by Carah Hart (Brownfield Ag News) The U.S. EPA’s (former) ag advisor says he’s optimistic about the future of biofuels in the United States. Rod Snyder says farmers and the feedstocks they produce will play an important role in the growth of
farm policy
Back TO HOMESustainable Aviation Fuel Could Help Clear the Air, Former Kansas Senator Says | Opinion
by Pat Roberts (Wichita Eagle/Americans for Clean Aviation Fuels) ... Unfortunately, SAF represents less than one percent of the current market and costs two to four times more than traditional jet fuel. To tackle this challenge, the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act
July 15, 2024 Read Full Article
US to Fund Lower-Emission Fertilizer with Eye to Greener Ethanol
by Leah Douglas (Reuters) The U.S. Department of Energy plans to spend $36 million on technologies to lower emissions from applying synthetic nitrogen fertilizer to corn and sorghum used in ethanol production, the agency said Thursday. The money would support projects that reduce
July 12, 2024 Read Full Article
Coalition Sees Future of Iowa Agriculture in Food Diversity, Not Ethanol and Animal Feed
by Jack O'Connor (Iowa Capital Dispatch/Des Moines Register) A new plan for Iowa agriculture seeks to increase the state’s production of food rather than ethanol and animal feed, the Iowa Food System Coalition announced at a news conference. The plan, known as
July 04, 2024 Read Full Article
Space Age Fertilizer: Landus Green Ammonia Plant Online in Iowa
by Matthew J. Grassi (AgWeb) Landus Cooperative is celebrating the grand opening of a new 75,000-square-foot fertilizer production and distribution facility in Boone, Iowa, this week. According to the cooperative, the $15 million sustainable fertilizer facility will produce an 82-0-0 slow-release ammonium
June 18, 2024 Read Full Article
US Farmers Edged Out by Brazilian Beef Fat Destined for Biofuels
by Gerson Freitas Jr, Tarso Veloso, and Kim Chipman (Bloomberg/Farm Progress) Brazil accounted for 40% of tallow imports into US this year; Good news for fuelmakers poses threat to US soyoil suppliers -- Brazil is reaping the benefits from a US biofuels boom,
June 14, 2024 Read Full Article
RFA to NASS: County-Level Data Critical to Climate-Smart Ag, Biofuel Programs
(Renewable Fuels Association) The Renewable Fuels Association today (April 15, 2024) urged the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service to reconsider its plan to stop reporting farm acreage, yield and production estimates at the county level. “With the rapid emergence of state and federal
April 16, 2024 Read Full Article
Ireland Needs ‘National Anaerobic Digestion’ Programme – Kelleher
by Francess McDonnell (Agriland) The Irish government must “step in and support farmers” through a number of short, medium and long term mechanisms following the decision by the European Commission not to extend the nitrates derogation, according to the MEP Billy Kelleher. ... But
September 11, 2023 Read Full Article
Farmers, Educators Are Allies in Climate-Smart Agriculture
(Solutions from the Land) ... As co-developer and leader of the Cornell Climate Smart Farming program, (Allison) Chatrchyan is developing powerful and user-friendly tools to help farmers in the Northeast better see how climate change is expected to affect them and what
June 14, 2023 Read Full Article
ACE Submits Comments to USDA on Climate-Smart Farming Practices
( American Coalition for Ethanol /Ethanol Producer Magazine) The American Coalition for Ethanol submitted feedback to the USDA’s Natural Resource Conservation Service request for public input on implementation of funding in the Inflation Reduction Act for key NRCS conservation programs to
December 30, 2022 Read Full Article
What’s Your Take on the 2018 Farm Bill?
