The Improving GHG Benefits of Corn Ethanol

Carrie Muehling

The lead researcher of a USDA study on the improving greenhouse gas benefits of ethanol compared to gasoline has shared more details about the agency’s findings.

Dr. Jan Lewandrowski of USDA’s Office of the Chief Economist said the study grew out of September 2017 report released by the USDA regarding 11 different emissions categories related to corn ethanol production and combustion originally studied by the EPA in 2010. Earlier numbers showed a 21% reduction in emissions relative to gasoline. New numbers from the USDA show a 39 percent improvement over gasoline on average. Other factors can raise that number to anywhere from 42 to 46 percent or more. One area addressed in the study is international land use change.

“As U.S. corn ethanol production increases, we divert more corn to ethanol. It raises pressure on prices and commodity markets, and in some international markets, world farmers respond by bringing new land into production. That’s the logic behind the numbers in the EPA. And that happens a little bit,” said Lewandrowski. “But what we have found is over time, the main reaction of global agriculture was not bringing new land into production, but using existing cropland more intensely – double cropping, triple cropping, bringing fallow and other idle land back into production. And when you use existing land more intensely, your land use change emissions are going to be a lot less than if you’re converting new land like forest or wetlands into agriculture production.”

In addition, the USDA study found that ethanol plants continue to become more efficient. Most have switched from using coal to natural gas as their process fuel. Many are investing in more efficient energy use technologies. Plants are getting more ethanol out of each bushel of corn, and corn yields per acre continue to rise.

Hear more from Dr. Lewandrowski here: Dr. Jan Lewandrowski, USDA (Audio courtesy of Gary Crawford, USDA Radio)

Audio, Ethanol, USDA

2019 World Pork Expo Cancelled

Cindy Zimmerman

The threat of African swine fever is forcing the cancellation of the world’s largest pork industry-specific trade show this year.

The National Pork Producers Council‘s board of directors today announced its decision to cancel World Pork Expo 2019 out of an abundance of caution as African swine fever (ASF) continues to spread in China and other parts of Asia. World Pork Expo, held each June at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines, hosts approximately 20,000 visitors over three days, including individuals and exhibitors from ASF-positive regions. African swine fever affects only pigs and presents no human health or food safety risks. There is currently no vaccine to treat the swine disease.

“While an evaluation by veterinarians and other third-party experts concluded negligible risk associated with holding the event, we have decided to exercise extreme caution,” said David Herring, NPPC president and a producer from Lillington, North Carolina. “The health of the U.S. swine herd is paramount; the livelihoods of our producers depend on it. Prevention is our only defense against ASF and NPPC will continue to do all it can to prevent its spread to the United States.”

The decision to cancel this year’s World Pork Expo comes as more than 100 U.S pork producers gather in Washington this week to meet with their members of Congress during NPPC’s Legislative Action Conference. To augment the USDA’s efforts to protect the United States from ASF and other animal diseases, U.S. pork producers are asking Congress to appropriate funding for 600 new U.S. Customs and Border Protection agriculture inspectors to further strengthen our defenses against African swine fever.

Pork Expo has only been cancelled once before in its 30 year history – in 2001 due to the outbreak of Foot-and-Mouth disease in Europe.

