To kick off the 2017 U.S. Soy Global Trade Exchange, Nebraska Lieutenant Governor Mike Foley provided opening remarks to the international and domestic soybean audience. I was able to speak with the Lt. Governor who shared how proud the state is of its agricultural industry. He said, “It’s really the backbone of our economy. We like to grow things.” “It’s …
Moving More Ethanol Exports
U.S. ethanol exports are setting records this year and that is due at least in part to the efforts of the U.S. Grains Council ethanol advisory team, chaired this year by Jim Glavin, CEO of Lakeview Energy. Galvin spoke at the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) annual conference last week in Omaha about some of the global headwinds and tailwinds …
GROWMARK and COFCO Announce Grain Partnership
A new grain partnership was created on Friday between agricultural cooperative GROWMARK, Inc. and global supply chain agribusiness COFCO International Limited (CIL) providing a direct link from farmers in the Midwest to the global marketplace, and China in particular. “We now have a direct pipeline from our growers to the end user,” said Brent Ericson, GROWMARK Senior Vice President, Member …
Trade Offers Stability for Rural Economies
Jason Hafemeister, Acting Deputy Under Secretary for Trade & Foreign Agricultural Affairs at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) addressed the attendees of the 2017 U.S. Soy Global Trade Exchange, bringing a message of greater trade opportunities for America’s farmers. “A substantial part of our farm income comes from foreign markets,” said Hafemeister. “So we at the department are always …
Secretary Perdue in Florida
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue visited the Citrus Expo in Fort Myers, Florida this week to learn more about citrus greening and hold a farm bill listening session with Congressman Tom Rooney of the local district. The only opportunity for reporters to ask questions of the secretary was a short, crowded, disorganized gaggle that covered a wide range of non-agricultural …
Bayer Enters Partnership to Combat Citrus Greening
This morning Bayer teamed up with the Citrus Research and Development Foundation to find solutions to the devastating Citrus Greening disease. During the partnership press conference the organizations signed a research collaboration agreement. Pictured are (l-r) Adrian Percy, Head of R&D, Bayer, Tom Jerkins, citrus grower & President of CRDF and Dr. Harold Browning, COO, CRDF. Citrus Greening disease currently …
30th Annual ACE Conference Underway
Members of the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) have gathered in Omaha for the organization’s 30th annual conference this week, with the theme “Tested. Proven. Driven.” Executive Vice President Brian Jennings says the industry has a lot to celebrate. “We are on the precipice of opportunity in a lot of areas,” he said. “We’ve made as much progress as this …
ZimmCast with Abe Hughes, Trimble – Agriculture
I thoroughly enjoyed working with Abe Hughes when he worked for New Holland and now he has just been appointed to worldwide general manager for Trimble’s Agriculture Division within the Resources and Utilities segment. So congratulations Abe! Abe has only been on the job a little while but I bothered him for a phone interview for this week’s ZimmCast. “I …
Ethanol and Motorcycles Mix at Sturgis Rally
At the 2017 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally last week, the Renewable Fuels Association stepped up its efforts to provide motorcycle owners with the facts about the use of ethanol their engines – mainly that ten percent ethanol is approved by every major motorcycle manufacturer. This was ninth year for the ethanol sponsorship at the Sturgis Buffalo Chip Campground and it just …