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E15 heads to House vote under cloud of distrust
A standalone bill allowing nationwide year-round sales of E15 is still expected to receive a vote in the U.S. House this week, but the path to that vote has created growing frustration among many agriculture state lawmakers. The tension began when Speaker Mike Johnson removed E15 language from the larger Farm Bill package during negotiations aimed at securing support from oil state Republicans and advancing other legislative priorities. While House leadership has maintained that E15 would...
U.S. beef promotion efforts building momentum in Central America
U.S. beef exports to Central America have gained momentum in recent months, fueled in part by promotional activities funded by the Beef Checkoff Program. Lucia Ruano, U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) representative in Central America, said BBQ Fest Costa Rica is a...
Telling the story of sustainability in the pork industry
The 28th annual United Nations Climate Change Conference, commonly called COP28, was an opportunity to tell data-driven facts about U.S. agriculture and sustainable on-farm practices. National Pork Board’s Chief Sustainability Officer Jamie Burr says 84,000 people...
Ethanol production hits two-year high
The Energy Information Administration says ethanol output surged to a two-year high, and inventories hit their highest points since April during the week ending on December 22. Ethanol production rose to an average of 1.107 million barrels per day, up from 1.071...
John Deere precision equipment leads the way after 30 years
Last year at Commodity Classic in Orlando, I had the chance to visit with Matt Olson of John Deere as they were rolling out their revamped precision farming tools for the 2023 growing season. They were excited to make updates to everything from displays to modems and...
2023 a memorable year for the ethanol industry
2023 was a year to remember for the ethanol industry with corn ethanol demand reaching the highest levels since 2019 and the blend rate in gasoline setting a record as production rose to 15-and-a-half billion gallons. Rising domestic demand for ethanol and growth in...
U.S., Brazil competitive balance in soybeans
The U.S. and Brazil are major competitors when it comes to exporting soybeans around the world. USDA’s Economic Research Service did a comparison study to figure out how changes in factors underlying production, marketing costs, and infrastructure might affect export...
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“Ring of fire” weather will keep Iowa hot and humid
Seems like this week’s hot temperatures were just a taste of what’s in store for next week. Iowa State Climatologist Dr. Justin Glisan said next week is supposed to have high temperatures and plenty of rainfall due to a “ring of fire” weather configuration. Glisan...
The importance of agronomy at the U.S. Open
Professional Golf's U.S. Open took place last week at North Carolina's famed Pinehurst Resort and Country Club. But it's not just a matter of the world's best golfers showing up and taking a few swings. Years of course preparation take place in the lead up to the...
Grassley questions increased used cooking oil imports
There is a lot on the line for the future of biofuels as United States farmers are hopeful that demand for biofuels continues to climb with U.S. crops helping to provide the feedstock to help power U.S. trucks and cars. However, one of the issues standing in the way...
First USDA trade mission dedicated to indigenous products
Alexis Taylor, USDA Undersecretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs, is in Vancouver, Canada, for a first-of-its-kind trade mission. The mission is intended to develop export markets for Tribal and Native Hawaiian businesses and products. “This historic...
Don’t hold your breath on a new Farm Bill in 2024
The lines are in the sand and the differences are glaring as we approach what could be one of the greatest exercises in futility the federal government has seen in quite some time. Of course, we are talking about the Farm Bill, which seems to carry all the optimism of...
