakeholders from around the
April 03, 2019 Read Full Article
Democrats Still Need Rural Voters to Defeat Trump
by J.D. Scholten (The Hill) ... To win back the White House, Democrats can’t just rely on “Whole Foods” districts of educated, affluent suburbanites. Democrats can do well in “Dollar General” districts if they show up and address the issues. No one gave me much
April 01, 2019 Read Full Article
Algae R&D Featured in Interagency Framework for Advancing the Bioeconomy
(Algae Biomass Organization) This month the federal Biomass Research and Development (BR&D) Board unveiled a multi-agency strategy to accelerate innovative biomass technologies for affordable biofuels, bioproducts, and biopower. Algae cultivation is prominently featured among the suite of technologies the effort is
March 29, 2019 Read Full Article
Backstabbing the Ethanol Industry
by David Kruse (The Daily Reporter) I was told by a director of the Iowa Corn Growers that at a meeting they discussed my recent reports where I had noted that the National Corn Growers Association is dropping the ball in
March 29, 2019 Read Full Article
New Argentine Program Aims to Promote Products and Services Made with Bioenergy
by Meghan Sapp (Biofuels Digest) In Argentina, a new certification scheme that translates to “Made in Santa Fe with Renewable Energy” showcases products made in the soy and biodiesel hub of Santa Fe province partially or entirely made from a wide range of
March 27, 2019 Read Full Article
The Next Chapter for Algae: The Farm Bill of 2018 Recognizes Algae as a Crop for the First Time. Will We Be Bold Enough to Treat It Like One?
by Rebecca White (iWi (Qualitas Health, Inc.)/Biofuels Digest) This Wednesday marks a major milestone in the history of the American algae industry: the first meeting in which the Biomass R&D Board Technical Advisory Committee officials will discuss algae as an agricultural crop. Up
March 27, 2019 Read Full Article
Indonesia Charts a New, Low Carbon Development Path. Will Other Countries Follow Suit?
by Leonardo Garrido, Sonny Mumbunan and Delger Erdenesanaa (World Resources Institute) ... A new report from the Indonesian government’s Low Carbon Development Initiative found that less carbon-intensive, more efficient energy systems can deliver an average of 6 percent GDP growth per year until
March 26, 2019 Read Full Article
Front Group Taking Aim at Biofuels
by Kevin Kinney (The Gazette) ... I’m concerned that Mighty Earth — a group based in Washington, D.C. — is starting to campaign locally against ethanol and other biofuels. The group claims to care about the planet, but their entire campaign seems designed
March 26, 2019 Read Full Article
Alternative Protein Startups: Let’s Get the Facts Straight about Livestock’s Carbon Footprint
by Lauren Manning (AgFunder News) ... the issue of livestock farming’s impact on the environment is not as clear cut as many of these businesses would have you believe. In fact, many of the data dairy and meat alternative businesses are
March 23, 2019 Read Full Article
Candidates Should Recognize Biofuel Benefits
by Mike Naig and Dave Loebsack (Quad City Times) We may come from different political parties, but we share at least one common vision. Both of us strongly support renewable fuel, like biodiesel, for the vital role it plays in Iowa’s
March 21, 2019 Read Full Article
Study Shows Biofuels Are 3 Percent of Iowa GDP
by Cindy Zimmerman (Energy.AgWired.com) The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA) has released a new study that shows biofuels are responsible for over $5 billion of Iowa’s GDP, or roughly three percent. The study, authored by John Urbanchuk of ABF Economics and commissioned by IRFA, also found
March 20, 2019 Read Full Article
EPA Waivers Reduce Incentive to Produce Biofuels
(KCRG) Between 2017 and 2018, U.S. ethanol consumption dropped for the first time in a decade and the Renewable Fuels Association says that's because of the Environmental Protection Agency hurting demand. One of the reasons former EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt resigned from
March 20, 2019 Read Full Article
Amy Klobuchar Knocks EPA's Secret Waivers that Boost Big Oil
by Pat Rynard (Iowa Starting Line) Senator Amy Klobuchar blasted the Trump Administration’s continued use of blending waivers for renewable fuels usage while in Iowa this weekend. Using it as an example of how Donald Trump’s presidency has hurt rural America,
