Wednesday July 25 Ag News

Nebraska Approved for Statewide Haying and Grazing of Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) Acreage

“In response to the ongoing serious drought conditions Secretary Vilsack has now opened emergency haying and grazing statewide in Nebraska,” announced Farm Service Agency State Director Dan Steinkruger. 

The announcement yesterday opened all of the CRP acres in eastern Nebraska.

The emergency use of CRP will provide additional forage for the livestock industry.  A 10% reduction in the annual rental payment applies.  There are certain limitations on haying and grazing to protect the environmental value of the conservation practices.  A number of the special practices have limits on them or are not available for haying or grazing.  The announcement also removed restrictions on the sale of CRP hay.

Steinkruger noted, “The Farm Service Agency is continuing to utilize our available program options to assist farmers and ranchers impacted by the drought.”

Farmers, ranchers, and landowners are encouraged to contact their local FSA office with questions.  Additional information is available at www.fsa.usda.gov/ne.




If Using Drought-Damaged Corn for Forage, Make Decision Carefully

Drought, along with hail, wind, heat and other factors, has left some corn yields extremely low across the state. However, damaged corn often can be fed to livestock for forage.

Silage, green chop hay and grazing all can work to help capture the corn crop's forage value for livestock, said Bruce Anderson, extension forage specialist in the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

However, harvest costs can be high, especially when yield per acre is low, so it's important to carefully evaluate the economics of any salvage operation, he said.

Anderson and UNL Extension educator Tom Dorn recommend taking these preliminary considerations into account:
– If grain prices remain high, grain yield may not need to be very high to justify selecting grain harvest over forage harvest.
– Sometimes leaving the corn residue can result in increased yield next year and that increase may provide more value than that resulting from forage use. See NebGuide G1846, Harvesting Crop Residues, available at http://www.ianrpubs.unl.edu/sendIt/g1846.pdf or from a local UNL Extension office, for information on evaluating your situation.
– Check labels of all chemicals applied to be sure they are cleared for forage use and that the minimum harvest interval has been met.
– Check with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Farm Service Agency and your crop insurer to maintain compliance with farm programs and crop insurance requirements.
– Nitrate concentrations can reach toxic levels in weather-damaged corn. The harvest method can affect the nitrate, a particular concern when it's being fed to livestock. Leaving a tall stubble (8 or more inches) will reduce nitrate risk but note eliminate it.

It's important to analyze each harvest method accordingly – making silage, green chop, hay, grazing or windrow grazing, Dorn said.

When it comes to harvest methods, silage may be the safest method of harvest as fermentation usually (but not always) reduces nitrate levels and risk, Anderson said.

While green chop minimizes waste, it may also be the most dangerous way to salvage corn. If present, nitrates will start to change into nitrites (about 10 times as deadly) as green chop begins to heat.

Hay may be the most difficult method of mechanical harvest, especially if ears have started to form – the stalk and especially the ears will be slow and difficult to dry.

Challenges with grazing include acidosis risk for cattle not accustomed to grain if ears have started to fill (smart cows will selectively graze ears), waste from excessive trampling, availability of drinking water, perimeter fencing and nitrates.

NebGuide G1865, The Use and Pricing of Drought-Stressed Corn, available at http://www.ianrpubs.unl.edu/sendIt/g1865.pdf or from a local UNL Extension office, offers additional information.

Windrow grazing includes cutting as you would for hay and then grazing the windrows rather than baling them. It eliminates the cost of baling, transporting bales or feeding bales. It also eliminates any flexibility in feeding location and may reduce opportunities to sell the corn forage.



Johanns Asks USDA to Sharpen Focus on Drought

Sen. Mike Johanns (R-Neb.), along with five other Senate Agriculture Committee Republicans, wrote Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack urging him to take full advantage of his department’s capabilities in assisting agricultural producers impacted by drought.

“Drought continues to impact an increasing number of producers and virtually every aspect of the agricultural supply chain, including livestock, crops, conservation, and transportation along major waterways,” Johanns said. “I encourage USDA’s response to be swift, efficient, and sharply focused.”

