Biofuel Groups React to Final RFS Rules

Cindy Zimmerman

The Environmental Protection Agency finalized a package of actions Friday setting biofuel volumes for the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) program for years 2020, 2021, and 2022, and introducing regulatory changes intended to enhance the program’s objectives. According to the Renewable Fuels Association, the final regulatory actions taken by EPA “bring certainty back to the Renewable Fuel Standard and pave the …

Audio, Biodiesel, Biofuels, Ethanol, RFA

USDA Announces Framework to Transform the Food System

Cindy Zimmerman

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced details of a “framework to transform the food system to benefit consumers, producers and rural communities by providing more options, increasing access, and creating new, more, and better markets for small and mid-size producers.” Vilsack said the framework “builds on lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and supply chain disruptions caused by Russia’s war …

Audio, Food, USDA

Alltech Business Session Showcases Startups

Cindy Zimmerman

Innovation is one of the keys to achieving the Alltech vision of a Planet of Plenty, which is why the company sponsors the Pearse Lyons Cultivator (PLC) program. Participants in the year-round program were part of the business track of the Alltech ONE Conference last week in Lexington. Alltech European Growth Officer Robbie Walker says the program was introduced as …

Alltech, Audio, Technology

USDA Announces Meat Supply Chain Actions

Cindy Zimmerman

Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack used an appearance before the Senate Agriculture Committee on Thursday to make a few announcements, including issuing a new Packers & Stockyards Act rulemaking, making available $200 Million to expand competition in meat processing, and investing $25 million in workforce training. Vilsack said the actions build on President Biden’s whole-of-government effort to promote competition in …

AgWired Animal, Animal Agriculture, Audio, Beef, USDA

ZimmCast 692 – Alltech Planet of Plenty Awards

Chuck Zimmerman

Hello and welcome to the ZimmCast. This week I was in Lexington, KY for the Alltech ONE Conference. It has been 3 years since Alltech created one of the very first virtual conferences in 2020. So you can imagine the excitement and joy of being with customers and friends from all over the world. That includes agricultural media who had …

Agribusiness, Alltech, Audio, Sustainability

IFAJ Officers at the #AlltechONE

Cindy Zimmerman

Members of the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists (IFAJ) were happy to be able to meet up in person again at the Alltech ONE Conference this week in Lexington, Kentucky. Like most other organizations, IFAJ has also been unable to meet in person since 2019, so it was great for officers from three different continents to be together again. Vice …

AgWired Animal, Alltech, Animal Agriculture, Audio, IFAJ

Alltech CEO Thrilled With Open of ONE

Cindy Zimmerman

Alltech President and CEO Mark Lyons was thrilled to be back on the stage in the Central Bank Center in Lexington, Kentucky today to welcome over a thousand of his closest friends from around the world back to the Alltech ONE Conference in person. “It was a three year hiatus so it was a bit different than what we’ve done …

Alltech, Audio

Alltech Welcomes World Back to Kentucky

Cindy Zimmerman

Alltech welcomed the world back to Lexington, Kentucky this week for the 2022 Alltech ONE Conference, the first time the legendary international symposium has been held in-person since 2019. “This is my 32nd symposium/ONE, if I include the two virtual ones,” said Alltech Vice President European Operations Patrick Charlton during the welcome reception Sunday night. “Although the virtual program has …

Alltech, Audio

SISC and CropTrak Release Stewardship Calculator 2.0

Cindy Zimmerman

Stewardship Index for Specialty Crops (SISC) and CropTrak® are announcing the public release of Stewardship Calculator 2.0 to help growers measure a wide-range of on-farm data for better crop management and help brands more easily aggregate that data for sustainability and ESG reporting. “Following a robust pilot program with leading brands and growers, we are now offering this online calculator …

AgWired Precision, Audio, Food, Precision Agriculture, specialty crops, Sustainability

Biden Announces Actions for Farmers to Address Food Costs

Cindy Zimmerman

President Joe Biden and Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack visited the family farm of Jeff and Gina O’Connor in Kankakee, Illinois Wednesday to discuss new efforts to give farmers the tools and resources they need to boost domestic food production. Specifically, the actions include: Increase the number of counties eligible for double cropping insurance Cut costs for farmers by increasing …

Audio, Food, USDA