(Xinhua) China's plan to increase the use of bioethanol gasoline will not have a significant impact on the grain market, and it would be unrealistic for the country to import large amounts of corn for the industry development, a Chinese official
food security
Back TO HOMEWhy Small, Local, Organic Farms Aren’t the Key to Fixing Our Food System
by Tamar Haspel (The Washington Post) The food movement has a problem: It’s right about what’s wrong with our system, but wrong about how to fix it. But what is the “food movement?” I hear you asking. For these purposes, we’ll
September 24, 2017 Read Full Article
A Refresher on Ethanol’s Many Benefits
by Bob Dinneen (Renewable Fuels Association) ... For starters, ethanol helps reduce air pollution and cut greenhouse gas emissions. According to a January analysis by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, corn-based ethanol reduces greenhouse emissions (GHG) by 43 percent compared with
August 24, 2017 Read Full Article
Greenbelt Resources Bioethanol to Be Tested by Puration Inc. for Use in Patented CBD Extraction Process
(Greenbelt Resources Corporation/PR Newswire) Greenbelt Resources Corporation (OTC: GRCO) has announced that Puration, Inc. (OTC: PURA) has selected its bioethanol to test for potential use in Puration's patented CBD (cannabidiol) extraction method. Extraction methods commonly use ethanol but this will be
August 17, 2017 Read Full Article
Improving Global Integration of Crop Research
by M. P. Reynolds, et al. (Science Magazine) In recent decades, the scientific, development, and farm communities have contributed to substantial gains in crop productivity, including in many less developed countries (LDCs) (1), yet current yield trends and agri-food systems are
August 16, 2017 Read Full Article
Pan-African Food and Non-Food Biomass Expert Network Unveiled
by Liz Gyekye (Bioenergy Insight) The “first” pan-African expert network on food and non-food biomass has been launched by African and German researchers. BiomassNet aims to ensure that food security and environmental sustainability are not compromised in the development of new
August 08, 2017 Read Full Article
Foreign Investment in U.S. Farmland on the Rise
By Johnathan Hettinger and Robert Holly with additional reporting by Jelter Meers (Midwest Center for Investigative Reporting) In 2013, the Chinese firm Shuanghui received wide public attention when it purchased U.S. pork producer Smithfield Foods for a record $4.7 billion. In
July 07, 2017 Read Full Article
GBEP Works with ECREEE to Further Sustainable Bioenergy Uptake in Western Africa
by Meghan Sapp (Biofuels Digest) In Ghana, ECREEE collaborated with the Global Bioenergy Partnership (GBEP) and hosted the 5th GBEP Bioenergy Week in the ECOWAS region in Accra, Ghana (5th ECOWAS/GBEP Bioenergy Week) to provide an opportunity to share knowledge and experience with
June 30, 2017 Read Full Article
Aux Farms, Citoyens! France’s Bioeconomy Plan Is a Stirring Call to Action on Jobs, Climate, Innovation
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) t took a long time, but France in the past year published a national bioeconomy strategy and its national government has approved it. It’s here in full form. We’re publishing a digested version today not only
June 27, 2017 Read Full Article
A Double Whammy for Corn and Ethanol Industries
(Michigan Farmer) China imposes additional tariffs on DDGS and ethanol. -- ... Inevitably, changes in trade could bludgeon an already wounded ag economy. A tug of war with punitive tariffs has already started with the world’s second-largest economic powerhouse — China. In
January 23, 2017 Read Full Article
New Feed Sources Key to Ambitious Climate Targets
by Brian J. Walsh, et al. (Carbon Balance and Management) Net carbon sinks capable of avoiding dangerous perturbation of the climate system and preventing ocean acidification have been identified, but they are likely to be limited by resource constraints (Nature 463:747–756,
December 23, 2016 Read Full Article
Commission ‘Dangerously’ Out of Touch with Reality on Biofuels
by Dick Roche (EurActiv/Pannonia Ethanol) A response delivered by Commissioner Miguel Arias Cañete in the European Parliament last week demonstrates just how dangerously out of touch with reality the executive is on a policy that impacts on the lives of
December 14, 2016 Read Full Article
6 Hottie Trends to Watch In Bioeconomy Feedstocks
