While I was visiting the Ohio Corn Growers exhibit at the Farm Science Review I had a nice talk with 5 time IHRA Funny Car Champion Mark Thomas. Here he is explaining his car to an FFA student. Mark is not only a professional drag racer but a farmer himself. He has 500 Holstein cows and farms 2,200 acres of …
Ethanol at AgNite
One of the very cool things about the AgNite event in Minnesota this week was the way it united all aspects of the agriculture industry. The 50 sponsors included agribusinesses, corn growers, food processors, livestock, dairy and poultry producers, and the ethanol industry. Some of these groups have been at odds with each other in recent months over the impact …
Monsanto Talks Sustainability
The recent surge in profitability within the agriculture sector is giving farmers and ag companies a bit of room to breath. But, Monsanto says, just a bit. Michael Doane, Monsanto’s Sustainability Team Lead says that with profitability comes responsibility: a responsibility for the agricultural climate of the future. There are big questions, Michael says, that begged to be asked, and, …
Corn Progress
There’s a lot the National Corn Growers Association is looking forward to in the next few months. I caught up with Bob Dickey, First Vice President of the association, at the 2008 Farm Progress Show in Boone, IA today. He says corn growers are counting on good weather, a good harvest and a good relationship with the new Secretary of …
ACE Fueling Revolution Conference
“Fueling Revolution” is the theme of the 21st Ethanol Conference & Trade Show which kicked off Tuesday in Omaha at the Qwest Center. The event is the big show of the year for the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE). The conference is expected to draw more than 1,200 attendees, with more than 200 companies represented at the trade show. Topics …
Team Ethanol Wins at Watkins Glen
Although I wasn’t there to cheer him on, Ryan Hunter-Reay and Team Ethanol scored their first IndyCar Series win Sunday at the Camping World Grand Prix in Watkins Glen, NY. Picture is courtesy of Indy Car Series. Appropriately on Independence Day weekend, it was an all-American win for the Rahal Letterman team, which is sponsored by the ethanol industry – …
Investor Interest in Ethanol Drops
The issue of investment and financing for ethanol plants and bio refineries in general was addressed today by Chris Groobey, Baker & McKenzie, LLP. He works on project financing with investors and lenders and mostly in renewable fuels. He painted a pretty bleak picture. In fact, he says the New York investment community is not interested in biofuels right now. …
Ethanol Trucking
When it comes to infrastructure needs for a bio economy our rural road system is a key component. To speak about it here at the Transition To A Bio Economy conference we heard from Frank Dooley, Purdue University. He sees a big increase in grain production, primarily in the midwest. With that comes a growing demand for transportation. He thinks …
Rail Car Transportation of Ethanol
We hear a lot about the growth in ethanol production but do you know how it gets from the plant to where it needs to be to enter our fuel supply? How about rail car? During our discussion on the infrastructure needs of a Transition To A Bio Economy, we heard from Paul Hammes, Union Pacific Railroad. Of course his …
Buying Biomass
Okay. This is the last one for today. But there’s more to come tomorrow. Sarah Brechbill, Purdue University, got to put her masters degree project on the stage today here at the Farm Foundation’s Transition To A Bio Economy conference. She looked at the cost to get biomass to a plant and specifically looked at switchgrass and corn stover. She …