#Biofuel Supporters Rally for Higher Blends at Hearing

Cindy Zimmerman June 9, 2016

Over 120 biofuels advocates spoke out today at an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) field hearing on proposed 2017 targets under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) and several high profile supporters spoke at a Fuels America press conference.

Among the supporters was Nebraska governor Pete Ricketts. “A strong RFS means more jobs here at home, greater energy security, and a cleaner environment,” said Ricketts. “The biofuels industry supports more than 852,000 American jobs and creates fuel we need to help our country become energy independent.”

Missouri agriculture director and farmer Richard Fordyce was pleased to welcome the hearing to his state. “Missouri is the proud home of six majority farmer-owned ethanol plants, providing a vital market for our crops and affordable fuel options to our consumers,” said Fordyce. “As a fourth-generation farmer, I know how important these jobs are to our community.”

Among the farmer leaders who testified was Chip Bowling, president of the National Corn Growers Association. “Farmers, along with the ethanol industry and U.S. Department of Agriculture, have invested millions in new ethanol pumps and fuel infrastructure so that drivers can access affordable, renewable fuel choices,” said Bowling. “Now it’s up to the EPA to deliver on its promises. We have the resources to meet all our needs, spur investment in rural communities, and create more high-tech jobs.”

The hearing even featured Iowa celebrity farmer Chris Soules, star of The Bachelor. “The ethanol market provides financial stability to our family farm and guarantees that we can pass on our traditions to future generations,” Souls said during the press conference. “American consumers are winners from this policy, too. Protecting choice at the pump means offering consumers a clean, homegrown, and less expensive product.”

Others who spoke at the RFS press conference included Renewable Fuels Association president and CEO Bob Dinneen, Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor, Iowa farmer and former state representative Annette Sweeney, and Brian Sowers, Missouri sportsman and Co-Host of Crappie Masters TV.

Listen to the full press conference here: Fuels America RFS Hearing Press Conference

Check out the EPA Hearing Photo Album.

Audio, Biodiesel, Biofuels, Corn, EPA, Ethanol, NCGA, RFA

RFA Urges EPA to Get #RFS Back on Track

Cindy Zimmerman June 9, 2016

Over 100 biofuels supporters were in Kansas City today for a public hearing on the EPA’s proposed volume obligations under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). Chuck has been on the ground there all day along with farmers and representatives from agricultural and biofuels organizations.

Up on the first panel was Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) president and CEO Bob Dinneen who had strong words for the EPA.

“We encourage EPA to truly put the RFS ‘back on track’ and finalize the 2017 conventional renewable fuel renewable volume obligation (RVO) at the 15-billion-gallon statutory level. EPA’s proposed rule for the 2017 RVOs marks an improvement over the final rule for 2014-2016 RVOs, but it ultimately falls victim to the same legal malady that plagued your last rulemaking,” Dinneen testified. “Simply put, EPA continues to allege that ‘supply’ somehow equates to the capacity to distribute or consume renewable fuels. However, the statute does not allow EPA to consider imagined constraints on distribution when deciding whether to utilize a general waiver of the volumes. The intent of Congress was abundantly clear: if the physical supply of renewable fuel exists to satisfy statutory volumes, then EPA must enforce the consumption of those volumes. And it is beyond dispute that the industry is providing an adequate supply to meet the statutory mandate for conventional biofuels.”

Listen to Dinneen’s full testimony statement here: RFA CEO Bob Dinneen EPA hearing testimony

Check out the EPA Hearing Photo Album.

Coverage of EPA RFS Hearing made possible by

Audio, EPA, Ethanol, RFA

#CUTC16 Addresses the Value in Big Data

Kelly Marshall June 9, 2016

Jeremy Wilson works for Crop IMS and knows a thing or two about big data. In his presentation, Data Share and Share Alike at the Corn Utilization and Technology Conference, Wilson addresses the information recorded on a farm and who should be given access to it.

On his own farm Wilson says they share all their information with someone, because there is a third party who can offer value for every bit of data collected. But that doesn’t mean he’ll hand over valuable numbers to just anyone. The key is finding the company or service that will interpret that data in a way that enhances the overall operation. Data should equal value, in other words.

And because data is valuable its important that data collection is of good quality. Every person who operates a monitor should understand how it works. Most systems will allow a driver to punch a couple of buttons, engage the GPS and take off, but that doesn’t mean the information collected is sound. This diminishes the the quality of information a third party can give back to a grower.

“Yield data, applications data, planting data; you only get one chance each growing season to get good, quality data. And if we loose it, its gone. We never get to get it back,” Wilson emphasizes.

Hopefully in the future user interfaces will become more friendly. Organizations on the machine and data side of the issue are working to create data standards, making it easier for an operator to know if all is well on a monitor. Great strides have been taken in the last 3-5 years– the next few years should make data collection a simpler task, Wilson encourages.

You can hear Chuck’s full interview here: Interview with Jeremy Wilson

Check out pictures from the conference: 2016 CUTC Photo Album.