AgWired Animal, NPPC, Swine, World Pork Expo

Precision Ag Bytes 4/10

Carrie Muehling

  • April 5 marked the 100th anniversary of the European Biological Control Laboratory, operated in Montpellier, France, by the Agricultural Research Service to find, describe and evaluate natural enemies of invasive pests and weeds that arrived in the United States from abroad.
  • The American Seed Trade Association welcomes the decision by the Commission of Phytosanitary Measures to develop a Systems Approach for seed as an Annex to ISPM 38 on the International Movement of Seed.
  • The Donald Danforth Plant Science Center announces the formation of a line-up of agricultural experts to advise the Wells Fargo Innovation Incubator (IN2) as it deploys up to $2.25 million in technical assistance for agtech startup companies.
  • Having succeeded in protecting funding for the Conservation Title in the 2018 Farm Bill, more than 140 leading farm, conservation, and wildlife groups are once again joining together to protect those hard-fought conservation funds and programs in the fiscal year (FY) 2020 appropriations process. In a letter, the groups called upon appropriators to respect the funding decisions made in the 2018 Farm Bill and reject any cuts to farm bill conservation funding through the appropriations process.
  • The National Corn Growers Association – in partnership with the Honey Bee Health Coalition – is releasing new best management practices to protect bees and other pollinators in and around cornfields.
  • The Climate Corporation, a subsidiary of Bayer, and Lindsay Corporation, a leading global manufacturer and distributor of irrigation technology, announced a platform agreement that will establish two-way data connectivity between The Climate Corporation’s Climate FieldView™ digital agriculture platform and Lindsay’s FieldNET platform. Through the collaboration, mutual farmer customers will be able to make faster, more-informed field and irrigation management decisions.
  • The editors of Farm Equipment magazine announce the release of the first-ever Ag Equipment Intelligence Audio Edition — an audio version of their monthly newsletter that is delivered to Ag Equipment Intelligence VIP subscribers. To listen to the complimentary March 2019 Ag Equipment Intelligence Audio Edition, visit AgEquipmentIntelligence.com/March2019.
  • For her outstanding contributions to food science and processing, Agricultural Research Service scientist Tara H. McHugh is the agency’s Distinguished Senior Research Scientist of the Year for 2019.
  • The Soil Health Institute invites applications to give a poster presentation at its Fourth Annual Meeting “Soil Health: A Global Imperative” to be held July 16-18, 2019 in Sacramento, CA. Online applications are due by 5:30 p.m., Saturday, June 1, 2019, and must designate the primary presenter, author(s), primary contact information, and affiliation(s).
  • The Yield Lab is pleased to welcome Allan Harari and Juan Ferreira to the team. Allan is joining the team as a Managing Director and Juan as a Venture Partner.
  • The next deadline for Conservation Stewardship Program applications to be considered for funding this year is May 10.
  • TerrAvion is excited to be integrated with the Agrian platform, the largest most widely adopted agricultural software in the United States.
  • The National Association of Conservation Districts announced it was selected as the recipient of the David Rockefeller Fund Pollinator Education Initiative Grant through an agreement with the Pollinator Partnership.
AgWired Precision, Precision Ag Bytes

Trials Show At-Plant Nematicide Increases Cotton Yield Potential

Cindy Zimmerman

Recent university trials show that an at-plant nematicide application can help Southern cotton growers who are battling nematodes increase their yield, which gives cotton fields treated with Velum® Total an advantage, according to Bayer.

Keith Rucker, Bayer senior technical service representative, says at-plant application reduces the nematode population density, protects the root system and increases the opportunity to develop a larger root mass, spurring strong early-season growth. “When nematodes attack the plant from day one, they can stunt the root system and the plant is never able to really overcome it. With Velum Total, it’s all about getting the plant off to a good start.”

Trials across the South show consistent yield advantage when Velum Total is applied at-plant. In trials at Auburn University in 2016, Velum Total, on average, increased yield by 1,355 lb/A of seed cotton in reniform nematode-infested fields. In fields with root-knot nematode, Velum Total provided an average yield bump of 127 lb/A of seed cotton. Trials at the University of Georgia showed similar results with fields treated with Velum Total yielding higher than fields only planted with a base seed treatment.

“If Velum Total is used in a field with a nematode problem, we can expect less damage to the plant,” said University of Georgia Extension Plant Pathologist Bob Kemerait. “We can also expect better growth and better yields.”

In addition to nematodes, Velum Total controls other early-season pests, such as thrips, and helps suppress diseases, such as Fusarium wilt, which can reduce the need for foliar sprays, saving growers time and money.

Listen to an interview here from the 2018 American Seed Trade Association CSS and Seed Expo with Chip Graham, Bayer Seed Treatment Technician, who explains more about how Velum Total is helping cotton growers, particularly in Texas and Georgia where nematode pressure is also high. Interview with Chip Graham, Bayer Seed Treatment technician

Bayer, Cotton, Crop Protection

Corn Growers Support #ACE19DC

Carrie Muehling

L to R: ACE CEO Brian Jennings; Piyush Srivastav, NAQS; and Mark Palmer, NCGA

Supporters of the ethanol industry gathered in Washington, D.C. for the American Coalition for Ethanol‘s (ACE) Annual Fly-In April 2-3. National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) Director of Renewable Fuels Mark Palmer appreciated his first experience at the event.

“This is one of the most important things that our industry does in putting together these Hill visits from different trade associations that are part of ACE, different aspects of the ethanol industry, corn growers and other industry officials from companies,” said Palmer.

