Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Andrew Wheeler yesterday announced the approval of sorghum oil as an eligible feedstock under the Renewable Fuel Standard during a signing event at EPA headquarters in Washington, D.C., with sorghum farmers and other stakeholders. In December 2017, the EPA released a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) concerning renewable fuels produced from sorghum oil under the RFS …
USDA Announces Trade Disruption Relief for Farmers
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will take several actions to assist farmers negatively impacted by recent trade actions. President Trump directed Secretary Perdue to craft a short-term relief strategy to protect agricultural producers while the Administration works on free, fair, and reciprocal trade deals to open more markets in the long run to help American farmers compete globally. Specifically, …
NewLeaf Symbiotics Offers New Class of Biologicals
NewLeaf Symbiotics launched a new class of agricultural biologicals this year. Terrasym™ nutrient-enhancing products are natural, beneficial biologicals called M-trophs. Terrasym 401 is a seed treatment for soybeans that maximizes the yield potential by enhancing plant nutrition and Terrasym 402 is a bio-complement applied to peanuts that provides season-long performance and significantly higher yields. Both products are marketed through a …
New FMC Fungicide for Peanuts Coming Soon
FMC Agricultural Solutions joined the Southern Peanut Growers Conference family this year as a new sponsor. Regional sales rep Cindy Kurtz was pleased to attend the event and talk about what they have to offer peanut farmers, including a new fungicide with expected registration in 2019. “Lucento is going to be a fantastic product for peanut farmers in the southeast …
FAPRI Looks at Peanuts
Established in 1984 by a grant from the U.S. Congress, the Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute (FAPRI) uses comprehensive data and computer modeling systems to analyze the economic impact of policy decisions on the food and agriculture industry. FAPRI director Dr. Pat Westhoff shared some of his insights on the economic impact of the farm bill at the Southern …
The Cake is Cut at 20th #2018SPGC
Cindy and I are peanut grower blogging from the Sandestin Resort in Miramar Beach, FL where peanut farmers from Alabama, Florida, Georgia and Mississippi have gathered for the 20th annual Southern Peanut Growers Conference. Of course we’re taking photos, doing interviews and posting content onto the Southern Peanut Growers Conference Blog. While families were rolling in yesterday to register I …
Ethanol Report on RFA Leadership Succession
The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) has announced a change in leadership for the ethanol industry’s leading trade association. Executive Vice President Geoff Cooper will assume the position of president and CEO in October 2018, while current President and CEO Bob Dinneen will transition into the role of RFA’s Senior Strategic Advisor. In this edition of The Ethanol Report, Dinneen talks …
ZimmCast 592 – Comedian Tim The Dairy Farmer
This week let’s meet Comedian, Tim The Dairy Farmer. Humor and dairy are near and dear to my heart and I hope you’ll enjoy the program as Tim talks about how he got into a comedy career. He also has some big news! Blue Collar meets Green Acres. That’s how comedian, Tim the Dairy Farmer, describes the release of his …
Biofuels Advocates Testify at EPA Hearing
Biofuels advocates brought their concerns about damage to the industry caused by former EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt to a hearing on the proposed 2019 Renewable Volume Obligation (RVO) under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) Wednesday in Michigan. The proposed rule raises the total 2019 Renewable Volume Obligation (RVO) by 3 percent over the 2018 requirement, and maintains a 15-billion-gallon requirement …
FDA Considering Fake Meat and Milk
The federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is spending time this month discussing meat and milk. Last week, FDA held a public meeting to discuss foods produced using animal cell culture technology – mainly lab-grown fake meat products – and which agency should be in charge of regulating. The meat industry believes fake meat should be regulated by USDA. “Any …