A copy of the letter can be viewed here... http://www.johanns.senate.gov/public/?a=Files.Serve&File_id=f31886f0-cdb9-4e1f-90cc-512f69021714. 

Last Thursday, Johanns wrote Vilsack urging him to allow emergency haying and grazing on Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) lands for the entire state – something Vilsack did this week.

Johanns also launched a page on his Senate website devoted to the drought. The website provides timely updates on drought conditions, actions taken by the state and federal government and a list of agencies that can assist Nebraska ranchers and farmers.



Vilsack will address 25th annual ACE Conference in Omaha August 10

The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) announced today that U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack will speak at its ethanol conference on Friday, August 10 in Omaha, Nebraska.

“We are honored to have Secretary Vilsack, arguably the nation’s most effective spokespeople on biofuels, joining us in Omaha for our 25th annual ethanol conference,” said Brian Jennings, Executive Vice President of ACE. “He has a been a true champion for agricultural producers and the ethanol industry during his time as Governor of Iowa and USDA Secretary and we look forward to hearing him discuss the many issues facing our industry.”

The 25th annual ACE ethanol conference will be held at the Hilton in downtown Omaha Wednesday, August 8 through Friday, August 10. More information about the conference is available online at www.ethanol.org including registration for the event.

Under Vilsack’s leadership, USDA has been proactive in promoting the use of biofuels and installation of blender pumps which enable consumers to have affordable fuel choices at the pump.

Other key topics to be covered at the ACE conference include: Clearing the Air – How Toxic Gasoline Emissions Impact Public Health, Automaker and Ethanol Teamwork on Future Vehicles and Fuels, E15, Ethanol Flex Fuel and the Changing Fuels Marketplace, The ABC’s of E15 and more. Click on the Conference menu heading on www.ethanol.org to view the full agenda for the event.



As Drought, Heat Show Importance of Risk Management Programs, ASA Calls on House to Pass Farm Bill

As worsening drought conditions continue to envelop more than half of the United States, the American Soybean Association (ASA) is pointing to the Farm Bill currently stalled and awaiting debate by the full House of Representatives as an essential means of ensuring the continued coverage of American farmland through crop insurance and risk management, as well as disaster assistance programs.

“As conditions deteriorate throughout much of rural America and the outlook for farmers becomes bleaker and bleaker, we are reminded that farming is subject to so many elements and risks outside of the farmer’s control. This further emphasizes the need for programs to help farmers manage risks in order to stay viable and plant next year,” said ASA President Steve Wellman, a soybean farmer from Syracuse, Neb.

Currently, 85 percent of soybean acres in the United States are covered by crop insurance, however Wellman says that it should not be misconstrued as a profit center for farmers. “Just as when homeowners insurance replaces valuables following a flood or a fire, crop insurance only covers farmers in the event of a significant loss,” he said. “These policies often have deductibles or loss levels at 25 percent or more. They aren’t there to turn a profit; they exist to help farmers survive and keep farming.”

Wellman added that the current conditions point directly to the benefits provided by revenue-based risk management programs. “Revenue-based risk management tools that complement crop insurance ensure that farmers who suffer a crop loss—and accompanying revenue loss—receive the assistance they need to remain viable,” he said. “In contrast, a target price-based program would provide no assistance to farmers affected by the drought since it would activate only if prices are low and then only on actual production.”

“For these reasons and countless others,” Wellman said, “ASA calls on Speaker Boehner and House leadership to schedule floor time to consider and pass a farm bill so that it can be conferenced with the Senate and a new farm bill can be enacted this year.”

Additionally, Wellman, who is also a cow-calf producer, noted the importance of the bill’s disaster assistance provisions to American livestock producers, who are tied closely to soybean farmers. “Our colleagues in the livestock industry, who depend on soybeans as a steady source of protein-rich feed, are facing an extremely difficult challenge,” he said. “The disaster assistance provisions in the farm bill will provide these key soy allies with the disaster assistance they need this year.”

