Ethanol Report on Election Issues
No matter what happens in November, there will be a new president in January and a new administration that could be radically different than the current one, and that could mean a big difference in the outcome of policy issues for the ethanol industry.
In this edition of the Ethanol Report, Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Geoff Cooper discusses with reporters some of the key issues that could carry over into a new administration, including 45Z and other tax credit programs under the Inflation Reduction Act, EPA’s tailpipe standards, year-round E15, the Renewable Fuel Standard, and trade.
Ethanol Report 9-18-24 21:36The Ethanol Report is a podcast about the latest news and information in the ethanol industry that has been sponsored by the Renewable Fuels Association since 2008.
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Industry Ag News 9/20
USDA Awards More Processing Plant Grants
USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack announced Thursday more than $35 million in grants to 15 independent meat processors in 12 states to increase processing capacity, the final installment in the Meat and Poultry Processing Expansion Program (MPPEP) launched in 2022. Over $325 million total investment in 74 independent meat and poultry processing projects have been awarded.
Joining Sec. Vilsack in making the announcement were Carl Cushing, Vermont Livestock Slaughter & Processing; Zach Fine, Holly Poultry; and Walter Schweitzer, Montana Premium Processing Cooperative and President of Montana Farmers Union.
USDA announcement 9-19-24 13:03Reporters’ questions to Secretary Vilsack included asking for his thoughts on getting a farm bill done yet this year as farmers are struggling with lower income. “What producers want and need, I think is certainty and what they need and want is for the House and the Senate to conclude the work on getting a farm bill done.. I think it is obviously a positive sign that folks are talking about getting a farm bill done before the end of the year,” said Vilsack.
USDA press call questions 9-19-24 18:31Precision Ag News 9/19
Trump Pledges to Help Farmers in Michigan
During a campaign rally town hall in Flint, Michigan on Tuesday, former President Donald Trump was cheered when he talked about helping American farmers after being asked about high grocery prices.
“We gotta work with our farmers. Our farmers are being decimated right now,” said Trump. “One of the reasons is we allow a lot of farm product into our country. We’re gonna have to be a little bit like other countries. We’re not gonna allow so much come. We’re gonna let our farmers go to work … I love the farmers.”
Farm income is estimated to be nearly $40 billion lower this year compared to 2023, down more than 25% due to lower prices paid to farmers for crops and livestock, and increased costs for supplies.
Trump, who had frequent meetings with farmers while president, talked about one farmer who told him they didn’t want any subsidies from the government. “It was amazing, he said, almost tears in his eyes. We don’t want a subsidy. We just want a fair level playing field….All he wanted was to be able to compete fairly.”
The former president recently participated in a written questionnaire from American Farm Bureau that covered topics such as crop insurance, taxes, labor, regulatory reform, international trade, sustainability, energy, and biotechnology.
Trump in Michigan 1:27USDA Working on Tracking Carbon Intensity
USDA Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation Robert Bonnie is confident that sustainable aviation fuels hold great promise for American agriculture if we can get the rules right.
“This is a real opportunity for American agriculture to create a marketplace that will reward them from the for the stewardship they have been doing and the stewardship they are and will be doing,” said Bonnie on Monday at the 10th annual Ag Outlook Forum in Kansas City.
Bonnie says traceability of commodities through the supply chain is important in establishing carbon intensity scores. “In June, you saw a request for information around biofuels from USDA that sought to get responses from the public about creating a system to actually track carbon intensity completely through the supply chain. We think that could be really important for sustainable aviation fuels and biofuels more broadly,” Bonnie said. “We’re convinced that if we get good rules in the US and then if those rules are are similar across the globe, that US agriculture is going to be really, really good at producing sustainable aviation fuels through through low carbon commodities.”
Farmers and ethanol producers are anxiously awaiting guidance for the 45Z clean fuel production tax credit authorized in the Inflation Reduction Act. “As we look to 45 Z, we’ve got to apply provide more flexibility, more crops and more ability to essentially use a menu approach to choosing which climate,” Bonnie said.
USDA is working to implement the Growing Climate Solutions Act which authorizes the establishment of a voluntary Greenhouse Gas Technical Assistance Provider and Third-Party Verifier Certification Program to help reduce entry barriers into voluntary environmental credit markets for farmers, ranchers, and private forest landowners.
Listen to Bonnie’s remarks here:
Ag Outlook Forum - USDA Under Secretary Robert Bonnie 25:28
LandScan Secures First Precision Ag Digital Twin Patent
Precision ag technology company LandScan announces the industry’s first digital twin patent, involving the use of digital twin technology to revolutionize site characterization and precision farming practices.
The advent of digital twin technology in agriculture represents a significant leap forward in how farmers, agronomists, and researchers understand and manage cropping systems. Digital twins are virtual models that accurately replicate physical objects and/or environments, allowing for in-depth analysis, simulation, and modeling without interfering with real-world operations. By applying this technology to agriculture, LandScan is empowering decision support to optimize precision farm management, improve crop yields, and objectively and quantitatively measure the outcomes of regenerative agricultural practices.
“We are thrilled to have secured this patent, which solidifies our position as the pioneer in agricultural digital twin technology,” said Dan Rooney, CEO of LandScan. “Our technology for precision site characterization and analysis will provide unprecedented insights into agricultural environments, helping farmers make more informed decisions, reduce resource use, increase productivity, and provide objective metrics for soil health and sustainability baselining and monitoring”.
Rooney says the newly patented technology leverages a combination of advanced and unique soil and remote sensing technologies, machine learning and AI, and simulation techniques to create a virtual and objective representation of an agricultural site and farming system.
“We see this patent as just the beginning,” he adds. “Our goal is to further develop and integrate digital twin technology across all aspects of farming, creating a fully connected and intelligent agricultural ecosystem.”
Click here to read more about this new technology.
For more information about LandScan visit www.landscan.ai or connect with us on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/landscan/.
Grants Available for Climate Smart Sheep Producers
The American Lamb Board (ALB) is offering grants for 150 sheep producers to participate in its Climate Smart Sheep program.
Producers enrolled in the program will be paid up to $7,000 to develop and implement Climate Smart Sheep management practices and measure and report emissions and life cycle analysis. Examples of Climate Smart practices to be implemented include prescribed grazing, cover crop planting, range planting, tree or shrub enhancement, silvopasture, cross-fencing and brush and pest (weed) management.
Producers will work with a technical assistance provider to establish operational plans, implement recommended changes and organize farm data necessary to estimate emissions using the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Calculator developed by Michigan State University and ALB. Along with the on-farm portion of the program, Climate Smart Sheep utilizes a USDA Climate-Smart Commodities Grant to quantify the impacts of targeted sheep grazing at four universities on four sites in California, Texas, Montana and North Carolina. The university studies will monitor the impact of prescribed sheep grazing related to carbon sequestration, soil health, and other ecosystem factors. At least one site will be a solar grazing site.
ALB Sustainability Director Camren Maierle, PhD, leads the organization’s research and producer education initiatives, including developing and maintaining a nationally recognized solar grazing education program, cultivating other contract grazing opportunities, and working with industry partners to improve American Lamb sustainability. Maierle will also manage many aspects of the Climate Smart grant.
The producer program application can be found online at LambBoard.com. The application period ends on December 1. Accepted producers will be notified by December 15, and the program will begin on January 1, 2025.