- A new ethanol plant project that would make both grain based ethanol and cellulosic ethanol will be good for Kansas and its agriculture industry, according to corn and sorghum growers. Abengoa Bioenergy announced on Aug. 23 that it would build a hybrid ethanol project that would feature an 85 million gallon grain-based ethanol plant and a 30 million gallon cellulosic ethanol plant. Abengoa officials pointed to the unique synergy between the two ethanol processes. Leaders of the Kansas Corn Growers Association and Kansas Grain Sorghum Producers Association agree. “The cellulosic ethanol would be made from the crop residue, like sorghum and corn stalks, and that can create an additional revenue stream for growers,” KGSPA President Greg Shelor of Minneola said. Cellulosic ethanol can also be made from grasses, forage sorghums and other cellulosic materials.
- Garst Seed Company is adding seven new NK brand soybeans to its broad lineup of 64 high-performing varieties for the 2008 planting season. Garst advanced only the top varieties with high yield potential and a strong disease package, including resistance to soybean cyst nematode (SCN), sudden death syndrome (SDS), Phytophthora root rot and brown stem rot (BSR). Garst will offer growers both NK brand soybeans and Garst brand soybeans. These soybeans match the needs of nearly every soil type and have the characteristics and traits that add value to our customers’ business,” says Christopher Cook, agronomy services manager for Garst. For the 2008 planting season, Garst’s soybean lineup includes varieties in the Group 00 to Group V maturity categories. Garst’s entire lineup includes the Roundup Ready1 trait.
- Syngenta announced today that it has obtained full regulatory approval in Japan for Agrisure® RW, its corn rootworm insect control corn seed. Agrisure RW now has full approval in the United States, Canada, and Japan, and import approval in Australia and New Zealand. Syngenta’s innovation in genetics and traits such as Agrisure RW is helping growers meet the rapidly expanding demand for corn. The Agrisure brand spans a wide range of products bringing new choices to growers including Agrisure CB/LL, Agrisure GT, Agrisure RW, Agrisure GT/RW, Agrisure GT/CB/LL, Agrisure CB/LL/RW and Agrisure 3000GT. With this approval, Agrisure RW grain can now be accepted by elevators exporting grain to Japan. However, Syngenta is committed to and will continue to implement the grain stewardship program with growers through the end of 2007. In 2008, Agrisure RW will be part of the seed industry’s Market Choices grain direction program.