by Jenna Hoffman (AgWeb) U.S. House Agriculture Committee is seeking feedback on the previous Farm Bill in preparation for the upcoming 2023 Farm Bill. Glenn Thompson (R-Pa.), House Ag republican leader, says farm bill feedback is “critical” with 2023 Farm Bill
July 14, 2022 Read Full Article
Chinese Interest in US Ag Assets Could Pose Security Risks, Federal Report Says
by Noah Wicks (Agri-Pulse) China’s push to achieve self-sufficiency, which has incentivized the nation to purchase, and even steal, agricultural assets in other countries, could present risks to the economic and national security of the United States, warns a report by the
May 30, 2022 Read Full Article
Ethanol Producers to Electric Car Makers: We're Greener than You Are
by Chuck Abbott (Successful Farming) With automakers shifting toward the production of electric cars and trucks, the ethanol industry said on Wednesday that biofuels will be an important tool against global warming, and arguably create less pollution than battery-powered vehicles. The
January 14, 2022 Read Full Article
Solutions from the Land Set to Stage Key Side Event For World Food Security Summit Next Week
(Solutions from the Land) Solutions from the Land (SfL) has been selected by organizers of a global food security summit next week to hold a side event which will spotlight systems and practices farmers are using to deliver high value solutions
February 01, 2021 Read Full Article
Farm Support Holds for Trump, but Biden May Find Inroads: End to Aid Payments in 2021 Could Cut Deeply into Incomes
by Ellyn Ferguson (Roll Call) ... Despite the mixed performance, Trump’s policies on trade, regulation and other areas maintained his popularity in rural and farm communities, winning their support in the Nov. 3 election. Joe Biden nevertheless has a chance to
November 19, 2020 Read Full Article
Democrats Turn to Rural Issues: Rural, Midwest Democrats Promote Infrastructure and Divergent Strategy From Trump Years
by Chris Clayton (DTN Progressive Farmer) Democratic leaders put a heavy emphasis on rural broadband and health care while criticizing the Trump administration and President Trump directly on trade, biofuels, climate change and the pandemic response. A western Pennsylvania soybean and hay
August 20, 2020 Read Full Article
Natural Climate Solution Policies For Rural America
(BioCycle Magazine) A new report from Duke University’s Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions examines effective strategies to engage America’s farmers, ranchers and forestry stakeholders who are vital to solving climate change. “Rural Investment: Building a Natural Climate Solutions Policy Agenda
June 17, 2020 Read Full Article
Biodiesel’s Contribution to the Modern Food System
by Don Scott (Biodiesel Sustainability Now/National Biodiesel Board/Medium.com) ... Biodiesel was developed in the U.S. as a beneficial use for the excess fats and oils created as co-products or byproducts of protein production. Biodiesel uses excess fats and oils from
May 28, 2020 Read Full Article
Help for Coronavirus-Stricken Biofuel Industry and Others is Needed Now!
(Solutions from the Land) ... Compared to the relief that is being considered for the oil industry, it is still a meager response. Changes made late last month by the Federal Reserve to a $600 billion loan program created to help small- and
May 13, 2020 Read Full Article
Leading with Soil: Scaling Soil Carbon Storage in Agriculture
(Carbon 180) Soil carbon storage offers significant economic and environmental opportunities for farmers and ranchers. Agricultural practices that store carbon in the soil can help fight climate change at a low cost. Those same practices can also improve overall soil
May 13, 2020 Read Full Article
SfL Takes on New Role to Advance Agricultural Solutions to Global Mega-Challenges
(Solutions from the Land) Solutions from the Land (SfL), a national, farmer-led not-for-profit that works to place farmers at the forefront of resolving global challenges, announced today that it is broadly expanding its mission to combat the interconnected threats the world
May 11, 2020 Read Full Article
Biofuel Could Blossom if Govt Gives Industry Fertile Ground
by Jamieson Murphy (North Queensland Register) ... Nuffield scholar and a fourth generation farmer Steven Hobbs said if the federal government got the bioenergy strategy right, the industry could be "quite phenomenal". He began experimenting with alternative fuel sources nearly 20 years
May 05, 2020 Read Full Article
North America Climate Smart Agriculture Alliance Sends Recommendations to Capitol Hill
(North America Climate Smart Agricultur Alliance) The North America Climate Smart Agriculture Alliance (NACSAA) – a wide range of voices, focuses, and viewpoints from across the North American agricultural industry – submitted to the House Select Committee on the Climate
March 06, 2020 Read Full Article