“The policies that the House and Senate Agriculture Committees worked to include in the farm bill will help farmers deal with the drought, the heat and the galaxy of other real-world risks that agriculture faces,” added Wellman. “It is imperative that the House acts immediately on the farm bill so that these programs can continue to benefit American agriculture.”



USDA Statement Regarding Meatless Mondays

On Wednesday, USDA had received a number of inquiries regarding a rumor that the federal agency was encouraging “Meatless Mondays.” Please find USDA’s statement on this issue below....

“USDA does not endorse Meatless Monday. The statement found on the USDA website was posted without proper clearance and it has been removed.”



NCBA Statement Regarding USDA’s Correction Concerning the Meatless Monday Movement

Subsequent to a news release by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) condemning a statement by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) supporting the “Meatless Monday” campaign, USDA publicly stated it does not support the extremist “Meatless Monday” campaign and stated that the statement was posted on its website without the “proper clearance.” NCBA President J.D. Alexander issued the following statement regarding this most recent USDA action.

“We appreciate USDA’s swift action in pulling this disparaging statement off its website. USDA publicly stated today that it does not support this campaign. We appreciate USDA making this right. The agency is important to all cattlemen and women, especially as we face unprecedented challenges, including drought and animal rights extremist groups spreading fiction to consumers who need to know the importance of beef in a healthy diet.

“USDA did right by scrapping this statement and acknowledging the important role of America’s farm and ranch families in providing food for the world. USDA denouncing support of the Meatless Monday campaign is an important step in correcting misinformation about the safety and sustainability of U.S. beef production.”



Cattle Industry Summer Conference Underway

Hundreds of cattle producers are gathering in Denver, Colo., today to help create direction for cattle industry programs at the 2012 Cattle Industry Summer Conference July 25-28. 

More than 650 producers and other industry participants have pre-registered for the event, which includes meetings of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), Cattlemen’s Beef Board, American National CattleWomen and National Cattlemen’s Foundation. Among the purposes of the yearly conference is to create a framework for both checkoff and policy efforts on behalf of U.S. cattle producers for the 2013 fiscal year, which for NCBA and the Cattlemen’s Beef Board begins Oct. 1.

Keynote speaker at Thursday’s Opening General Session is Dr. Jay Lehr, a futurist in agriculture, who will speak on “Mega Trends in Agriculture: Implications for the Beef Industry.” At Friday’s general session, Cattle-Fax Senior Market Analyst Kevin Good will provide an overview of the cattle market, as well as describe how the drought is affecting the entire industry.

“This year’s summer conference will provide a chance for producers to learn as well as a chance to lead,” according to J.D. Alexander, a beef producer from Pilger, Neb., and NCBA president . “This is definitely a working session at which important strategies for future action are developed.”

Also during General Session II on Friday, W.D. Farr Scholarships will be presented to two graduate students by the National Cattlemen’s Foundation. The $12,000 scholarships are presented to students who want to further their educations in order to pursue careers in meat science and animal agriculture. General Session II is sponsored by Bayer Animal Health.

Joint Committees and Subcommittees will meet on Friday to develop proposals for 2013 checkoff-funded research, education and promotion programs. Also on Friday NCBA policy committees will meet to determine priorities and discuss strategies for the 2013 years. The NCBA Board will hold a session on Saturday, as will members of the Cattlemen’s Beef Board.
“The challenges we face as an industry are sizeable, but our resolve to find solutions is equal to the task,” says Alexander. “I’m proud so many of my fellow producers are joining me in Denver to tackle the work and help assure our potential for future success.”



Farm Rescue Expands into Iowa

Farm Rescue, a nonprofit organization that plants and harvests crops free of charge for farm families facing unexpected crises resulting from major injury, illness or natural disaster, has expanded into Iowa.

"It's always devastating when a family member experiences an unexpected crisis like a severe injury or illness. When a farm family experiences an unexpected crisis it can be even more devastating," said Bill Gross, Farm Rescue founder. "For many farm families, their livelihood relies on a getting their crops planted and harvested in a timely manner. The assistance we provide is beneficial to rural communities and people throughout the United States. Agriculture plays a large role in the economic well-being of our nation. There are 2.2 million farms in the United States. It is our nation's farms which provide the commodities used to produce healthy and nutritious food for everyone in America."