March 20, 2019 Read Full Article
Former Sen Beto O'Rourke's First Iowa Trip Includes Ethanol Plant
by Katy Siddall (River Cities Reader) ... Beto O’Rourke, former Texas Congressman and newly-announced presidential candidate, made a visit to an ethanol plant in rural Iowa on one of his first stops as he courts caucus-goers. O’Rourke toured Big River Renewables LLC, an ethanol
March 18, 2019 Read Full Article
Rural America Is Ready for Some Sort of a New Deal, Preferably Green
by Art Cullen (The Guardian) Here in farming country we have the opportunity to rethink our approach to renewable energy and food production -- ... Meanwhile, we’re losing our precious topsoil and polluting our rivers – killing the Gulf of Mexico in
March 15, 2019 Read Full Article
NFU Says No to Green New Deal: Climate Plan Proposed by Democrats Has Quickly Become Toxic in Rural America
by Jerry Hagstrom and Chris Clayton (DTN The Progressive Farmer) Delegates to the National Farmers Union annual convention here on Tuesday maintained the group's commitment to addressing climate change, but they rejected a proposal that it become involved in the Green New
March 11, 2019 Read Full Article
UPDATE 2-U.S. Senate to Vote on Green New Deal -Republican Leader
by Susan Cornwell (Reuters) Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell said on Tuesday the U.S. Senate would vote in coming weeks on the “Green New Deal,” an ambitious Democratic environmental proposal that has become a lightning rod for Republican criticism. ... Senator Joni Ernst of
March 06, 2019 Read Full Article
Federal Agencies Release Framework for Advancing the Bioeconomy
(US Department of Agriculture) The federal Biomass Research and Development (BR&D) Board today unveiled a multi-agency strategy to accelerate innovative technologies that harness the nation’s biomass resources for affordable biofuels, bioproducts, and biopower. The Bioeconomy Initiative: Implementation Framework was developed by the B&RD
March 05, 2019 Read Full Article
Finding Practical, Viable Solutions to a Changing Climate
(Solutions from the Land) ...Unfortunately, the (Green New Deal) resolution comes with a lack of recognition for the importance of all forms of renewable energy. In focusing on no-carbon renewables like wind and solar, the measure fails to reference other
February 28, 2019 Read Full Article
SfL Leadership Eyes a Stronger, Expanded Role in a More Complex World
(Solutions from the Land) Since its inception nearly a decade ago, Solutions from the Land (SfL) has gathered farmers, ranchers and forestland owners, as well as those who serve in their supply chain, in an ongoing conversation on how to meet society's increasing
February 21, 2019 Read Full Article
Maha Sugar Mill Takes Lead in Making Ethanol from Cane Juice
(India Post News Weekly) A cooperative sugar mill in Kolhapur district of Maharashtra has taken the lead in producing fuel grade ethanol directly from sugarcane juice in the state, a senior official said on Thursday. The Centre had in July last year
February 19, 2019 Read Full Article
Iowa Operatives Say Ethanol Worship Is Now as Corny as The West Wing
by Ben Jacobs (The Guardian) ... Tim Gannon, the Democratic nominee for Iowa secretary of agriculture in 2018, told the Guardian the idea of ethanol as a dealbreaker in the state was “very much a stereotypical thing because of The West
February 18, 2019 Read Full Article
Farmers Nearing Crisis Push back on Trump Trade Policies
by Ryan McCrimmon (Politico) President Donald Trump’s trade war is magnifying some of the toughest farm conditions since the crisis that bankrupted thousands of farmers in the 1980s — and threatening a constituency crucial to his reelection hopes. The president’s trade policies
February 07, 2019 Read Full Article
UFOP Report on Global Market Supply 2018/2019: Combining Economically Viable Agriculture with Appropriate Agricultural Market and Climate Protection Policies
(Union for the Promotion of Oil and Protein Crops (UFOP)) The Union for the Promotion of Oil and Protein Crops (UFOP) has formulated its policy expectations on the occasion of the presentation of the third edition of the Global Market Supply
February 05, 2019 Read Full Article
Congress Retains Most Energy Programs in 2018 Farm Bill through Fiscal Year 2023
