The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has made $21 million available to support the development of regional systems in sustainable bioenergy and biobased products. The funds can also be allocated to train the next generation of bio-scientists. The funding is offered through the AFRI Sustainable Bioenergy and Bioproducts challenge area designed to create or sustain jobs by improving existing food …
Novozymes Organization Restructuring
Novozymes has announced changes in the company’s organizational structure and executive leadership team with the formation of three distinct divisions – Household Care & Technical Industries, Agriculture & Bioenergy and Food & Beverages. The aim of the organizational change is to “enhance Novozymes’ ability to deliver more innovation to customers.” To lead the three divisions, Novozymes has appointed former Vice …
Bio-Oil Produced Right on the Farm
Soon farmers will be able to produce bio-oil right on their farm. The renewable fuel can be produced from agricultural and food waste using a new mobile unit. The goal of USDA project is to be able to distill this bio-oil in existing petroleum refineries. The research team, headed by Agricultural Research Services (ARS) chemical engineer Akwasi Boateng with the …
Vilsack: Farmer Greatest Job on Earth
Being a farmer is the greatest job on earth noted USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack. He spent the morning back in his home state of Iowa (Vilsack is a former Iowa Governor) to kick off the 10th Annual Iowa Renewable Fuels Summit. He kicked off his speech noting that he is proud of the work the USDA has done to help …
What’s In and Out for Ag in Omnibus
The broad spending and tax legislation compromise unveiled by House Republicans Tuesday night includes some riders important to agriculture. Perhaps the most important, the bill repeals mandatory country-of-origin labeling (COOL) for meat to prevent more than $1 billion in trade sanctions from Mexico and Canada approved last week by the WTO. “I’m pleased American agriculture and businesses will escape these …
#Ag Industry Reacts to @EPA #RFS Final Rules
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released the much anticipated final volumetric rules today under the Renewable Fuels Standard for 2014, 2015 and 2016. While the RVOs (renewable volume obligations) were an improvement over the proposed rules released in May of this year, the #Ag industry is calling on the EPA to further strengthen the legislation and further increase all four …
RFS Uncertainty Hurting Farm Income
The uncertainties around the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) are threatening farm income and hurting the economic stability of rural economies. A new white paper from the National Farmers Union (NFU) and the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA), using recent USDA data on net cash income for American farmers and ranchers, states that income is expected to decline by 26 percent …
Final Republicans Take the Soapbox Stage
The last batch of Republican presidential candidates took the Soapbox stage this weekend during the last weekend of the Iowa State Fair. U.S. Senator from Texas Ted Cruz (R) took much of his time to crack jokes about the Democrats and the rest of his time to talk about all the U.S. government executive orders he would rescind and government …
America’s Renewable Future Talks to Trump
America’s Renewable Future (ARF) is less than one year old, but has already made an impact when it comes to educating presidential candidates about the importance of agriculture and renewable fuels. Eric Branstad, son of Iowa Governor Terry Branstad, was one of the main organizers of the coalition which just launched in January of this year. “Since then we’ve been …
Biodiesel 2015 and Beyond
The Minnesota Soybean Research & Promotion Council is conducting a first ever event today in Mankato, MN. The event, “Biodiesel 2015 & Beyond: A Biodiesel/Bioheat Forum,” brings together biodiesel industry market developers, researchers and a number of representatives of east coast oil heat and fuel companies. The open forum is providing an educational look at what’s going on in the …