Armed with dedicated volunteer labor and sponsored farm equipment from RDO Equipment Company, Farm Rescue has planted or harvested crops free of charge for nearly 200 farm families facing a crisis situation such as injury, illness or natural disaster in North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota and Montana.

"We started helping farmers six years ago because I noticed changing demographics in rural America. Forty or 50 years ago it used to be that neighbors could do all of the work if something happened. Now we're seeing fewer family farms, less children on each farm, and it has simply become harder for neighbors to help one another due to the economic pressures upon their own business operation. Farm Rescue is a structured avenue for farm families to turn for assistance during a time of crisis. Just one injury or illness could be the end of a family farm. That is why Farm Rescue was formed-- to help prevent family farms from ceasing to exist," said Gross, who has been named a CNN hero, featured in People Magazine's "Heroes Among Us," and DirecTV's "Small Town Hero" for his creation of Farm Rescue.

Farm Rescue relies solely on the generosity of its business sponsors, individual donors and grants.



Grower Team Looks at Biotechnology, Trade Agreement Developments

The National Corn Growers Association's Trade Policy and Biotechnology Action Team met last week in Washington for discussions and updates from government and industry experts.  The team addressed issues across biotechnology and trade, in part looking at the multitude of situations in which biotechnology policies, regulations and approvals can impact trade.

"We were very impressed with the perspective the government experts offered into rapidly evolving situations that may affect trade," said Chad Blindauer, team chair and South Dakota grower.  "Our team also appreciated the chance to interact with Argentine corn industry leadership and representation from technology providers. The in-depth look at each facet of the issues facing farmers allows us to form the most solid assessments possible heading into Corn Congress."

Broadening their global perspective of the corn industry, the team met with representatives from MAIZAR, the Argentine trade association representing all aspects of the corn and sorghum value chain. MAIZAR Executive Director Martin Fraguio and President Alberto Morelli spoke with the team on a variety of issues, providing a first-hand analysis of Argentina's corn production and perspective on a variety of issues common between the two countries.

Representatives from the five largest technology providers in corn, BASF, Dow AgroSciences, Monsanto, Pioneer and Syngenta, addressed new products in the pipeline and the regulatory status of new events close to coming to market.

NCGA's Trade Policy and Biotechnology Action Team supports the organization in efforts to maintain and develop grower opportunities by increasing congressional support for NCGA's international trade agenda, increasing funding for market development programs, supporting biotechnology availability, marketability and acceptance around the world while protecting the integrity of U.S. corn and education on these subjects.

"With numerous new products in the pipeline and the Trans Pacific Partnership talks underway, our team faces multiple situations that could impact the profitability of the average grower," Blindauer said. "Drawing upon the deeper understanding we gained this week both through speakers and discussions, we feel ready to tackle these challenges in a thoughtful and comprehensive, yet still energetic, manner."



Weekly Ethanol Production for 7/20/2012

According to the Energy Information Administration data, ethanol production averaged 796,000 barrels per day (b/d) – or 33.43 million gallons daily.  That is down 6,000 b/d from the week before.  The 4-week average for ethanol production stood at 819,000 b/d for an annualized rate of 12.55 billion gallons.

Stocks of ethanol stood at 19.0 million barrels. Gasoline demand for the week averaged 363.7 million gallons daily.

Expressed as a percentage of daily gasoline demand, daily ethanol production was 9.19%. Year-to-date U.S. ethanol export data implies annualized export demand of approximately 900 million gallons.

On the co-products side, ethanol producers were using 12.069 million bushels of corn to produce ethanol and 88,836 metric tons of livestock feed, 79,198 metric tons of which were distillers grains. The rest is comprised of corn gluten feed and corn gluten meal. Additionally, ethanol producers were providing 4.15 million pounds of corn oil daily.