Congresswoman Pingree Introduces the Agriculture Resilience Act to Promote Farmer-Driven Climate Solutions Legislation Sets Goal of Reaching Net-Zero Greenhouse Gas Emissions in U.S. Agriculture by 2040
(Office of Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine)) Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) today introduced the Agriculture Resilience Act (ARA), comprehensive legislation that sets a bold vision of reaching net-zero greenhouse gas emissions in U.S. agriculture by the year 2040. “Farming has always been a
March 04, 2020 Read Full Article
Finding Environmental Markets Carbon Credits, Water Quality Markets Rebuild for Farmers
by Chris Clayton (DTN Progressive Farmer) When Ohio farmer Fred Yoder testified last month before the House Select Committee on Climate Change, the long-time no-till farmer and champion of climate-smart farming practices told lawmakers one of the best things that could
December 31, 2019 Read Full Article
Deep Dive: Climate Change and U.S. Farmers
by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico's Morning Energy) A meeting last June in Newburg, Md., represented a change for U.S. farmers, Pro's Helena Bottemiller Evich reports . The event was hosted by the U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance, a group made up
December 09, 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
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
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
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
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
DA Says Urgent Task Team Needed to Support KZN’s Biofuel Industry
(African News Agency/The Citizen) It accused the African National Congress-led provincial government of doing little to aid the company -- The Democratic Alliance opposition party has called on the newly-appointed member of the executive council for economic development, tourism and environmental affairs
July 10, 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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Why Investors Ditched Sh2tr Biofuels Projects
by Ludger Kasumuni (The Citizen) Several investors have abandoned their $1 billion (Sh2.3 trillion) biofuels projects in Tanzania, according to a survey by BusinessWeek. Mtamba Biofuel Farm in Kisarawe, Coast Region. It has been estimated that between 2007 and 2008, the Southern
January 11, 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
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
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
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
In Sioux City, Steve King Talks Farm Bill, Temporary Migrant Workers
by Katie Peikes (Iowa Public Radio) ... The Republican congressman says he’d like to see his legislation in the farm bill that would keep states from regulating production standards for agricultural products sold in interstate commerce by other states. King drafted that
November 27, 2018 Read Full Article
Part of the Answer to Climate Change May Be America’s Trees and Dirt, Scientists Say
by Brad Plumer (New York Times) ... A new study published on Wednesday, however, found that better management of forests, grasslands and soils in the United States could offset as much as 21 percent of the country’s annual greenhouse gas emissions. At
November 19, 2018 Read Full Article
Editorial: Iowa State Analysis Makes Clear the Trade Wars' Damage to Ag Producers
(Omaha World-Herald) A recent report from Iowa State University offers sobering findings that show why our country needs to resolve its tariff wars with China and other nations. The university researchers found that over the next year, the disruptions and
November 14, 2018 Read Full Article
NACSAA Readies Push for New Round of Ag Recommendations at COP24
(Solutions from the Land) With the latest round of global climate talks set to take place in Katowice, Poland, in a few weeks, the North America Climate Smart Agriculture Alliance (NACSAA), a farmer-led platform launched by SfL in 2015 to promote
November 14, 2018 Read Full Article
2018 Midterm Elections—Implications for the Bioeconomy
by Jesse Stolark (Environmental and Energy Study Institute) And while the bioeconomy – biofuels, biobased products, chemicals, and more – enjoy bipartisan support, the new political landscape means that the biobased sector and stakeholders still need to be on their
November 10, 2018 Read Full Article
SfL Report Assesses Challenges Posed by Changing Climatic Conditions in Missouri
(Solutions from the Land) Solutions from the Land (SfL) commends Missouri agriculture and forestry leaders who looked into the future, examined what science is telling them is coming from changing climatic conditions and extreme weather events, and explored opportunities to
October 30, 2018 Read Full Article
It’s Past Midnight: Do You Know Where Funds for Your Farm Bill Energy Title Programs Stand?
