Tag Archives: Grower’s

American Farmers Need a Strong RFS

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American Farmers Need a Strong RFS

Posted 20 October 2015 in

National

Earlier this month, the National Farmers Union and the National Corn Growers Association released a white paper detailing the dramatic toll that uncertainty over the Renewable Fuel Standard has taken on rural economies. Projections for American farmers’ net cash income in 2015 show a 26 percent decrease from peak levels in 2013.

The RFS, which is the only federal law on the books combating climate change, has driven sustainable growth in renewable fuel for a decade. The renewable fuel industry sparked an economic revolution that raised farm incomes across sectors while creating jobs in rural communities. U.S. farmers increased their production by investing in better technology and sustainable acreage expansion.

But the EPA’s failure to release the rules for 2013, 2014, and 2015 has caused net farm income to likely fall more than 50 percent in only two years. When the farm community loses, the whole country loses.

By sidestepping its responsibilities on the RFS, the EPA is putting American jobs, investments, and innovations at risk.

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American Farmers Need a Strong RFS

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Florida citrus growers binge on pesticides, endangering bees

Florida citrus growers binge on pesticides, endangering bees

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Don’t breathe in!

Floridian citrus growers are upping the chemical ante as they struggle to save their groves from citrus greening — a devastating bacterial infection spread by tiny invasive insects known as Asian citrus psyllids.

While the orange growers used to spray insecticides a few times a year, The Ledger newspaper reports that they are now dousing their groves monthly. (And we recently told you about a Florida’s Natural supplier that was accused of spraying its crops every four days with multiple chemicals, killing off honeybee colonies and leading to a $1,500 fine.)

Needless to say, the region’s apiarists are none too pleased to see their bees being killed by the insecticides. The Ledger article describes a growing war between Florida’s powerful citrus growers and the smaller apiary industry:

A major issue for beekeepers comes during the citrus bloom period, which generally comes in March and April but can extend weeks earlier or later depending upon weather conditions.

Beekeepers involved in honey production traditionally place hives in or near groves so the bees produce citrus-flavored honey, one of the most popular varieties.

That practice puts bees in the line of fire when growers spray during bloom, an important period for controlling psyllids, who are especially drawn to new growth, Rogers said.

“The days of putting bees right in the middle of a grove, I think those days are gone,” said Bobbi Bell of Bell Apiaries LLC in Fort Meade, a 32-year veteran of the industry.

But beekeepers also contract with other growers to release bees in their fields for pollination, which also puts them at risk from pesticides in citrus groves.

The conundrum has Florida Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam, who is also a citrus grower, desperate to find a solution that can protect both the state’s fruit and honey industries.


Source
Citrus Growers, Beekeepers at Loggerheads Over Pesticides, The Ledger

John Upton is a science fan and green news boffin who tweets, posts articles to Facebook, and blogs about ecology. He welcomes reader questions, tips, and incoherent rants: johnupton@gmail.com.

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Florida citrus growers binge on pesticides, endangering bees

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Op-Ed: Extolling the virtues of ethanol

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Op-Ed: Extolling the virtues of ethanol

Posted 9 May 2013 in

National

This op-ed originally ran in the Fostoria Times Review:

By Tadd Nicholson, Ohio Corn & Wheat Growers Association

Volatile gas prices are hurting consumers in Ohio and across the country. While they may be briefly dipping right now, prices across the state still range from $3.25 to $3.67 per gallon. Coupled with our nation’s subdued economic recovery that has left too many Ohioans struggling, high gas prices are putting a serious strain on family checkbooks. And, when record gas prices return – as they most surely will – this economic burden will worsen.

We all know that the relationship between economy and gas prices is a problem. And it’s worse in Ohio than in most other states. The median household income in Ohio is $48,071, almost $5,000 below the national average. And in 2011, Ohio drivers paid $2,252 on average for gasoline. That’s money taken away from clothes, food and other necessities.

We have reason to be hopeful, however. One solution to this serious issue has been a game changer for rural Ohio. The solution is ethanol.

Ethanol has created a significant new industry in our state, with nearly all of its impressive growth coming in the past decade thanks to two key factors: agricultural advancements that have led to record corn yields, and the support of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) – a policy that encourages homegrown alternatives in the oil-dominated transportation fuel sector. According to a recent study from The Ohio State University, the ethanol industry supports 13,000 jobs and has invested $2.8 billion in the Buckeye state since 2008.

These are big numbers for our economy, and each gallon of ethanol we produce has ripple effects throughout rural economies too. The same OSU report found that for every single job created in direct ethanol production, nearly five are created in rural industries, like farming.

Beyond providing jobs and income to thousands of Ohioans, the ethanol industry creates a healthier, more competitive market for agricultural products. As margins for farmers go down, having multiple groups that want our product helps keep us in business. It’s simple economics.

Another added benefit of our newly developed biorefining industry is the feed produced at refining facilities for livestock. To make ethanol, you take the starch out of a kernel of corn and begin to process it. The rest of the kernel, which contains nutritious oil and protein, is turned into high quality animal feed. This feed is a favorite of livestock farmers in the US, but is also a big export item, helping to bring money into our economy.

But farmers aren’t the only ones benefitting from renewable fuel. Consumers are already enjoying lower prices at the pump thanks to ethanol. Research from multiple academic institutions show that blending biofuels like ethanol lowers the overall price of a gallon of gasoline. Because ethanol is less expensive than oil, and because the introduction of ethanol into our fuel has substantially increased the supply of gasoline in America, producing fuel that has been grown here has paid dividends for Ohioans and consumers across the country.

Growing crops in Ohio for food, feed and fuel is one part of the solution for a better future. With unpredictable high gas prices and the need to create jobs and spur our economy, we must support one of the few industries making progress on all of these fronts.

Nicholson is the executive director of the Ohio Corn & Wheat Growers Associationm Delaware, Ohio.

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Op-Ed: Extolling the virtues of ethanol

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CNN: White House Honors Farmer Fighting Climate Change

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CNN: White House Honors Farmer Fighting Climate Change

Posted 15 April 2013 in

National

Fred Yoder, a fourth generation farmer, past President of the National Corn Growers Association, and renewable fuel champion was honored by the White House late last week for his contributions to agricultural innovation and leadership in fighting climate change.

Passionate about feeding and fueling the world, it all started when he inherited his family farm and was told by his father to “leave the land in better shape than you found it.” Read more at CNN.com.

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CNN: White House Honors Farmer Fighting Climate Change

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