Industry improves biodiesel specifications to meet needs of today's fuels

Fuel quality and a strong set of standards remain one of the highest priorities for the biodiesel industry. That is why the industry continues to refine the ASTM biodiesel specifications to meet the needs of customers with Ultra-Low Sulfur Diesel (ULSD) and new diesel engine and after-treatment technology. A new voluntary No. 1-B grade for biodiesel (B100) passed the ASTM D2 Committee on Petroleum Products and Lubricants this past spring and the results were sanctioned by the ASTM Committee on Standards in a meeting held late last week.

“The biodiesel industry took a proactive stance to improve the standards governing America's Advanced Biofuel,” said Joe Jobe, CEO of the National Biodiesel Board. “For the large majority of biodiesel users, the current standard along with conventional industry management practices allow for biodiesel blend use year-round, even in extreme climates.” ASTM D6751, the ASTM standard for pure biodiesel (B100) prior to blending, was modified to create a new voluntary No. 1-B grade. The new grade provides more stringent controls for minor components in raw materials used to make biodiesel, such as vegetable oils and animal fats. The specification values of the current standard will become the No. 2-B grade in D6751 without change. Producers or blenders can continue to utilize the current specification under the No. 2-B grade at any time of the year exactly as done today, or they may opt to use the more stringent No 1-B grade. The finished blended fuel standards—D975 for on/off road diesel up to 5% biodiesel (B5), D7467 for B6-B20 on/off road applications, and D396 for heating oil up to 5% biodiesel—do not change. B100 used for D975, D7467, and D396 must continue to meet D6751 (either the No. 1-B or the No. 2-B grade) prior to blending.

The choice of the No. 1-B and No. 2-B designations were selected to make the standard as similar as possible as the current mode of operation with No. 1 and No. 2 diesel fuel. Most users utilize No. 2 diesel fuel, but if they experience un-expected filter clogging they can switch to No. 1 diesel fuel, use additives or other means to prevent un-expected filter clogging. The same philosophy is to be maintained with the No. 1-B and No. 2-B biodiesel specification, i.e. most users will continue to utilize the No. 2-B biodiesel but if un-expected filter clogging is experienced, No. 1-B can be used for blending.

The interest in creating No.1-B specification was triggered by a handful of cases with the new Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel fuel experiencing un-expected filter clogging above the cloud point of the finished blend, which mostly occurred with low aromatic No. 1 type diesel blends. The voluntary No. 1-B grade maintains the same parameters as the current standard, and provides more stringent controls for minor components which have been implicated in rare filter clogging in the field with ULSD. Monoglycerides were chosen as a surrogate for all minor components and are limited in the new No. 1-B grade to 0.40% mass maximum, and the Cold Soak Filtration Time is limited to 200 seconds year around.

“We are committed as an industry to being proactive so that the end user gets the best product possible,” said Kyle Anderson, Technical Projects Manager for the National Biodiesel Board. “As part of our on-going commitment to improving the standards and fuel quality, we will continue to investigate these rare phenomena and may propose further changes over time as more data and improved test methods become available. Biodiesel is one of the most tested fuels in the world, and that’s why customers can have confidence in biodiesel blends with ULSD and new diesel engines and after treatment technology moving forward.”

The No. 1-B specification passed the ASTM D2 Main Committee on Petroleum Products and Lubricants via electronic ballot adjudication of negatives from the December 2011 ASTM D2 meeting. The handling of the negatives was reviewed and approved by the ASTM Committee on Standards at a meeting late last week. The modified version of ASTM D6751 containing the new No. 1-B grade will be released for public use later this summer after editorial review and typesetting.



Ag Prices Won't Hike Inflation

The drought in parts of the U.S. farm region has caused prices for commodities including corn, wheat and soybeans to jump this summer. But the rise in farm prices won't have anywhere near the negative impact on consumer inflation that would come from a similar gain in oil.

That's because, as UBS economist Paul Donovan says, "food really isn't 'food'." Much of the food purchased in developed nations has gone through some form of processing, he points out. This and other factors including marketing and distribution add to the final price tag. As a result, food's retail prices aren't wholly determined by farm prices.

