Here’s more proof that our production of ethanol, especially using corn, is becoming a more and more efficient process. I find it amazing how much work is being done by so many companies that you never hear about in the mainstream media. Companies like Dupont/Pioneer and Foss North America are making some real strides in a very short time period.
DuPont and FOSS North America today announced an agreement that will help farmers and ethanol producers better understand ethanol yield potential of grain corn being delivered to ethanol plants. The agreement, announced during the Fuel Ethanol Workshop, provides FOSS rights to technology developed by DuPont. Under terms of the agreement, DuPont business Pioneer Hi-Bred is providing to FOSS proprietary Ethanol Yield Potential calibration technology for use in FOSS grain analyzers. The technology provides estimated ethanol yield in terms of gallons per bushel.
“This technology is a big step in helping increase ethanol output per acre,” said Dean Oestreich, vice president and general manager – DuPont and
president – Pioneer. “When used in FOSS instruments, it gives farmers and ethanol producers nearly instant ethanol yield results on each load of grain
brought to an ethanol plant.” The technology allows ethanol producers to use real-time data to manage the grain feeding their ethanol production process. Farmers will be able to take this information and combine it with their on-farm agronomic performance data to tailor the corn hybrids they plant to maximize their ethanol yield on every acre.
Cindy is attending the Fuel Ethanol Workshop in St. Louis and may have more to add on this later. You can find her posts from there using this link. Post Update: Here’s the audio from the Pioneer/FOSS press conference announcement here: pioneer-foss-media.mp3
After spending another week on the road at the world’s largest tailgate party of corn growers, the Iowa Corn Indy 250 you get a ZimmCast about ethanol.
Beef, poultry, pork… pick your pleasure. The American Meat Institute is launching a new Web Site to demonstrate how the meat industry responds to consumers and constumers.
It’s a fun way to get a wad of cash… well, a Savings Bond for $1,000 to be exact. Chick-fil-A wants to get consumers involved in it’s “Eat Mor Chikin” campaign, so the food chain is hosting an online photo contest. When you spot that clever little cow urging you to opt for the chicken, start clicking those shutters.
From June 25 through Sept. 30, children age 10 and younger are encouraged to work together with an adult to take and submit photos featuring the “Eat Mor Chikin” Cows in a creative way — whether it’s in front of the Statue of Liberty or at a family picnic. The cows can be costumed, stuffed or even a paper cut-out, as long as they’re included in the photo. The Web site will provide details about uploading photos for the contest.
If you’d like to pull for agricultural education then you might want to do it at this event coming up in Illinois.
It’s an authentic midwestern delicacy… well, a recipe borrowed from England actually. Tony Barnicle of Mary’s Home, MO has been selling his “Pickled Black Walnuts” for about five years now. It’s his claim to fame when it comes to value-added agriculture. The mid-MO farmer plucks black walnuts from his trees while they’re still green, pickles them, packages them and puts them on the grocers’ shelves. He likens his “Pickled Black Walnuts” to an habanero pepper. You don’t pop the entire pickled nut into your mouth, but use it more like a garnish. 
He suggests using chopped pickled walnuts to marinate steaks with or crushed pickled walnuts in a classic dip. You can also slice them to garnish crackers and cheese or grind them up on your salads.
This year’s 
Charles Johnson is the newest addition to join the TOP PRODUCER editorial team as the magazine’s national editor. The magazine has promoted another staff member, Linda Smith, to executive editor.