by Steve Hanson (U.S. Energy Information Administration) On December 20, 2018, the Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018 (2018 Farm Bill) was signed into law, continuing federal support to a number of renewable electricity and bioenergy-related programs. Authorizations in the 2018 Farm Bill cover
February 03, 2019 Read Full Article
India Needs to Focus on Alternative Fuels Like Ethanol and Electric, Says Nitin Gadkari
(PTI/Financial Express) Gadkari was speaking at a symposium on 'empowering mobility - the safe and intelligence way', organised by Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI). -- Union minister for transport Nitin Gadkari Thursday stressed the importance of moving towards alternative fuels
January 18, 2019 Read Full Article
A Sensible Approach to Climate Change Policy
(Solutions from the Land) ... That opening now allows for the presentation and consideration of a more centered and pragmatic approach like that promoted by Solutions from the Land (SfL) and the other members of the North America Climate Smart Agriculture
January 17, 2019 Read Full Article
QUOTE OF THE WEEK--Chris Clayton
Chris Clayton, DTN Ag Policy Editor reported that Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat Roberts, R-Kan., said at the American Farm Bureau Federation annual meeting that his committee will schedule hearings on trade and climate change in the near future and quoted
January 15, 2019 Read Full Article
Ag Policy Blog Senate Ag Committee to Hold Hearing on Climate Change
by Chris Clayton (DTN The Progressive Farmer) Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat Roberts, R-Kan., told reporters Sunday at the American Farm Bureau Federation annual meeting that his committee will schedule hearings on trade and climate change in the near future. On climate,
January 15, 2019 Read Full Article
Ag Policy Blog: Peterson Elected House Ag Chairman
by Jerry Hagstrom (DTN The Progressive Farmer) House Democrats on Friday elected Rep. Collin Peterson, D-Minn., as chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, a position Peterson held from 2007 to 2011 when his party last was in the majority in the
January 07, 2019 Read Full Article
A Fox Guarding the RFS Henhouse
by David Kruse (The CommStock Report/Spencer Daily Reporter) From a subscriber: "I asked my local Cenex manager why the price of E85 was still high. E10 has dropped 43 cents in the last couple of months and E85 hasn't changed from $1.94. He
January 04, 2019 Read Full Article
Farmers Fear Another Hit as Trump Shutdown Threatens Ethanol Vow
by Mario Parker and Jennifer A Dlouhy (Bloomberg) Year-round 15% ethanol-gas blend by summer now seen at risk; Shutdown could join trade war in limiting farmer income -- ... The government shutdown that Trump says could last "a long time" without funding for
January 04, 2019 Read Full Article
Bringing the Concept of Climate-Smart Agriculture to Life : Insights from CSA Country Profiles Across Africa, Asia, and Latin America (English)
(The World Bank) Bringing the Concept of Climate-Smart Agriculture to Life: Insights from CSA Country Profiles across Africa, Asia, and Latin America The Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) Country Profile Series assesses climate change challenges and solutions in the agricultural sectors of more than
January 03, 2019 Read Full Article
UN Food and Agriculture Organization Highlights Climate Smart Agriculture
(UN Food and Agriculture Organization) Climate-smart agriculture (CSA) is an approach that helps to guide actions needed to transform and reorient agricultural systems to effectively support development and ensure food security in a changing climate. CSA aims to tackle three main
January 03, 2019 Read Full Article
Opinion: Abundant Food and Energy Choices Are More than a Luxury
by A.G. Kawamura (Solutions from the Land/Agri-Pulse) Since my return last week from the global climate talks in Katowice, Poland, I continue to mentally struggle with the events, actions and lack of actions I witnessed there that will have a significant impact
December 21, 2018 Read Full Article
New Study Touts Agricultural, Environmental Benefits of Biochar
(North Dakota State University/Phys.Org) The many benefits of a biomass-made material called biochar are highlighted in a new publication in which Ghasideh Pourhashem, assistant professor at NDSU's Department of Coatings and Polymeric Materials and Center for Sustainable Materials Science, is the