by Brent Erickson (Biotechnology Innovation Organization/Biofuels Digest) On September 30th, the 2018 Farm Bill officially expired. And while both chambers of Congress passed their respective bills, the final version of the legislation that supports the agricultural sector in the U.S. is
October 10, 2018 Read Full Article
Farm Bill Delay Possible as Deadline Looms
(NAFB News Service/Hoosier Ag Today) The farm bill deadline at the end of the month could pass without a new farm bill or an extension. As the pace of the farm bill committee stalls, leadership says the actual deadline that would
September 20, 2018 Read Full Article
NCGA: USDA Trade Aid Won't Make Up for Lost Markets
(National Corn Growers Association) The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) today said plans unveiled by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to provide aid to farmers negatively impacted by trade tariffs and ongoing trade uncertainty would be insufficient to even begin
August 31, 2018 Read Full Article
NBB Asks Farm Bill Conferees to Support Biodiesel Programs
(National Biodiesel Board) National Biodiesel Board sends letter reiterating support for passage of a new Farm Bill -- Today (August 16,2018), the National Biodiesel Board sent a letter to leaders of the Farm Bill Conference Committee, reiterating the industry’s strong support for
August 17, 2018 Read Full Article
King Says Farmers Want EPA Action on Ethanol, not $12 Billion Aide Package
by O. Kay Henderson (RadioIowa) Republican Congressman Steve King today said the best thing the Trump Administration could do to alleviate farmers’ angst about the trade war would be to allow higher percentages of ethanol to be blended into gasoline year-round. “Let the
August 17, 2018 Read Full Article
How Progressives Can Reconnect with Rural Voters
by Patty Judge (Des Moines Register/Focus on Rural America) ... Many of the political elites on the coasts have argued that progressives should simply write off the rural Midwest because it is too white, too old and too conservative to ever
August 16, 2018 Read Full Article
Govt Pushes for Ethanol, Sugar Mills Say It’s Unviable
Chiranjeevi Kulkarni (Deccan Herald News Service) The Centre’s push for ethanol, touted as an effective tool to cut oil imports, may not get a positive response from sugar mills with owners expressing concerns about 28% GST on molasses and low subsidy
August 16, 2018 Read Full Article
With Trade War, Farmer Support for Trump Erodes Sharply
by Chuck Abbott (Fern's Ag Insider) One-in-seven farmers who voted for President Trump in 2016 would not vote for him today, according to a poll released on Monday. The escalating trade war was the leading cause of erosion for Trump among
August 07, 2018 Read Full Article
When Markets Misbehave, Send the Marines! (World Governments Get a Case of Bioeconomy Interventionitis)
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The European Court of Justice has ruled that organisms altered via genome editing are GMOs and subject to GMO regulation in Europe, including warning labels for foods. And in the US, President Trump announced $12 billion in
August 06, 2018 Read Full Article
White House Readies Plan for $12 Billion in Emergency Aid to Farmers Caught in Trump’s Escalating Trade War
by Damian Paletta and Caitlin Dewey (Washington Post) The U.S. Agriculture Department on Tuesday plans to announce a $12 billion package of emergency aid for farmers caught in the midst of President Trump’s escalating trade war, two people briefed on the
July 24, 2018 Read Full Article
US Trade, Biofuel Policies and Immigration Hit Farmers Hard
(Associated Press/The Vindicator) ... The threat of counter-tariffs on U.S. farm goods and the impact of President Donald Trump’s other policies on immigration and biofuels, though, have some farmers more worried than ever about their ability to continue eking out an
July 16, 2018 Read Full Article
Senate Overwhelmingly Passes Sweeping Farm Bill, Setting up Fight with House
by Caitlin Dewey and Erica Werner (Washington Post) The Senate passed its version of the $428 billion farm bill Thursday, setting up a bitter fight against the House over food stamps, farm subsidies and conservation funding. The Senate measure passed in an
June 29, 2018 Read Full Article
Farm Bill Energy Programs Have Earned Bipartisan Support