In the U.S., farmers get only about 50% of the retail price of butter and a mere 7% for baked goods, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture data.

In comparison, 68% of the 2011 retail price of gasoline was influenced by the market price of crude oil, as calculated by the Energy Information Administration.

Plus, an increase in the cost of oil quickly translates into higher prices at the gas pump. Economists at Capital Economics say it can take up to nine months for increases in agricultural commodity prices to show up in prices at the grocery store.

But they say any inflation impact is small. If agricultural prices were to remain at current high levels, the Capital economists estimate consumer food inflation would rise from 2.7% in June to around 4.5%. Given food's small share of the top-line consumer price index, the rise "would add just 0.3 percentage point to overall CPI inflation," they write.

If no other price pressures build, future inflation would remain close to the Federal Reserve's 2% target rate.

Perhaps the bigger worry in the food price outlook is the possible impact on foreign wages. Food makes up a much larger share of total inflation in emerging economies. If businesses in emerging markets have to make higher cost-of-living pay increases to their workers, higher labor costs might lift prices of imports coming to the U.S.

That hasn't shown up in the import price data yet, but a persistent uptrend in global food prices could change the dynamic.



Agriculture and Energy Departments Announce New Investments to Drive Innovations in Biofuels and Biobased Products

As part of the Obama Administration's all-of-the-above strategy to enhance U.S. energy security, reduce America's reliance on imported oil and leverage our domestic energy supply, while also supporting rural economies, the U.S. Departments of Agriculture (USDA) and Energy today announced a $41 million investment in 13 projects that will drive more efficient biofuels production and feedstock improvements.

"If we want to develop affordable alternatives for oil and gasoline that will help reduce our dependence on foreign oil, we need investments like these projects to spur innovation in bioenergy," said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. "By producing energy more efficiently and sustainably, we can create rural jobs, boost rural economies and help U.S. farmers, ranchers and foresters prosper."

"As part of President Obama's all-of-the-above strategy to deploy every available source of American energy, we continue to strive for more efficient, cost-competitive technologies to produce U.S. energy," said Energy Secretary Steven Chu. "The investments announced today are helping to accelerate innovation across America's growing biofuels industry, which will help to reduce our dependence on imported oil and support job creation across rural America."

New Biomass Research and Development Initiative Investments
Through the joint Biomass Research and Development Initiative (BRDI), USDA and the Energy Department are working to develop economically and environmentally sustainable sources of renewable biomass and increase the availability of renewable fuels and biobased products. The five projects announced today will help to diversify the nation's energy portfolio and replace the need for gasoline and diesel in vehicles.

The cost-shared projects include:
-    Quad County Corn Cooperative ($4.25 million – Galva, Iowa). This project will retrofit an existing corn starch ethanol plant to add value to its byproducts, which will be marketed to the non-ruminant feed markets and to the biodiesel industry. This project enables creation of diverse product streams from this facility, opening new markets for the cooperative and contributing to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's goals for cellulosic ethanol production and use.
-    Agricultural Research Service's National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research ($7 million - Peoria, Illinois). This project will optimize rapeseed/canola, mustard and camelina oilseed crops for oil quality and yield using recombinant inbred lines. Remote sensing and crop modeling will enhance production strategies to incorporate these crops into existing agricultural systems across four ecoregions in the Western United States. The oils will be hydrotreated to produce diesel and jet fuel.
-    Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. ($6.85 million - Findlay, Ohio). Guayule is a hardwood perennial natural rubber-producing shrub grown in the semi-arid southwestern United States. This project will optimize production and quality of guayule rubber using genomic sequencing and development of molecular markers. The extracted rubber will be used in tire formulations, and the remaining plant residue will be evaluated for use in biopower and for conversion to jet fuel precursors.
-    University of Wisconsin ($7 million - Madison, Wisconsin).This project will utilize dairy manure as a source of fiber and fertilizer. Fiber will be converted to ethanol, manure used for fertilizer, and oil from the crops will be converted to biodiesel used in farm equipment. The project goal is to develop closed-loop systems with new product streams that benefit the environment.
-    University of Hawaii ($6 million - Manoa, Hawaii). This project will optimize the production of grasses in Hawaii, including napier grass, energycane, sugarcane and sweet sorghum. Harvest and preprocessing will be optimized to be compatible with the biochemical conversion to jet fuel and diesel.