Agribusiness, CUTC, data

New Pork Board CEO Bill Even at #WPX16

Cindy Zimmerman June 9, 2016

Earlier this month the National Pork Board named Bill Even as their new CEO. No stranger to the agricultural community or swine industry, Bill sat down with me at the 2016 World Pork Expo to discuss their key components focusing on people, pigs and the planet.

The people component is centered around connecting with consumers while building trust. The pig highlights how producers care for their animals and the importance of relaying that to the consumer. And finally, the planet ensures we have the best sustainable practices in place and always striving for continuous improvement.

“When I think about implementing our strategic plan and look at my first 90 days on the job, there are a lot of people in the industry that I need to meet and connect with. The World Pork Expo has given me fantastic opportunities to meet all the key players in the industry throughout the U.S. and globally.”

Listen to my complete interview with Bill here: Interview with National Pork Board CEO, Bill Even

View and download photos from the event here:2016 World Pork Expo Photo Album

Audio, Pork, World Pork Expo

Flinn Joins Brownfield Ag News

Kelly Marshall June 9, 2016

Andrew Flinn is joining Brownfield Ag News as an anchor/reporter in his home state of Ohio. For the past 15 years Flinn has been reporting new and agriculture, 14 of those with Brownfield affiliate WKTN.

“Andrew’s years of experience covering news and agriculture for local radio stations in Ohio makes him a great addition to the Brownfield team,” says Cyndi Young-Puyear, Director of Brownfield & Ag Operations.

Flinn holds a degree from the University of Findlay in communications and public relations, as well as an associate degree in broadcast production and engineering. He has a been involved in agriculture in a variety of ways, serving as a member of the Hardin Country 4-H Advisory Board, Hardin Coutry Agriculture Hall of Fame Committee and the Hardin County Ag Council. He has also been involved in the Hardin County Chamber of Commerce & Business Alliance and the Kenton Kiwanis Club.

Agribusiness

The Buzz About Sustainability at #CUTC16

Kelly Marshall June 9, 2016

Fred Yoder is an Ohio corn farmer who believes sustainability is more than a buzz word. At the Corn Utilization and Technology Conference Yoder told AgWired about his involvement with Climate Smart Agriculture, a term coined to describe just what it is growers will have to do to feed 9 billion people while working with what we’ve got. Working with the climate, Yoder explains, means adapting to changes, taking the bad weather with the good and figuring out how to use that to make farmers more productive.

More productive, it turns out, is often the same as more economical. Climate Smart Agriculture is founded on three main pillars; more productivity, adaptation and resilience, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. When Yoder began his own journey in sustainability he said it started with conservation tillage and cover crops to become more productive. By adapting his practices with grid sampling and variable rates he began to see that the economics were leading to a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions on his farm.

It takes leaders, Yoder states, to make farming more sustainable. Someone needs to be out there being innovative on their ground. You don’t always make money at first, but then, very often, you do. And every farmer should be trying something, he believes.

“We need leaders to get out there and try it. Every farmer ought to be trying something on the back forty that he is not necessarily comfortable with, but just try it. Most of the time it works better than he thinks.”

You can listen to Chuck’s full interview here: Interview with Fred Yoder

Check out pictures from the conference: 2016 CUTC Photo Album;

Agribusiness, Conservation, CUTC, Sustainability

I AM @USFRA – Carla Wardin

Cindy Zimmerman June 9, 2016

Carla Wardin is a busy mother of three boys and a 6th generation dairy farmer with her husband in Michigan. She’s also one of the Faces of Farming and Ranching for the U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance (USFRA).

“I really enjoy speaking with consumers and other people in agriculture about the issues in farming today,” Carla says. “The part I like best is the people.”

Carla blogs about her life on the farm, and enjoys going into schools to teach about farming and giving tours. “Because I’m so easily reachable, people will text me or email me or send me questions,” she says. “Anything they have questions about, they know they have a farmer they can reach.”

Carla is one of the second class of USFRA Faces and right now a search is on for the next crop of “spokesfarmers” to represent the industry. “It really does allow you to reach more people,” said Carla. “Through USFRA, they are literally giving a face to farmers and through that I feel that I am able to reach people who want to talk to a real farmer.”

Because the Faces program is so diverse and includes farmers and ranchers of all kinds of commodities and various areas of the country, Carla says it provides a broad view of the agriculture industry. “Because you are often the only farmer that someone knows, they’ll ask you about everything,” she said. “You can always say I know the person I can give you to who knows the information you’re looking for.”

Interested farmers and ranchers can apply for the program online by July 10, 2016 and will need to include a home video of less than three minutes describing themselves and their farm or ranch. Among other criteria, farmers and ranchers must have an existing social media presence, either through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and/or a blog. A combination of public voting and USFRA judging scores will be used to determine the winners, who will be announced on November 9 at the National Association of Farm Broadcasting Convention (NAFB) in Kansas City.