by Brent Erickson (The Hill/Biotechnology Innovation Organization) Since 2002, the farm bill has contained an energy title, with cost-effective programs that support private investment in renewable energy, biobased manufacturing and energy efficiency. The programs are extremely successful in helping businesses create
May 24, 2018 Read Full Article
Energy Programs Should Be Fully Funded and Enhanced in the 2018 Farm Bill
by Jeremy Gilpin, Jordan Blanchard, and Cindy Thyfault (National Rural Lenders Association/Biofuels Digest) There has been a keen focus the last few weeks for President Trump and the USDA with the release of the Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity Report, President
February 13, 2018 Read Full Article
Farmers Urge Congress to Extend Lapsed Tax Credits for Biodiesel, Renewable Energy
(Farm Bureau News) A recently introduced bill would continue several expired tax provisions important to farmers and ranchers. Offered by Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), the Tax Extenders Act of 2017 (S. 2256) would extend several tax credits for
December 28, 2017 Read Full Article
Commentary: From Grain Bin to Fuel Tank
by Gary Truitt (Hoosier Ag Today) ... Another aspect of U.S. agricultural exports that is changing is ethanol and its byproduct DDGs. In the past 3 years, U.S. exports of ethanol have grown significantly. Cary Sifferath, Senior Director of Global Programs
December 05, 2017 Read Full Article
Study Opens Door for Solution to Canola Conflict
(Capital Press) According to the OSU study, Canola poses no greater threat to specialty seed producers than other Brassica species regularly grown in the valley. -- Results of a recent study by Oregon State University strongly suggests canola production could coexist with
November 27, 2017 Read Full Article
BIO Asks for Reauthorization of Section 9003 Program in Farm Bill
(Biotechnology Innovation Organization/Ethanol Producer Magazine) The Biotechnology Innovation Organization and 66 renewable chemical producers recently asked leaders of the House and Senate Committees on Agriculture to reauthorize the Farm Bill’s Biorefinery, Renewable Chemical, and Biobased Manufacturing Assistance Program (Section 9003). BIO
October 26, 2017 Read Full Article
US Ethanol Is Modern-Day Farm Policy; Future Profitable: Green Plains CEO
(Platts) The US ethanol industry represents a modern-day farm policy as the primary means of creating demand for ever-growing corn supplies, and the industry maintains a profitable outlook, Green Plains CEO Todd Becker said Tuesday. "This is the modern-day farm program," Becker
October 26, 2017 Read Full Article
The Brazilians Are Coming!! The Brazilians Are Coming!!
by Dave VanderGriend (ICM/Biofuels Digest) ... The recent effort by Brazil to impose import duties on U.S. ethanol has received considerable press coverage and should send a clear message that we need to develop long term reliable markets here at home
October 20, 2017 Read Full Article
Anti-Biofuel Ideologues Support the Oil Status Quo
by Eric Sievers (Ethanol Europe/Euractiv) Anti-biofuel ideologues claim to be pro-climate and pro-development. But their positions, in fact, support the oil status quo, the concentration of power in the energy sector in the hands of large multinationals and the decline
September 20, 2017 Read Full Article
Democrat Senators Offer Farm Bill Energy Package
by Cindy Zimmerman (Energy.AgWired.com) Senator Al Franken (D-MN), together with Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) have introduced the Agricultural Energy Programs Reauthorization Act of 2017, to reauthorize Title IX programs and funding through 2023. ... According to the Agriculture Energy Coalition,
September 13, 2017 Read Full Article
Summer Farm Bill Road Trips: Ag Secretary Kicks off RV Tour as House Committee Continues its Listening Tour
by Chris Clayton (DTN The Progressive Farmer) ... The House Agriculture Committee has its road trip, labeled "Conversations in the Field," which included a field hearing in Texas on Monday and another one at Farmfest in Minnesota on Thursday. Now Agriculture
August 02, 2017 Read Full Article
Make-Ready: Decision Time at the Bioeconomy’s Gettysburg
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds and Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts are the headliners in a battle in and about Washington DC this week. You can call it what you want: it’s Gettysburg. As Reynolds put it, “I
August 02, 2017 Read Full Article
