The distinguished speaker at this year’s USDA Agricultural Outlook Forum was former Iowa Governor Terry Branstad, who was recently nominated as ambassador to China. Branstad took time during his speech to praise incoming Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue and share his thoughts on the future of agriculture and economic development in rural America. “Simply put, American agriculture is tied to …
USDA Sees Increased Corn Use for Ethanol
USDA’s February World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report shows an increase in corn use for ethanol this marketing year. This month’s 2016/17 U.S. corn outlook is for increased food, seed and industrial (FSI) use and reduced stocks. Corn used to produce ethanol is raised 25 million bushels to 5,350 million based on the most recent data from the …
Confirmations Continue to Crawl Along
Confirmation hearings for Trump administration cabinet members have been moving slowly, so it may be toward the end of February before Sonny Perdue is confirmed as Secretary of Agriculture, but he has been meeting with lawmakers in the meantime. Sen. Deb Fischer (R-NE) “had a good conversation” with the former governor of Georgia last week where they discussed “regional differences …
New USDA Report on Lifecycle GHG Balance for #Ethanol
A brand new USDA analysis finds that U.S. corn-based ethanol reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 43 percent compared to gasoline, greater than previous estimates and something the ethanol industry has been saying for years. Unlike other studies of GHG benefits, which relied on forecasts of future ethanol production systems and expected impacts on the farm sector, the new “Life-Cycle Analysis …
USDA Accepting FY 2017 REAP Applications
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced it is accepting applications under its Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) that is administered by the Rural Business-Cooperative Service for FY 2017. This cycle, REAP has two funding opportunities: Renewable Energy Systems and Energy Efficiency Improvements Assistance, and Energy Audit and Renewable Energy Development Assistance Grants. The goal of the …
Biobased Industry Positioned to Explode
According to a new report released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the biobased products industry contributed $393 billion and 4.2 million jobs in 2014, an increase of 220,000 jobs and $24 billion over 2013. “An Impact Analysis of the U.S. Biobased Products Industry,” commissioned by USDA’s Biopreferred Program, is a follow-up to the 2015 report and sought to …
Record #Corn and #Ethanol Production Forecast
USDA’s first crop production forecast based on actual field data is predicting a bin-busting corn crop this year while ethanol production is also on pace to be record high. Corn production is forecast at a record 15.2 billion bushels, up 11 percent from last year with yields expected to average 175.1 bushels per acre, up 6.7 bushels from 2015. If …
Funds Available for #Biomass Powered Biorefineries
The USDA is helping biorefineries go even greener. The USDA Rural Business Cooperative Service, a division within the USDA, has allocated funds through the Repowering Assistance Program, to assist renewable fuel facilities convert away from fossil-fuel based heat and/or power to renewable biomass power. Applications are being accepted from July 25, 2016 until October 24, 2016 and only facilities in …
USDA Seeks Applications for Biobased Funds
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is seeking applications for funding to help support the development of advanced biofuels, renewable chemicals and biobased products. Funding is being provided through the Biorefinery, Renewable Chemical and Biobased Product Manufacturing Assistance Program, formerly known as the Biorefinery Assistance Program. The program provides loan guarantees of up to $250 million to develop, construct and …
#USDA to Award $21M for Bioeconomy R&D
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has made $21 million available to support the development of regional systems in sustainable bioenergy and biobased products. The funds will also be awarded to train the next generation of bio-scientists. The monies are offered through the AFRI Sustainable Bioenergy and Bioproducts challenge area designed to provide renewable energy, chemical, and product options, among …