RFA Ethanol Podcast

TPA Signed With Eye Toward New Agreements

Cindy Zimmerman

President Obama signed two trade bills passed by Congress on Monday, one authorizing Trade Promotion Authority and one renewing Trade Adjustment Assistance. The president pointed out that while the bills will help negotiations move forward on trade agreements such as the Transpacific Partnership (TPP) and the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (T-TIP), they are not the actual agreements. “We still …

AFBF, Audio, Trade, USDA

Allergen-Free Peanuts Among USDA Innovations in FY 2014

John Davis

Allergen-free peanuts is just one of the many innovations in ag during fiscal year 2014 for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The agency’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) says USDA received 83 patents in FY2014, up from 51 patents in 2013, leading to new patents and inventions with the potential for commercial application and potential economic growth. “USDA has a proven …

Research, USDA

Secretary Vilsack Visits #ASTAannual

Cindy Zimmerman

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack stressed the importance of the seed industry to American agriculture and the nation as a whole during an address kicking off the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) annual meeting on Thursday in Washington DC. “Clearly the seed industry has been responsible for an extraordinary increase in productivity in American agriculture,” said Vilsack. “But more than that, …

ASTA, Audio, Seed, USDA

Biobased Industry Boosts US Economy

John Davis

A new report that shows the U.S. biobased industry adds $369 billion and 4 million jobs to the American economy. This news release from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) says that number is poised to grow under changes in the 2014 Farm Bill. “This report is the first to examine and quantify the effect of the U.S. biobased products …

Agribusiness, Biofuels, USDA

Organic Trade Association Petitions for Checkoff

Chuck Zimmerman

The Organic Trade Association, along with the GRO Organic Core Committee, has formally petitioned the USDA to begin steps to conduct a vote on and implement a research and promotion check-off program for the organic industry. You can read an executive summary of the proposal here (pdf). OTA’s action reflects three years of dialogue with the entire organic sector and …

Ag Groups, Organic, USDA

Lots of Jobs in Ag for New Grads

John Davis

May is graduation month, and a new survey shows that agriculture is a great place for those new college graduates. This article from the U.S. Department of Agriculture says the information from the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) and Purdue University shows there are nearly 60,000 high-skilled agriculture job openings expected each year in the U.S., there …

AgCareers, Agribusiness, University, USDA

First USDA Crop Estimates

Cindy Zimmerman

USDA’s May World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimate report released today includes the first estimates for crop production this year. Overall, the report is projecting wheat production to be higher and corn and soybeans lower this season. All wheat production is projected at 2,087 million bushels, up 3 percent. Corn production is projected at 13.6 billion bushels, down 586 million …

Corn, NCGA, Soybean, USDA, Wheat

U.S., Honduras Trade Deal to Promote Ag Development

John Davis

A new trade deal between the U.S. and Honduras is expected to promote agricultural development. This U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) news release says Deputy Agriculture Secretary Krysta Harden and Honduras Secretary of Agriculture and Livestock Jacobo Paz inked the agreement. Through the Food for Progress Program, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Foreign Agricultural Service will provide the government …

Agribusiness, Trade, USDA

USDA Presents Climate Change Initiative

Cindy Zimmerman

In a speech Thursday at Michigan State University, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack introduced “Building Blocks for Climate Smart Agriculture & Forestry”, an initiative that will utilize voluntary, incentive-based conservation, forestry, and energy programs to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, increase carbon sequestration and expand renewable energy production in the agricultural and forestry sectors. “American farmers and ranchers are leaders when it …

Audio, USDA

Vilsack Flips Switch on New Solar Farm

Cindy Zimmerman

On Earth Day, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack flipped the switch to symbolically activate USDA’s first solar array project in the National Capital Region. The 1.6 Megawatt (MW) solar farm, located at the George Washington Carver Center (Carver Center) in Beltsville, Maryland, is the largest solar array on federal property in this region. This project, which is part of a larger …

USDA