Assessing the Pulse of the Next Farm Bill Debate
by Carl Zulauf, Gary Schnitkey, David Orden (FarmDocDaily) Thirteen agricultural economists put together short papers describing issues that will surface during the writing of the next farm bill. For each issue, the author describes the "policy setting" and details "farm bill
August 01, 2017 Read Full Article
Biofuel Potential in Southeast Asia: Raising Food Yields, Reducing Food Waste and Utilising Residues
(International Renewable Energy Agency) Southeast Asia has considerable resources to produce liquid biofuels sustainably, using biomass feedstocks that would not cause carbon-dioxide emissions or interfere with food supply. Fulfilling the region’s biofuel potential would depend on increased residue collection from food
July 25, 2017 Read Full Article
Pioneering Iowa Sustainable Agriculture Research Center Hangs On, Barely
by Amy Mayer (High Plains Public Radio) A leading research center focused on local farmers and environmental conservation is hanging on by a thread, even as the movement to diversify agriculture, which it helped launch, continues to thrive. The Iowa Legislature
June 05, 2017 Read Full Article
Cultivating Homegrown Energy Solutions
by Rick Santorum (Washington Times/Americans for Energy Security and Innovation) ... With all the publicity around fracking, it’s easy to assume that America’s own domestic oil production is more than enough to fuel a growing economy. It certainly helps. But
May 24, 2017 Read Full Article
Ethanol Producers Must Engage in Upcoming Farm Bill Debate
by John Duff (Ethanol Producer Magazine/National Sorghum Producers) A drastically changed farm economy means the next bill will likely be very different than past ones. ... -- It is hard to believe the current Farm Bill expires in less
May 18, 2017 Read Full Article
Perdue Unveils Plan to Reorganize USDA
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) On May 11, Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue released a plan to reorganize the USDA that creates an undersecretary for trade and agricultural affairs and eliminates the undersecretary for rural development. USDA Rural Development agencies
May 12, 2017 Read Full Article
Perdue Pushes RFS, Beef Exports in Iowa Speech
by Spencer Chase and Ben Nuelle (Agri-Pulse) ... Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue highlighted the benefits of renewable energy and the need for export markets in a Friday speech to Iowa producers. The speech was billed as Perdue’s first major farm policy speech
May 08, 2017 Read Full Article
Renewable Fuels Are Part of an ‘America First’ Energy Plan
by Brian Jennings (The Hill/American Coalition for Ethanol) ... By every measure, increasing the production and use of homegrown renewable fuels has spurred economic growth for U.S. farmers and supported high-skill, high-wage jobs in rural communities. When the use of renewable
May 04, 2017 Read Full Article
Trump Forms Interagency Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, the Trump Administration released its “Presidential Executive Order on Promoting Agriculture and Rural Prosperity in America” — and a report from the Interagency Task Force, something this order creates, is due in 180
April 28, 2017 Read Full Article
Iowa Ag Secretary Bill Northey Meets with Trump on Farm Issues
by Bartholomew D. Sullivan (USA TODAY/Des Moines Register) Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey took the opportunity presented at a White House roundtable with President Donald Trump Tuesday afternoon to talk ethanol and said he got assurances he has the
April 26, 2017 Read Full Article
Here Comes BioChina: Amyris, Others Bypass the 4 Myths of Business in the Middle Kingdom
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) From California arrives the very interesting news that Amyris has entered into an agreement with Blue California whereby its affiliates will provide access to its fermentation manufacturing in China and provide the necessary capital to
April 19, 2017 Read Full Article
Trump on Ethanol: Supportive, but Few Comments
by Patrick Anderson (Argus Leader) President Donald Trump has never tweeted about ethanol. In the course of tens of thousands of posts on his social media platform of choice, the president has posted about oil about 150 times, about Rosie
April 11, 2017 Read Full Article
Farm Bill: Lower Expectations