December 21, 2018 Read Full Article
COP24, 2018 Farm Bill Give Agriculture a Voice, Climate Smart Tools
(Solutions from the Land) As 2018 closes out, advocates for the role agriculture can play in facing a changing climate can feel encouraged by developments on the international and domestic stages. Global climate negotiators in Katowice, Poland, came to a final agreement
December 20, 2018 Read Full Article
Algae Agriculture Triumphs in Farm Bill Compromise
(Algae Biomass Organization) In a historic day for the algae industry, the U.S. Senate Tuesday approved a Farm Bill compromise that dramatically expands federal support for algae agriculture. The bill sets U.S. farm policy through 2023. It is expected to pass the House
December 14, 2018 Read Full Article
Farm Bill Energy Title Contains Climate Tweaks, Slimmer Funding
by Jessie Stolark (Environmental and Energy Study Institute) ... While the bill is largely viewed as a status-quo farm bill, the bill importantly reauthorizes the Energy Title (IX) and contains some new programs and tweaks aimed at helping producers become more
December 14, 2018 Read Full Article
SfL's Kawamura Tells COP24 Participants Ag Needs Help - And Must Help Itself - in Taking on Climate Change
(Solutions from the Land) A.G. Kawamura, co-chair of Solutions from the Land (SfL) and a member of the North America Climate Smart Agriculture Alliance (NACSAA), addressed delegates and observers in critical side events at global climate talks in Katowice, Poland, this week. With the 24th Conference
December 13, 2018 Read Full Article
Biofuels and Environmental Groups Commend New Pilot Environmental Quality and Incentive Program in 2018 Farm Bill Report
(Grain Net) The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE), Environmental Entrepreneurs(E2), the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA), and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) thank the Farm Bill conferees for including a new pilot Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP) in the 2018 Farm Bill Conference Report to promote and
December 13, 2018 Read Full Article
UNILORIN to Commence Installation of Mini-Refinery for Biodiesel
(News Diary Online) The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Prof. Sulyman Abdulkareem, says the university will soon install a mini-refinery equipment for processing of Jatropha a flowering plant. Abdulkareem said this on Thursday inhis welcome address at the 8th International Jatropha
December 13, 2018 Read Full Article
Agriculture Sector Must Take Active Role in Creating Climate Policy
(Solutions from the Land) Events at the last round of global climate talks in Katowice, Poland over the past two weeks have drawn a spotlight on the need for agriculture, conservation and agribusiness interests to play a central role in the
December 13, 2018 Read Full Article
2018 Farm Bill Helps Rural America Become More Resilient: Rural Economies Crucial to Combating Climate Change
(Environmental and Energy Study Institute) The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) commends the Farm Bill conferees and the House and Senate Agriculture Committees for their tireless commitment to produce a Farm Bill, the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, this year. In a year
December 12, 2018 Read Full Article
How Poverty Is Causing Deforestation Across Africa
by Obed Owusu-Adda (Chatham House) Gitika Bhardwaj speaks to campaigner Obed Owusu-Addai about why solving the problem of deforestation across Africa requires tackling one of its biggest causes – poverty. -- Deforestation is directly being caused by activities such as illegal logging,
December 11, 2018 Read Full Article
Penny for Your Corn? Stingy Trade-War Aid Irks U.S. Farmers
by P.J. Huffstutter and Mark Weinraub (Reuters) ... Federal economists have calculated that the nation’s losses in corn - its largest crop by harvest and export volume - amount to just a penny per bushel, a pittance farmers call absurd. That’s
December 07, 2018 Read Full Article
Back Food Min to Seek further 74-bln-rupee Loan for 168 Ethanol Projects
By Ashna Mishra (Cogencis) After facilitating a soft loan of 61.39 bln rupees, the food ministry will soon seek Cabinet approval to facilitate additional loans worth around 74 bln to sugar mills to enhance their ethanol production capacity, sources said. The loans