He said a number of the NCGA’s state organizations participated, as well, to discuss things like the Renewable Fuels Standard and the RVP [Reid Vapor Pressure] rule EPA is putting forward with policymakers.

Listen to Cindy’s interview with Mark here: ACE19DC Interview with Mark Palmer, NCGA Director, Renewable Fuels

2019 American Coalition for Ethanol Fly-In Photo Album

ACE, Audio, Ethanol, NCGA

BASF Honors Top FiberMax Cotton Growers

Cindy Zimmerman

At a gathering in Lubbock, Texas last week, BASF celebrated cotton growers who achieved four-bale or greater yields by welcoming them to the exclusive FiberMax® One Ton Club™ for their 2018 harvest results. Ninety-one new members joined the club this year, bringing total membership to 1,181 cotton growers.

Several members received special recognition, including –
Most acres and most varieties:
H Bar H Farms in Dalhart, Texas, harvested an average yield of 2,208 pounds per acre on 3,996 acres with FM 1900GLT, FM 1911GLT, FM 1320GL and FM 1888GL.
Highest yield:
Shane and Sammi Jo McLain of Hart, Texas, harvested an average yield of 2,798 pounds per acre with FM 1911GLT.
Highest gross value:
Doug and Cari Ruble of Visalia, California, earned $1,530.77 per acre on their qualifying acres with FM 2498GLT.
Highest loan value:
Steve and Gina Milanesio of Strathmore, California, garnered $0.5764 on their qualifying acres with FM 1830GLT.

In addition, the FiberMax Maximizer Club™, now in its third year, recognizes growers with dryland cotton fields yielding at least 1,000 pounds per acre with FiberMax varieties.

Special awards for the Maximizer Club include –
Most acres and most varieties:
Darren and Lorre Haseloff of Farwell, Texas, averaged 1,351 pounds per acre on 749 acres with FM 1830GLT and FM 1911GLT.
Highest yield and highest gross value:
Louis and Pamela Davis of Hawley, Texas, harvested an average yield of 1,736 pounds per acre and earned $902.03 per acre with FM 2498GLT.
Highest loan value:
Ben Gwynn of Robstown, Texas, gained $0.5627 on his qualifying cotton acres planted to FM 1830GLT.

Listen to interviews with two of the big winners below and find more content on AgNewsWire.
Interview with FiberMax One Ton Club member Mark Howard, H Bar H Farms, Texas

Louis Davis, Cotton Grower, Texas: Interview with FiberMax Maximizer Club member Louis Davis, Hawley, Texas

2019 BASF Maximizer & One Ton Club Award Banquet Photo Album

2019 TCGA Trade Show Photo Album

AgWired Precision, Audio, BASF, Cotton

Animal Ag Bites 4/8

Carrie Muehling

  • Ralco announced the promotion of Dr. Russell Fent to Director of Swine Technical Group.
  • Merck has announced the completion of its acquisition of Antelliq Corporation, positioning the company as a global leader in animal health digital tracking, traceability and monitoring technology and complements the existing portfolio of vaccines and pharmaceuticals. Antelliq will be an operating unit within Merck Animal Health.
  • USPOULTRY and the USPOULTRY Foundation are accepting nominations for the Charles Beard Research Excellence Award through July 1. The goal of the award is to recognize outstanding completed research projects, funded by USPOULTRY or the USPOULTRY Foundation, which have made a significant positive impact on the poultry industry.
  • Kansas State University will be the first U.S. host of the Global Agenda for Sustainable Livestock Multi-Stakeholder Partnership Meeting Sept. 9-13. The U.N. organization’s annual meeting gathers leaders from government, NGOs, academia and industry to discuss innovative approaches to sustainable livestock production.
  • The global regional finalists have been selected for the 2019 Alltech Young Scientist competition, the world’s largest agriscience competition for university students. Graduate students from colleges and universities around the world whose studies focus on agriculture and science will compete at the highest level for a chance to win $10,000 and gain access to innovative scientists from around the world. Now in its 14th year, the competition has received entrants from a total of 120 universities and 40 countries.
  • After 20-plus years as a premier cattle scientist and administrator, John Arthington has been appointed chair of animal sciences at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.
  • Brightmark Energy, a San Francisco-based waste and energy development company, recently launched a biogas project in Yakima County, Washington, that will convert 150,000 gallons per day of dairy waste from up to 7,000 cows into 160,000 MMBtu of renewable natural gas – the equivalent of 1.4 million gallons of gasoline – and other products each year.
AgWired Animal, Animal Bites