by Jerry Hagstrom (DTN Progressive Farmer) About two-thirds of a bipartisan group of around 50 lobbyists said this week they expect Congress not to finish the farm bill until 2019 and think that it will spend 10% below the current
February 03, 2017 Read Full Article
Gearing Up for Farm Bill Season
by Jessie Stolark (Environmental and Energy Study Institute) EESI will take periodic looks at the ongoing debate surrounding the anticipated 2018 Farm Bill. This article is the first in the series. -- ... Amidst a backdrop of plunging commodity prices and
January 06, 2017 Read Full Article
SARE Publishes New Report on Agricultural Systems
by Rebecca Chillrud (Environmental and Energy Study Institute) “Agricultural research must shift from measuring farm ‘performance’ by single indicators such as yield and profit, to evaluating success using a multidimensional approach that incorporates the three dimensions of sustainability: environmental, social
December 09, 2016 Read Full Article
Farmers to Trump: You Owe Us
by Jane Wells (CNBC) ... This even as the oil industry — suffering from its own low prices — could push the Trump administration to reduce support for ethanol. "I think some people would still like to see the death of
December 06, 2016 Read Full Article
Commission’s Flip-Flop on Biofuels Puts at Risk Tens of Thousands of Jobs
by Patrick Kent (Irish Cattle & Sheep Farmers’ Association/Euractiv) The key element of this renewable energy plan is that the ceiling for the crop biofuel component of EU transport fuels will be slashed from 7% to 3.8% by 2030. The
December 06, 2016 Read Full Article
Conservatives Call For Repeal of RFS
(WHOTV.com) The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, last week released a sweeping critique of U.S. agriculture policy. In a 148 page report, the foundation called for Congress to revamp crop insurance and food standards. It also called for a repeal of
October 01, 2016 Read Full Article
Chinese Ethanol Almost Competitive Enough to Export
by Xiaojuan Gao (Platts) The export arbitrage for China ethanol has narrowed to the point where transactions could be occurring very soon, market participants said Friday, citing a combination of factors including increasing international ethanol market prices and government support policies
September 12, 2016 Read Full Article
Grassley Says Vilsack's Better for Ag Agenda as Secretary, not VP
by Amy Mayer (Iowa Public Radio) U.S. Agriculture Secretary and former Iowa governor Tom Vilsack may be on Hillary Clinton's short-list for a vice presidential running mate. Several national media outlets have reported that while Vilsack has not confirmed he's
July 21, 2016 Read Full Article
Cellulosic Ethanol Holds Promise, But Can We Get It Right?
by Loni Kemp (NRDC/Governors' Biofuels Coalition) The next ethanol boom is most likely to come from cellulose feedstocks, yet US policy is unprepared to ensure that harvest of annual crop residues is sustainable. That’s the conclusion of a new report recently published by
December 15, 2015 Read Full Article
Candidates Are Skipping Traditionally Mighty Farm Issues in Iowa
by Scott Canon (Kansas City Star) ... The discussion of ethanol policy puts conservatives in an awkward spot --- ...Yet even in Iowa this year, Grain Belt concerns now draw less attention than in the past. That could mean that expansion
December 07, 2015 Read Full Article
Time Running out to Sell Ukraine's Ethanol-Producing Monopoly
by Ilya Timtchenko (Kyiv Post) An estimated 600 million hryvnias ($28 million) in losses last year and 41 rundown factories - that's what Roman Ivaniuk inherited at the beginning of January, when he accepted his latest job as temporary general
October 14, 2015 Read Full Article
Farmers to Be Permitted to Produce Ethanol: PM
(Economic Times) In a bid to to make environment "clean, green and pollution free", Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said the Centre will shortly permit the farmers in Punjab to produce ethanol from maize. Addressing a rally here, the Prime Minister
September 14, 2015 Read Full Article
U.S. Biofuels Boom Threatens Brazilian Organic Farmers
(Foodtank.com) ... Miraci Pereira Silva is an organic farmer from the Roseli Nunes settlement in western Brazil. For years, together with other members of her community, she has grown crops like lettuce, beans, and papaya, which are sold locally and provide
September 08, 2015 Read Full Article
Celebrating a Decade of Success: The RFS Turns 10!
