Secretary of Agriculture Ed Schafer has only been on the job officially for about a month but he has been busy making the rounds of farm meetings. During his appearance at the 2008 Commodity Classic on Friday, Schafer expressed great optimism for agriculture – record prices, record farm income, record exports and the blending of energy and agriculture. During a …
Ethanol is a Classic Hit
You can’t turn a corner at the 2008 Commodity Classic trade show without seeing something about ethanol. A record crowd is attending the Classic this year – more than 4450 people and over 140 media are in Nashville and the corn-fed enthusiasm is driven in a large part by the ethanol buzz. Everybody who is anybody in the ethanol industry …
Biofuels Focus at Classic
The 2008 Commodity Classic is getting underway here in Nashville at the Opryland. Farm Bill and biofuels are the main topics of discussion at this meeting of corn, soybean and wheat growers. Today is mainly commodity group delegate meetings and tours for those not involved in the business sessions. Activities really get rolling Thursday afternoon with the opening of the …
Classic Commodity Conference
The 2008 Commodity Classic kicks off this week in Nashville at the Opryland. Biofuels will be in the spotlight throughout the conference and the yet-to-be-completed Farm Bill will likely be a major topic of conversation as new agriculture secretary Ed Schafer will address the crowd on Friday during the general session. Saturday night’s entertainment at the Grand Ole Opry featuring …
25 x ’25 Action Plan
Leaders from a broad alliance of agricultural, energy, environmental, business and labor groups recently rolled out a set of specific recommendations for reaching an ambitious renewable energy goal: 25 percent of the nation’s energy supply from renewable sources by 2025. Members of the 25x’25 Alliance were at the recent Commodity Classic to answer questions and discuss goals with members of …
Let the Market Sort it Out
To anyone concerned about high grain prices, the impact of biofuels on the livestock industry, or whether we will have enough corn to meet all needs, Dean Kleckner has just one message: “Let the market sort it out.” Kleckner is the chairman of Truth About Trade & Technology, an industry group that is pro-trade and pro-biotechnology. He is also a …
Classic Flex Fuel Vehicles
National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition is just one of several ethanol-related exhibitors at the 2007 Commodity Classic in Tampa this week. Staff members Michelle Kautz and Haley Wansing were giving away t-shirts to growers who signed up at the booth to receive regular e-mail updates from the organization. Greg Krissek of ICM is NEVC’s Chairman of the Board and he was …
Vision 2020
Biofuels will play a major role in the soybean industry for the next 10 to 15 years under the United Soybean Board’s Soy 2020 released Friday morning at the Commodity Classic in Tampa, Florida. The objective of Soy 2020 was to “create a vision for the future of U.S. soybeans that would be a complete collaboration and that would ultimately …
Branding Program Gains Momentum
The ethanol industry is making progress towards the goal of helping consumers readily identify ethanol-enhanced fuel at the pump no matter where they are in the country. Seven states – Kansas, Michigan, Illinois, South Dakota, Nebraska, Arkansas and Ohio – have now officially approved labels that incorporate the “e” brand to mark pumps that dispense E10, or ten percent ethanol …
Commodity Classic Time
The 2007 Commodity Classic is upon us. For the first time this year, the annual commodity event brings together the “Big Three” – corn, soybeans AND wheat. The first two have been meeting in a combined event for years, now wheat has decided to join the club. The meeting will have a pirate theme this year, being held overlooking beautiful …