Zimfo Bytes 4/5

Carrie Muehling

  • Ag Resource Management announces the hire of Leroy Startz as Director of Market Channel Development.
  • The Georgia Peanut Commission board of directors has approved $653,901 in research project funding for the 2019-20 research budget year.
  • The farm and ranch families of Farm Bureau donated 32.4 million pounds of food and raised more than $362,000 to assist hungry Americans in 2018 as part of the organization’s “Harvest for All” program. Combined, the monetary and food donations totaled the equivalent of 28.2 million meals.
  • The American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture has launched a mobile app for four of its My American Farm games. Available mobile games and corresponding STEM components that meet national standards are: Keys to Stewardship (science); The Great Seed Search (technology); Thrive (engineering); and Operation Peanut Butter (math). Download the free My American Farm STEM app from the App Store or Google Play. To take advantage of the free My American Farm resources, games and activities, visit http://myamericanfarm.org. Links to all of My American Farm’s classroom resources are available at www.myamericanfarm.org/classroom.
  • The Director-General of the World Trade Organization will open the April 30 Farm Foundation trade conference, Agricultural Trade in a Time of Uncertainty. Director-General Roberto Azevêdo will address conference attendees via video at 8:30 a.m. at the DoubleTree Hotel Crystal City, Arlington, VA.
  • The 2019 Illinois Cooperative Council Youth Conference will be held June 6-7 on the campus of Western Illinois University in Macomb. High school sophomores, juniors, and seniors are provided a unique opportunity to learn about the cooperative business model. A registration form is available at http://illinois.coop/youth-conference/2019-registration/ and students should register by April 30.
  • National 4-H Council announced the election of two new Trustees to its Board, Lisa Safarian, Bayer and Kaye Reitzenstein, Nutrien Ag Solutions. .
Zimfo Bytes

2019 TCGA Trade Show Underway

Chuck Zimmerman

The 2019 Texas Cotton Ginners’ Association & Annual Meeting & Cotton Trade Show is underway in Lubbock, TX. The ribbon was cut this morning and a large crowd is anticipated for the 112th annual event. That is, except for the Texas Tech cotton grower fans who are in or on the way to Minneapolis for the Final Four of men’s basketball.

Cutting the ribbon today was Larry Black, President, TCGA and Manager at Central Rolling Plains Co-op. Since this is my first time at the show, courtesy of BASF, I visited with him to learn more about the show and who participates. Larry also talks about last year’s crop and the challenges it presented to the industry. He says that even with the heavy rains at the end of the season there is a lot of optimism for this season since those rains provide good ground moisture to get things started.

You can learn more in my interview with Larry: Interview with Larry Black

Here are some photos for your viewing/sharing pleasure: 2019 TCGA Trade Show Photo Album

Audio, BASF, Cotton

Sen. Grassley Honored for Lifetime Achievement in Bioenergy

Cindy Zimmerman

Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) was honored at the Advanced Bioeconomy Leadership Conference (ABLC) in Washington DC this week with the Holmberg Award for Lifetime Achievement in Bioenergy. Accepting the award, Grassley said he was honored, but noted that his “work’s not done yet.”

The Iowa senator, who has been a champion of renewable energy for decades, gave a fiery address to the conference culminating in a challenge to the fossil fuel industry to support the “all of the above” energy strategy. “If there’s anybody here, particularly from the oil industry, that disagrees with me, I’d like to remind you that I have supported your industry – all of the above!” ABLC2019 address by Sen. Chuck Grassley

The ABLC program started Thursday morning with a bioeconomy policy forum featuring many of those “all of the above” choices for transportation fuel, including advanced biofuels, ethanol, biodiesel and renewable natural gas (RNG).

The ABLC is actually six conferences in one place, including the 10th Annual Advanced Biofuels Summit. The Digest editor Jim Lane moderated the panel discussion which featured Mike McAdams, Advanced Biofuels Association; Geoff Cooper, Renewable Fuels Association; Emily Skor, Growth Energy; Kurt Kovarik, National Biodiesel Board, Brooke Coleman, Advanced Biofuels Business Council; and Anne Steckel, Coalition for Renewable Natural Gas.
ABLC2019 Bioeconomy Policy Forum

Biodiesel, Biofuels, Energy, Ethanol