Deere & Company has announced plans for a new test lab at Iowa State University focused on agricultural spraying and applications technology. “As a leader in precision agriculture, John Deere is focused on providing customers with innovative, high quality products and services,” said Aaron Wetzel, Deere’s vice president of the global crop care platform at John Deere. “Our customers will …
Farm Broadcasters Question EPA Chief About RFS
EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt faced a grilling from agricultural reporters Tuesday about the agency granting waivers exempting refineries from Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) obligations and why it is taking so long to decide on allowing year round use of 15% ethanol in all markets. The embattled administrator, who faces Congressional hearings this week where he will likely be questioned on …
Perdue Celebrates Anniversary With Senate Ag Committee
Tuesday was the first anniversary for Sonny Perdue as Secretary of Agriculture and he spent it briefing the Senate Agriculture Committee on The State of Rural America. “It’s a fascinating job,” said Perdue. “Even more broad and vast and deep and wide and impactful than I could have ever imagined.” Most of the questioning for the secretary revolved around trade …
Bayer Launches ForwardFarm in Maryland
Bayer’s ForwardFarming program launched in North America last week at the farm of fourth-generation Maryland farmer Trey Hill. Harborview Farms was chosen as the latest Bayer ForwardFarm, joining Bayer’s global network of 12 innovative, independent farms representative of their unique environments across Europe, Latin America and now, North America. “One of the primary goals of ForwardFarming is to foster dialogue …
Hoosier Ag Today and Farm World Acquire Indiana Farm Show
Hoosier Ag Today and Farm World have jointly purchased the Indiana-Illinois Farm and Outdoor Power Equipment Show from Richard Sherman, who has operated the show the past 39 years. The show will be held December 11 – 13, 2018 at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. Sherman announced in March that he no longer intended to operate the show. “The show is …
House Ag Committee Advances Agriculture and Nutrition Act
The House Agriculture Committee voted along party lines Wednesday to pass the Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018 (H.R.2) out of committee, a new farm bill designed by Republicans to “address the economic challenges facing the nation’s farmers and ranchers, while making historic investments in opportunities for SNAP recipients.” All 20 Democrats on the historically-bipartisan committee voted against the legislation …
Midwest Seed Genetics Expansion and Growth Continues
Midwest Seed Genetics continues its growth with four senior managers joining the team. “The addition of these highly skilled individuals underscores our resolve in building a new, high quality, high performance hybrid corn and soybean company. Midwest Seed Genetics plan is to match exemplary products and people together to provide America’s row crop farmers with new choices.” said Don Funk, …
China Imposes Import Fee on U.S. Sorghum
China’s Ministry of Commerce has imposed a “temporary antidumping measure” on U.S. sorghum imports, requiring a deposit of almost 179 percent on the value of sorghum shipments starting today. National Sorghum Producers president and CEO Tim Lust says they are “deeply disappointed” in the action. “National Sorghum Producers, alongside our producers, stakeholders and partners, has cooperated fully with China’s antidumping …
Japan to Allow Use of U.S. Ethanol for Oxygenate
Ethanol market development organizations cheered the news out of Japan today that the government’s new biofuel policy will allow imports of the oxygenate ETBE made from U.S. corn-based ethanol. A release from the U.S. Grains Council (USGC), the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA), and Growth Energy says Japan will now allow U.S. ethanol to meet up to 44 percent of a …
Role of Corn Farmers in High Octane Fuel Future
During a House Committee on Energy and Commerce subcommittee hearing on “High Octane Fuels and High Efficiency Vehicles” Friday, an Illinois corn grower outlined how farmers are now growing what can be the the high-octane fuel of the near future. Illinois farmer Paul Jeschke testified that high-octane midlevel ethanol blends would “benefit society and rural communities by lowering prices at …