Leveraging Genomics for More Efficient, Cost-Effective Bioenergy
Today, the Energy Department and USDA are also announcing $10 million for eight research projects aimed at applying biomass genomics to improve promising biofuel feedstocks and drive more efficient, cost-effective energy production. These projects will use genetic mapping to advance sustainable biofuels production by analyzing and seeking to maximize genetic traits like feedstock durability, how tolerant feedstocks are to various environmental stresses, and the potential for feedstocks to be used in energy production.

The projects selected today include:
-    Michigan Technological University ($1.1 million – Houghton, Michigan). This project will analyze genetic traits that affect wood biomass yield and quality in the Populus species, including poplar trees.
-    Iowa State University ($1.4 million - Ames, Iowa). Research will explore the genetic architecture of sorghum biomass yield component traits identified using field-based analysis of the feedstock's physical and genetic traits.

Since 2006, the Plant Feedstocks Genomics for Bioenergy research program has invested nearly $70 million helping to identify key genes affecting biomass yield and quality in feedstocks and to accelerate breeding efforts to improve bioenergy-relevant traits.



USDA Reminds Producers of Approaching Deadline for FSA County Committees Nominations

Farm Service Agency (FSA) Administrator Juan M. Garcia today reminded farmers, ranchers and other agricultural producers that they have until Aug. 1, 2012, to nominate eligible candidates to serve on local FSA county committees.

“The last day to file your nomination form is about a week away," Garcia said. "Please get involved this year and nominate the candidate of your choice, or nominate yourself to serve on your local county committee. This is your opportunity to have a say in how federal programs are delivered in your county.”

FSA county committees help local farmers through their decisions on commodity price support loans, conservation programs and disaster programs, and by working closely with county executive directors.

To be eligible to hold office as a county committee member, individuals must participate or cooperate in a program administered by FSA, be eligible to vote in a county committee election and live in the local administrative area where they are running. A complete list of eligibility requirements, more information and nomination forms are available at http://www.fsa.usda.gov/elections.

All nominees must sign the nomination form FSA-669A. All nomination forms for the 2012 election must be postmarked or received in the local USDA Service Center by close of business on Aug. 1, 2012. Ballots will be mailed to eligible voters by Nov. 5 and are due back to the local USDA Service Centers on Dec. 3. The newly elected county committee members will take office Jan. 1, 2013.



Goodyear to Use Soybean Oil to Reduce Petroleum in Tire Production

The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company announced a development that could help consumers and the environment by reducing the amount of petroleum-based oil used in tires, while at the same time, extending tread life. Researchers at the company's Innovation Center here have found in their tests that using soybean oil in tires can potentially increase tread life by 10 percent and reduce the tiremaker's use of petroleum-based oil by up to seven million gallons each year.

In addition, testing at Goodyear's tire plant in Lawton, Oklahoma showed improved mixing capabilities in the manufacturing process. The company found that rubber compounds made with soybean oil blend more easily with the silica used in building tires.

This can improve plant efficiency and reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.

"Goodyear is committed to caring for the environment and communities, and use of soybean oil is proving to be another way to accomplish this goal," said Jean-Claude Kihn, Goodyear's chief technical officer. "Consumers benefit through improved tread life, Goodyear gains with increased efficiency and energy savings and we all win whenever there is a positive impact on the environment."

Prototype tires built in Lawton will be tested at Goodyear's Proving Grounds in San Angelo, Texas in the coming months.

If indicators remain positive, Goodyear expects consumers will be able to purchase tires made with soybean oil as early as 2015.

The United Soybean Board is helping fund the Goodyear project with a grant of $500,000 over two years.