#Plant17 is officially underway now with the latest crop progress report issued yesterday from USDA. Corn planting at three percent nationwide as of April 9 is a point behind last year at this time but exactly on target with five-year average. Texas, where National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) president Wesley Spurlock farms, is well ahead of both last year and …
RFA Disputes NWF Study with USDA County Data
It is undisputed that the amount of land dedicated to crop production overall in the United States has been on the decline for decades, dropping 12 percent just between 1997 and 2012, according to USDA census data. At the same time, corn acreage and ethanol production have increased significantly, which is also undisputed. What is disputed is whether increased ethanol …
USDA Predicts Record Soybean Acres, Less Corn
The first estimate for crop plantings this year by USDA is calling for less corn but more soybeans. According to the 2017 Prospective Plantings report, producers surveyed across the United States intend to plant an estimated 89.5 million acres of soybeans in 2017, up 7 percent from last year and a new record. Planted acreage intentions for soybeans are up …
Ethanol Helping Crappie Masters Grow
Grenada Lake, Mississippi was host last weekend for the Mississippi State Championship, one stop on the 2017 Crappie Masters All American Tournament Trail. The Renewable Fuels Association is a title sponsor of the tournament, along with Bass Pro Shops, and it has the support of Missouri Corn Growers and American Ethanol as well. Brian Sowers is co-host of Crappie Masters …
Busy Ag Week on the Hill
National Ag Week was a busy one for agriculture on Capitol Hill. National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) First Vice President Kevin Skunes of North Dakota spent last week visiting Congressional offices on behalf of both the corn growers and the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE). “Ethanol is our number one priority,” said Skunes. “We need to have this outlet for …
Successful ACE Fly-in
The president of the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) says this week’s turnout for Congressional visits on the Hill was outstanding. “We got a really nice mix of different interests that came to support ACE and go to the Hill and talk about the benefits to not only the fuel and corn industry, but also to the fuel marketing industry …
Nebraska Corn Appreciates RFA’s Robert White
The Nebraska Corn Board last week presented Renewable Fuels Association Vice President of Industry Relations Robert White with its 2017 Ethanol Industry Appreciation Award for his years of support. White, a Kansas native, is the first non-Nebraskan recipient. “Mr. White leads the effort to increase the availability and consumption of ethanol through consumer education, social media and marketing,” said Dennis …
Enogen Corn Footprint Growing
Recently appointed head of Syngenta Enogen Ron Wulfkuhle was at the recent National Ethanol Conference to talk about his new job and the increasing footprint of Enogen corn. Wulfkuhle, who was formally head of GreenLeaf Genetics, says he jumped at the chance to step into this role at the end of last year. “It’s a really cool place to be …
RFA CEO Speaks Out
After sending the ethanol industry into an uproar this week over his talks with a Trump administration adviser about potential changes to the point of obligation under the RFS, Renewable Fuels Association president and CEO Bob Dinneen visited the Commodity Classic in San Antonio to talk about the issue. “We remain opposed to changing the point of obligation because we …
#Ethanol Controversy Talk at #Classic17
The controversy that erupted this week within the ethanol industry over alleged backroom deals with the Trump administration to change the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) has generated a lot of discussion this week at the annual Commodity Classic in San Antonio. The event is the annual meeting for thousands of corn, soybean, wheat and sorghum farmers from around the country. …