May 31, 2022
Farmers for Soil Health – Commentary from John Johnson, principal of Agricola, LLC and former chief operating officer of the National Pork BoardKey Issues: Sustainability
Author: John Johnson
Farmers are front-line caretakers of the land who work every day to conserve our natural resources. Doing so allows them to remain economically and environmentally sustainable, producing food, feed, fiber and renewable fuel for a growing world population. Farmers are strengthened by learning and working with other farmers and creating key partnerships to improve their operations. Checkoff programs are one of those partnerships that return value to the farm while collectively working to reach goals that go beyond a single farm operation. In the fall of 2018, the United Soybean Board, the National Pork Board and the National Corn Growers Association signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). This MOU established a framework for the three organizations to collaborate on sustainability research and programming. As work progressed, the organizations recognized the need for an initiative that would help farmers continue down the path of continuous improvement. The initiative...
Read MoreMay 26, 2022
Summer’s Smash Hit: E15 – Found at a Gas Station Near You!Key Issues: Ethanol
Author: Chris Edgington
Memorial Day, for many, is the kickoff to summer. School is almost out, planting is *hopefully* wrapping up for many across the Corn Belt, road trips and vacation planning are on the mind, and it’s summer blockbuster season! I am personally excited about one of the movies coming out, the new Top Gun. It makes me think of going on a “joy ride” and the “need for speed.” With all of those things in mind, what probably has me the most excited for this summer, is the fact that I will be able to continue filling up with E15, often labeled as Unleaded 88. As everyone across the country deals with high fuel prices, it’s great to remember higher ethanol blends will save you money at the pump. Ethanol has been priced an average of 80-cents less per gallon compared to unblended gasoline, translating to savings of 20 cents or more per gallon when you choose E15. Just a few weeks ago, there was uncertainty around whether E15 would be available for this summer driving season. In a time...
Read MoreMay 2, 2022
As Biden Steps Up for Farmers, Corn Growers Work to Advance Legislation on EthanolKey Issues: Ethanol
Author: Brooke S. Appelton
It was like a scene out of a Hollywood movie. Just as it looked as though the oil industry had succeeded in ending consumer access to higher levels of ethanol – a biofuel that is environmentally friendly and cuts gas prices – over the summer months, President Biden makes an eleventh-hour decision to use his emergency powers to allow for consumer choice. Yet, this wasn’t something out of Hollywood; it was reality. I was pleased to travel to Menlo, Iowa, on April 12 to watch the president tell a barn full of farmers that he would use his emergency authority to extend access to 15% ethanol-blended fuel, or E15, through this summer. The president’s announcement comes after two years of legal drama, in which the oil industry, looking after its own profit margin, sued the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to end access to E15 during the summer months. A court ruled in 2021 that the EPA had acted outside of its authority, and, as a result, access to E15 was set to end over the summer...
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