(Renewable Fuels Association) This Saturday marks 10 years since the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct) containing the original Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) was signed into law by President George W. Bush. The first RFS set America on a path
August 10, 2015 Read Full Article
Future Farm, Future Crop: Utopia or Dystopia? Parts 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 of 5
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) As America’s farmers hit retirement age and technology options explode, what comes next? ... The average age of the US farmer reached 58.3 years in the USDA’s 2012 Census of Agriculture. For sure, farmers have been
August 10, 2015 Read Full Article
R5 Bln Plant to Convert Canola into Diesel Halted by Laws
by Lutho Mtongana (BizNews.com) PhytoEnergy International Holding AG said it will only proceed with a plan to build a 5 billion rand ($418 million) plant to convert canola into diesel in South Africa if the government passes laws needed by the
April 16, 2015 Read Full Article
Senator Vows to Bring the 'Iowa Way' to D.C.
by Amanda Peterka (E&E Daily) Joni Ernst's new office is about 1,100 miles from her hometown in rural southwest Iowa, but she's determined to keep her "Iowa way" in the halls of Congress. ... When it comes to legislation, her Iowa
January 14, 2015 Read Full Article
EPA Ethanol Decision Pushes Farm Bill toward Finish Line
by Erik Wasson (The Hill) The Environmental Protection Agency’s preliminary decision to reduce renewable fuels blending requirements has increased momentum to get a farm bill done this year, the top House negotiator on the measure said Tuesday. Rep. Frank Lucas (R-Okla.) argued
November 20, 2013 Read Full Article
Stakeholders Tell Congressional Leaders To Reauthorize and Fully Fund Farm Bill Energy Title That Supports American Ag, Benefits Entire Nation
(25 x'25) The 25x'25 Alliance has joined more than 130 other national, regional and state stakeholder groups devoted to farm, ranch and forest-based energy solutions in a letter to congressional agricultural leaders urging them to quickly adopted a five-year farm
November 05, 2013 Read Full Article
North Carolina, Arkansas, Maryland and Delaware Request Renewable Fuel Standard Waiver
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, the governors of North Carolina, Arkansas, Maryland and Delaware made a formal request for a waiver of the Renewable Fuel Standard, in response to the 2012 US drought, which has caused a sharp
August 15, 2012 Read Full Article
Environmental Activists Attack Crop Insurance Industry
by David Rogers (Politico) ...At issue are government-backed premium discounts designed to make the insurance more affordable to farmers. While not truly cash subsidies, the costs have soared in recent years and fit neatly into the environmental narrative that Washington
June 01, 2012 Read Full Article
Commission to Decide if Farms Allowed to Produce Ethanol
by Diane Wagner (Rome News Tribune) The Floyd County Commission is expected to decide at its May 8 meeting if it will allow local farmers to make a limited amount of ethanol onsite, for use as fuel for their equipment. No opposition
April 27, 2012 Read Full Article
Grow it Here, Make it Here
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...In Michigan, US Senator Debbie Stabenow expanded her “Grow it Here, Make it Here” initiative into a $5 billion proposal designed to dramatically expand bio-based manufacturing and job creation, funded through what she described as reductions in
February 21, 2012 Read Full Article
2012 Farm Bill Biomass/Biofuel Recommendations
by Robert E. Kozak (Advanced Biofuels USA) Retain Agricultural Land: Agricultural and forest lands are vulnerable to loss due to reduction of the dairy and pulp/paper industries and conversion to residential or commercial development. They could retain their agriculture and
January 24, 2012 Read Full Article
Policies for Bioenergy in an Era of Austerity
By Douglas L. Faulkner (Biofuels Digest) What should be the priorities for federal government support for bioenergy, in an era of fiscal austerity and a broken consensus on energy policy? My goal is develop interactively with you, bioenergy thought leaders, a
January 24, 2012 Read Full Article
Instant View - EU Announces Shake-Up of Farm Policy
(Reuters) The European Union's executive finalised proposals for a shake-up of the bloc's 55 billion euro-a-year (48 billion pounds) farm policy on Wednesday. Following are reactions to the proposals: MARCO CONTIERO, GREENPEACE EU AGRICULTURE POLICY DIRECTOR "What Europe needs to save its food