In his annual State of the Industry Address at the National Ethanol Conference Tuesday in New Orleans, Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Geoff Cooper said the global quest to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 “may very well be the greatest opportunity for growth and value creation in the industry’s history.” “Just as the ethanol industry seized on opportunities …
Verdant Delivers Multi-Action Robot for Specialty Crops
Verdant Robotics today announced the expansion of its robot-as-a-service (RaaS) model to develop the first multi-action, autonomous farm-robot for specialty crop farmers. Verdant raised $21.5 million to develop the robot, which is capable of millimeter-accurate spraying, laser weeding, and AI-based digital crop modeling. Verdant has already contracted to service approximately 40% of the U.S. carrot market exclusively for the next …
Ethanol Industry Gathers in New Orleans
From emerging technologies and new uses to opportunities in global carbon reduction policies, market insights, and international and domestic marketplace developments, there is much to learn and experience at the 27th Annual National Ethanol Conference: Zeroing in on New Opportunities. New Orleans is the place where the ethanol industry is meeting this week and Renewable Fuels Association president and CEO …
Passing of Jerry Passer
Sad to share the news that longtime farm broadcaster Jerry Passer died over the weekend. He would have been 79 years old today, born on Feb 17, 1943, in Wells, MN. Passer was a veteran of the US Navy where he served as a corpsman for 4.5 years in Washington D.C. at the Bethesda Naval Hospital. After his time in …
SABIC Signs Agreement With Intrinsyx Bio
SABIC, a global leader in diversified chemicals with a focus on agri-nutrients, has signed a technology collaboration agreement with Intrinsyx Bio, a California based company focused on the development and commercialization of endophytes (plant microbes) that can increase crop yields and optimize fertilizer usage. As part of this collaboration, SABIC will be evaluating Intrinsyx Bio’s patented endophyte products’ technology and …
CIRB Emerging Leaders Program Back on Track
After having to skip a year due to the pandemic, the Crop Insurance and Reinsurance Bureau (CIRB) Emerging Leaders Program (ELP) got back on track for 2021-22 with a brand new crop of bright and talented industry representatives. ELP is designed for professionals in the crop insurance industry that seek to increase their knowledge and hands-on experience with key issues. …
Cotton Council Reveals Planting Intentions Survey
According to the National Cotton Council’s 41st Annual Early Season Planting Intentions Survey, U.S. cotton producers intend to plant 12.0 million cotton acres this spring, up 7.3 percent from 2021. Upland cotton intentions are 11.9 million acres, up 7.1 percent from 2021, while extra-long staple (ELS) intentions of 158,000 acres represent a 24.8 percent increase. The detailed survey results were …
Crop Insurance Premium Benefit Offered for Cover Crops
USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) has announced details of the 2022 Pandemic Cover Crop Program (PCCP) that both benefits farmers and supports climate smart production practices. Agricultural producers who have coverage under most crop insurance policies are eligible for a premium benefit from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) if they planted cover crops during the 2022 crop year. To …
CIRB Highlights Crop Insurance Industry Resilience
Resilience is the theme for the 2022 Crop Insurance and Reinsurance Bureau annual meeting and part of being resilient means adapting quickly to change. “As an industry, we have a desire to meet the needs of the farmers out there,” said Crop Risk Services President and CEO Brian Young, who serves as acting chair for CIRB. “So, it’s really trying …
U.S. Agricultural Exports Shattered Records in 2021
The American agricultural industry posted its highest annual export levels ever recorded last year, according to the final 2021 trade data from the Department of Commerce. The report shows exports of U.S. farm and food products to the world in 2021 totaled $177 billion, topping the 2020 total by 18 percent and eclipsing the previous record, set in 2014, by …