A very interesting presentation at our Farm Foundation Global Trade and Policy Issues conference had to do with the impact on poverty. Tom Hertel, Purdue University, was our presenter. He says they conducted an international study of 16 developing countries and the impact of biofuels production on the poverty level. As he puts it, it’s a very complex issue. Most …
Food Issues & Energy Policies
Former Texas Congressman Charles Stenholm was the moderator for our second session here at the Farm Foundation Global Trade & Policy Issues conference. I don’t think you’ll find anyone more knowledgeable about the policy side of this discussion. He says that it’s clear to everyone that the price of our basic commodities which was extremely beneficial to our producers has …
Global Biofuels Analysis
Providing us with a “Technical Global Biofuels Analysis” here at the Farm Foundation Global Trade & Policy Issues conference was Thomas Alfstad, Brookhaven National Laboratory. Thomas was on the program to speak about a technical global biofuels analysis. He says that last year they completed a study on biofuels. They looked at the U.S. importing fuels to meet the RFS. …
2009 Global Energy Outlook
Michael Schaal is with the Energy Information Administration which is part of the U. S. Dept. of Energy. He spoke early on the program at the Farm Foundation conference about the global outlook for energy. He says they were actually looking at trends through 2030. He says that developing countries will be significantly increasing their fuel consumption which will increase …
Global Trade & Policy Issues and Biofuels
Wally Tyner is an energy economist with the Dept. of Agricultural Economics at Purdue University. He’s one of the first speakers on the Farm Foundation, Transition To A Bio Economy Conference: Global Trade and Policy Issues. I was able to speak with him before the program kicks off this afternoon here in Washington, DC. Wally says Farm Foundation decided to …
What Farm Policy Is Looking Like
Since the new staff at USDA is finally filling out and we’ve now had a couple months of a new administration in Washington, DC I thought it might be a good time to learn about what’s going with farm policy these days. So I went to the expert, Keith Good, Farm Policy. Keith and I chatted via Skype today and …
Deere Landscapes
I’ll bet you didn’t know John Deere is into landscaping did you? I didn’t until I was out on a Drive Green Utility Tractor Show stop. It’s called John Deere Landscapes. John Deere Landscapes approaches the Industry from a whole new vantage point. Like you, we face the future with a healthy respect for the past. Our heritage is one …
NE Pork Talking About Ag Day
The latest edition of the Pork Industry Report from the Nebraska Pork Producers Association is all about National Agriculture Day. You can listen to Dee explain things in this week’s program here: ne-pork-03-20-09.mp3
Census Bureau Profile of Houston Stock Show
The U. S. Census Bureau puts out some interesting stats each day like these about the Houston Stock Show in an audio report called “Profile America” (mp3). The largest show of its kind will wind up this weekend. Before it’s over, the 77th annual Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is expected to have drawn nearly 2 million people to Reliant …
Secretary Vilsack Agriculture Week PSA
Our Secretary of Agriculture has recorded a public service message to highlight National Agriculture Week. You can listen to it here: vilsack-agweek-psa.mp3 The picture is Secretary Vilsack with Cookie Monster and Broccoli at the National WIC Association and Sesame Workshop Partnership conference. I like it.