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Proof positive on the “best is yet to come” — check out the Danforth Plant Science Center. It’s tucked away in the major agri-complex that built up around Monsanto and others in the St. Louis
December 07, 2016 Read Full Article
Forecasts of Algae Food Products Demonstrate Significant Reductions in Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Water Use
(Bentley University/PR Newswire) Bentley University research fellow Michael J. Walsh leads study finding algae food to have potential to mitigate climate change -- Scientists affiliated with the Marine Algal Industrialization Consortium have published a research article demonstrating the potential of
December 05, 2016 Read Full Article
Food Security Benefits Found in African Biofuels Production
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Biofuels operations under the right conditions can lead to improved household food security in developing countries, concludes a new study. Irish university research is adding to the body of knowledge about the impact biofuels production
November 18, 2016 Read Full Article
New Bioprocessing Tech Moves Us from “Food vs Fuels” to “Food, then Fuel”
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Today, let’s consider a more compelling way to process a corn plant so that we handle the process with a goal of first extracting all the materials that are useful for food and health, and
October 21, 2016 Read Full Article
China Set to Export Corn, Threatening Global Market: Sources
by Dominique Patton (Reuters) China has given approval to at least two companies to export corn, trading sources said, in a radical move by the world's No. 2 producer to cut its ballooning surplus and unleash more supply into a
October 01, 2016 Read Full Article
Reconciling Food Security and Bioenergy: Priorities for Action
by Keith L. Kline, Siwa Msangi, Virginia H. Dale, Jeremy Woods, Glaucia M. Souza, Patricia Osseweijer, Joy S. Clancy, Jorge A. Hilbert, Francis X. Johnson, Patrick C. McDonnell, Harriet K. Mugera (Global Change Biology Bioenergy) Understanding the complex interactions among food security, bioenergy sustainability, and resource management requires a focus
September 12, 2016 Read Full Article
Doing More (and Better) with Less: 2016 Global Agribusiness Forum Shows the Ways to Provide Food and Bioenergy, with Sustainability, for an Increasing Population
by Lais Thomaz* and Dan Quadros** (Advanced Biofuels USA) With diverse and dynamic programming involving agribusiness, food safety, nutrition, sustainability and bioenergy, the 2016 GAF achieved its mission to gather producers, companies and academia to discuss the importance of agribusiness supply
July 26, 2016 Read Full Article
Report: Simplistic Global Analyses that Blame Biofuels for Food Insecurity Mislead the Public
(Global Renewable Fuels Alliance) A new report, titled Reconciling Food Security and Bioenergy: Priorities for Action, challenges previous studies that blame biofuels for food insecurity for relying on “faulty”, “questionable” and “subjective” assumptions to reach their conclusions. Published in the journal
July 15, 2016 Read Full Article
Global Food Prices Set to Stagnate as Population Growth Slowing
by Manisha Jha and Isis Almeida (Bloomberg) World population growth to slow to 1% a year over next decade; Food demand growth expected to slow progressively: OECD-FAO -- Food prices will stagnate over the next decade as the population growth rate declines and
July 08, 2016 Read Full Article
Seaweed Gains Ground as a Pillar of Food Security in South America
by Orlando Milesi (Inter Press Service) Seaweed, a nutrient-rich foodstuff that was a regular part of the diet of several South American indigenous peoples, is emerging as a new pillar of food security in Latin America and is providing a livelihood
July 05, 2016 Read Full Article
Knock on Wood: Why Trade and Brand Will Trump Tech in the Advanced Bioeconomy
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... So if the advanced bioeconomy is so prevalent and so pervasive, why do we hear so much about the struggles of projects to be built? Why is it so much easier to build wind and
June 23, 2016 Read Full Article
Reconciling Food Security and Bioenergy: Priorities for Action
by Keith L. Kline, Siwa Msangi, Virginia H. Dale, Jeremy Woods, Glaucia M. Souza, Patricia Osseweijer, Joy S. Clancy, Jorge A. Hilbert, Francis X. Johnson, Patrick C. McDonnell, Harriet K. Mugera (Global Change Biology: Bioenergy) ... Understanding the nexus of food security, bioenergy sustainability, and resource management facilitates achievement of the 2030
