2025 marked the 20th anniversary of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) and showed just how far U.S. ethanol has come – and how much more it could accomplish for the world with just a little more freedom. Nationwide, year-round E15 spends another year in limbo, but California catches up with the rest of the country by unanimous passage of legislation …
DWFI Podcast 48 – A Decade of Daugherty Water for Food Leadership
In this special episode, host Frances Hayes sits down with Peter McCornick, Executive Director of the Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute, as he concludes nearly a decade of leadership. This deep-dive conversation covers Peter’s distinguished career, from his early life on a farm in Scotland and pivotal international work in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, to what drew …
DWFI Podcast 46 – Nebraska Know Your Well Youth Program
This episode of the Water for Food Podcast explores a unique initiative that puts water quality testing directly into the hands of high school students across Nebraska. Sara Brock-Contreras, a PhD student advised by Dr. Dan Snow, joins us to discuss her work on the Know Your Well program — an innovative educational and participatory science effort that equips students …
DWFI Podcast 45 – From Chance Encounters to Global Impact
This episode of the Water for Food Podcast explores the valuable collaborations that can arise from in-person interactions, even in a digital age. Host Frances Hayes, DWFI director of communications and public relations, shares a story that perfectly illustrates the lasting impact of those face-to-face moments, which can lead to unexpected and valuable partnerships. Adam Keough, program manager with Catholic …
Ethanol Report on the RFS at Twenty
The Energy Policy Act of 2005 was signed by President George W. Bush on August 8 of that year at Sandia National Laboratory in Albuquerque, New Mexico – symbolizing a new approach to energy economics and security, diversifying our transportation fuel supply by incentivizing ethanol and biodiesel by initiating the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). This month marks the 20th anniversary …
ZimmCast 749 – Tech Hub LIVE 2025
In five short years, Tech Hub LIVE has already become the go-to meeting of the year for agricultural retailers and ag tech companies. In this edition of the ZimmCast, we hear from a couple of the CropLife Ag Tech Awards of Excellence winners this year – Aman Anand with Nutrien Ag Solutions and Iowa farmer April Hemmes, and we learn …
DWFI Podcast 44 – The Vadose Zone
The vadose zone is the area between crop roots and the water table, and is a critically important region for storage, transport and transformation of chemicals that can impact groundwater quality. In this episode of the Water for Food Podcast, host Frances Hayes talks with Arindam Malakar, a researcher with the Nebraska Water Center (NWC, a part of DWFI) who …
DWFI Podcast 43 – Irrigation and Global Health
In the 43rd episode of the Water for Food Podcast, host Frances Hayes speaks with Claudia Ringler of the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) about the crucial link between irrigation and global health, expanding on Ringler’s recent Heuermann Lecture as part of the 2025 Water for Food Global Conference and previous episodes in this podcast. Together they explore how …
Interview with AI Moderator of The Ag Rundown
I’m going to start by confessing that I have not used AI. Well, actually that is on purpose since a lot of things are now inside applications that we’ve been using for a long time. Maybe it is time to learn more and here’s one way. Have you heard of The Ag Rundown podcast? Using an AI moderator, it is …
DWFI Podcast 42 – 15th Anniversary of DWFI
This special episode of the Water for Food Podcast commemorates the 15th anniversary of the Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute by sharing the story of its origin. You can read the full historical account here. The 15th anniversary year will be highlighted by a celebration reception at the upcoming 2025 Water for Food Global Conference, held in Lincoln, Nebraska, …