Learn more about Carla and being a USFRA Faces of Farming and Ranching here: Interview with Carla Wardin, USFRA Faces of Farming

Audio, USFRA

#CUTC16 Addresses Future of Wet Milling Technologies

Kelly Marshall June 8, 2016

The Corn Utilization Technology Conference is covering a wide variety of topics, including new technologies from the wet milling process of corn. Members of a panel discussion met with Chuck to let him in on just what they were hoping listeners gained from their presentation.

Brent Shanks, a Ph.D. with Iowa State University covered the conversion of biomes and bio-based carbon into chemicals and materials and the paradigm of how to go after those products.

Kevin Coffman, part of the market development in ag environmental strategy group at Monsanto addressed corn in the pipeline be it traded material for an ethanol plant or any other food grade type of opportunity for the market for corn producers. Most importantly, Coffman said, was the idea that a low carbon agriculture product like ethanol might be the fuel of the future.

John White, Ph.D. at White Technical Research works as a consultant to the food and beverage industry in the area of sweeteners. The milling process of corn can produce a wide range of sweeteners, he explained, including new ones being designed for today’s demands.

Raghunath V. Chaudhari, Ph.D. works at the University of Kansas in the area of converting biomes to chemical with the use of a catalyst. New catalytic materials can change our use of current technologies to create something better, he tells AgWired.

Overall, Tom Binder, self proclaimed “referee” for the event hopes viewers went home with a better idea of future new uses for corn, in wet milling and otherwise.

Listen to Chuck’s full interview with the panel here: Interview with CUTC Wet Milling Technologies Panel

Check out pictures from the conference: 2016 CUTC Photo Album;

Agribusiness, Biofuels, Corn, CUTC

Miloud Araba talks Ethanol at #CUTC16

Kelly Marshall June 8, 2016

Miloud Araba is the head of technical services for the Enogen group at Syngenta. This week he spoke at the Corn Utilization Technology Conference, talking about the enzyme technology that creates corn grown for ethanol.

Araba says that Enogen is working with its longtime partner, Quad County Corn Processors to introduce Cellerate, a new process technology designed to enable dry grind ethanol plants to convert corn kernel fiber into advanced and cellulosic ethanol, increasing a plant’s ethanol production. “You’re not only bringing value to the ethanol plant, you’re bringing value to the farmer – the corn grower,” Araba explains. “In this case you’ve turned the farmer not only into a corn provider, but also an enzyme provider. And so this is what we like to call a win, win, win. A win for the community, a win for the farmer, and also a win for the ethanol plant.”

He is also hearing a positive response from participants at the conference because of the simplicity of the process. Technologies do not have to be complex to bring a lot of value is the resounding theme.

Listen to Chuck’s full interview here: Interview with Miloud Araba, Syngenta

Check out pictures from the conference: 2016 CUTC Photo Album

Agribusiness, Audio, Corn, Ethanol, Syngenta

John Deere to Offer Nutrient Application Products

Kelly Marshall June 8, 2016

John Deere dealers in North America will now sell and support the nutrient application products 360 Y-DROP and 360 UNDERCOVER. The announcement came this week after an agreement between Deere & Company and 360 Yield Center.

“This innovative application technology from 360 Yield Center,” says John May, president, agricultural solutions and chief information officer, John Deere, “helps to improve timing and placement of nutrients with John Deere and Hagie application equipment, including self-propelled sprayers and toolbars. John Deere dealers will be able to provide sales and service support for these application products to help producers apply in-season nitrogen and plant health products where and when it’s needed.”

John Deere only recently announced a joint venture with Hagie Manufacturing to sell and service the Hagie high-clearance sprayer. Now the new addition will create more alignment and innovation for sprayers.

“Demand for the 360 Yield Center nitrogen utilization products is tremendous. That’s why we are pleased with this allied distribution agreement with Deere,” says Gregg Sauder, president, 360 Yield Center. “We can now service and support more customers through the broadest dealer network in the U.S. and Canada. We have had a successful marketing partnership with Hagie and we are excited to extend this relationship to John Deere, their dealers, and their self-propelled sprayer and nutrient applicator line-up.”

Products you will soon find at your local John Deere dealership include:

360 Y-DROP gives farmers a wider window of application and more control over when and where to apply nitrogen and other nutrients to their crops. The unique design allows farmers to apply full-season nitrogen – even up to tassel – with precision placement and variable rate application.

360 UNDERCOVER helps farmers protect crops from late-season disease and insect infestations. It uses multidirectional spray nozzles and slides easily under the canopy so farmers can target fungicides, insecticides and nutrients exactly where needed for better product efficacy and improved crop health.

“John Deere now offers a more comprehensive application equipment line-up with the latest technology to help growers and commercial operators apply efficiently and accurately in all crop conditions,” says May. “Add to that our precision ag and data management technologies with the industry-leading support and service from our dealers, we’ve got an unmatched value proposition for our customers.”

Agribusiness, John Deere

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