June 15, 2016 Read Full Article
Agriculture Secretary Vilsack Announces Climate Smart Agriculture and Forestry Results, Additional $72.3 Million Soil Health Investment to Support Paris Agreement
(U.S. Department of Agriculture) Today, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack shared the first results of USDA's Building Blocks for Climate Smart Agriculture and Forestry, one year after he unveiled the plan at Michigan State University. In addition to providing specific goals
May 12, 2016 Read Full Article
Crops of the Biofrontier: In Search of Opportunities for Sustainable Energy Cropping
by Stephanie Searle, Chelsea Petrenko, Ella Baz, and Chris Malins (International Council on Clean Transportation) Describes case studies of energy cropping in Europe in the context of advanced biofuel and bioproducts sustainability. -- European biofuel policy has been dominated by discussions
April 15, 2016 Read Full Article
Food in the Age of Biofuels
by Jose Graziano da Silva (United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization/Project Syndicate) ... But this is a false dichotomy. The choice cannot be between food and fuel. We can make good use of both. Given the right conditions, biofuels can be an effective means
July 03, 2015 Read Full Article
Just How Ethical Are Biofuels?
by Tim Sandal (Digital Journal) One subject sure to divide opinion is biofuel. Are they a a sustainable energy supply or a product harmful to the environment? Swiss Federal Laboratories have developed a new way to answer this question. ... To help
June 22, 2015 Read Full Article
Take a Closer Look: Biofuels Can Support Environmental, Economic and Social Goals
by Bruce E. Dale, James E. Anderson, Robert C. Brown, Steven Csonka⊥ Virginia H. Dale, Gary Herwick, Randall D. Jackson, Nicholas Jordan, Stephen Kaffka, Keith L. Kline, Lee R. Lynd, Carolyn Malmstrom, Rebecca G. Ong, Tom L. Richard, Caroline Taylor, and Michael Q. Wang
July 01, 2014 Read Full Article
FORUM: A Brief Lesson On Ethanol And Food Prices
by Kelvin Alversion (Rapid City Journal) We are blessed as Americans to have the safest, most affordable and abundant food supply in the world. Consumers have thousands of choices when it comes to food any time of the year. It’s the
May 13, 2014 Read Full Article
Who’s Fooling Whom? The Real Drivers in Africa’s Food Crisis
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Belgium, PANGEA (Partners for Euro-African Green Energy) launched an update to its report “Who’s Fooling Whom? The Real Drivers Behind the 2010/11 Food Crisis in Sub-Saharan Africa”. The report demonstrates an important conclusion: the degree
April 24, 2013 Read Full Article
Cellulosic Technology Must Use Existing Cropland — Study
by Amanda Peterka (Governors Biofuel Coalition) Cellulosic biofuels can become profitable for farmers and help displace oil, but they must use already-available agricultural land, according to a study released by a nonprofit yesterday. Commissioned by the Council for Agricultural Science and
April 05, 2013 Read Full Article
WBA: Enough Land for More Food, Feed, Biofuels
by Anna Simet (Biomass Magazine) There is enough land available to produce more food, more feed and more biofuels, which are not the cause of global malnutrition problems, according to the World Bioenergy Association. WBA makes this declaration in a recently
March 29, 2013 Read Full Article
RFA Condems UN Biofuels & Food Security Study
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) Earlier this month, the U.N. Committee on World Food Security (CFS) has released a draft study on biofuels and food security with a public comment period until January 30, 2013. Yesterday, the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) submitted comments about the
February 02, 2013 Read Full Article
One Report Says Global Grain at Record High
by Rich Keller (Ag Professional) As most of the reports circulating in the United States are about anticipated grain shortages in meeting demand, a report came out this week from one organization that was headlined: “Global grain production at record
September 27, 2012 Read Full Article
Biodiesel on the March; REG Reports Record Revenues for Q2
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...As is sometimes overlooked, the advanced biofuels pool in the US Renewable Fuel Standard is not only a qualifying pool for cellulosic biofuels – which have struggled to come to market in the projected volumes.