Illinois State Representative Donald Moffitt knows agriculture. He grew up on a family farm, on which his son still farms (and Don occasionally helps). This has been a huge asset for him in his role as state representative because agriculture is the number one industry in both his 74th District as well as the state of Illinois. Rep Moffitt was …
National Corn Yield Contest Winners for 2013
Advanced production techniques, informed growing practices and improved seed varieties helped corn growers achieve high yields in the National Corn Growers Association 2013 National Corn Yield Contest. Entrants continued to far surpass the national average corn yield, setting a contest record with a new all-time high yield of 454 bushels per acre. Additionally, a record five national entries surpassed the …
Ag Industry Dealt a Blow from EPA
The agriculture industry has been dealt a blow according to Adam Nielsen, director of legislation and policy development for the Illinois Farm Bureau. Nielsen, who spends a significant amount of time promoting the agricultural industry in Washington, D.C., said the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposed 2014 reduction of the amount of corn ethanol blended as part of the Renewable Fuel …
ASTA CSS Offers Grain Markets Outlook
Once again this year at the ASTA CSS 2013, for the third year in a row now, AgResource Company president Dan Basse looked at the year in review for grain markets and gave his outlook for the future. While there are bright spots, Dan’s overall outlook for the year ahead is pretty sobering, saying the good times may have come …
RFS Hearing Goes 12 Hours, Draws Hundreds
Over 140 stakeholders testified at a hearing Thursday on the Environmental Protection Agency proposal to lower the biofuels targets under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) in 2014, and those opposed to the plan outnumbered those in favor by a ratio of more than two to one. “More than 100 of the 144 speakers support #ethanol, #biodiesel & advanced biofuels,” tweeted …
EPA Hearing on Biofuels to Draw Big Crowd
A huge turnout is expected Thursday at a public hearing on the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed Renewable Fuel Standard volume obligations for 2014. Literally busloads of stakeholders, both opposed to and in favor of cutting the requirements, are attending the hearing at the Hyatt in Crystal City, Virginia. Iowa Governor Terry Branstad will be attending with several Iowa livestock producers, …
Rabo AgriFinance Report From NAFB
Rabo AgriFinance was present for the recent Trade Talk during the 2013 NAFB Convention. The company is the leading U.S. ag lender and specializes in protein to produce and inputs to oilseeds. Their expert team monitors and evaluates the global market that influences agriculture around the world. I spoke with two of the team’s analysts at the event and they …
Farm Bill Top Topic at NAFB Trade Talk
For the third year in a row now, the main topic of discussion at the NAFB Trade Talk was farm bill, or lack thereof. Despite reports that high hopes are fading for a farm bill yet this year, the ag group representatives we talked to were still cautiously optimistic. “I think progress is being made and I’m still confident that …
Classic + Ag Connect = Really Big Show
With corn, soybeans, wheat and sorghum growers all part of the Commodity Classic, who thought it could get any bigger? But it will definitely be bigger in 2016 when Classic joins forces with AG CONNECT expo to become what may well be the biggest farm show on Earth. In this edition of the ZimmCast, we hear from Sara Mooney, AG …