Associate Professor Nick Paulson of the University of Illinois farmdoc team was one of six presenters at the 2016 Farm Economics Summit in East Peoria on Dec. 14. (Photo by Tim Alexander)

As the year comes to an end, the University of Illinois has debuted its new Farm Policy News website that generates daily “quick-take” news summaries for subscribers of the free service. Keith Good, social media manager for the farmdoc project, wasted no time jumping into hot-button issues including the unease president-elect Trump’s nominations are causing biofuel proponents. We will delve into Good’s findings and much more in this final news roundup of 2016 for Illinois farmers and rural dwellers. Please read on …

Report: Trump nominees battled against RFS

URBANA — President-elect Donald Trump’s nominees for Environmental Protection Agency Director, Secretary of State and Energy Secretary are on record as being anti-biofuel and have battled against legislation mandating the use of domestic, renewable biofuels. “All three nominees have battled against the Renewable Fuel Standard and other policies that benefit biofuel production,” reported DTN ag policy editor Chris Clayton, referring to Trump nominees Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt (EPA director), Exxon Mobil chairman and CEO Rex Tillerson (Secretary of State) and former Texas Gov. Rick Perry (Energy Secretary).

Clayton noted that Trump’s nominees for the positions belies his campaign statements on ethanol and raise some red flags with biofuel supporters. The nominations sparked the concern of Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad (who was subsequently nominated by Trump as ambassador to China), compelling Branstad to announce that Trump had assured him not to worry about ethanol policies.

The anti-biofuel connection common of the Trump nominees was also noted by the Wall Street Journal. “After campaigning as a strong supporter of the use of ethanol and other biofuels in the nation’s gasoline supply, President-elect Donald Trump has chosen a forceful adversary of those federal requirements to implement them,” according to the publication. (Farm Policy News)

U of I rolls out ‘Farm Policy News’

URBANA — The University of Illinois farmdoc team debuted their new “Farm Policy News” website last week, featuring “quick take” news summaries from Keith Good on topics related to agricultural policy and economics (see prior news item). Good is the social media manager for the project, which is the successor to Good’s FarmPolicy.com website that enjoyed a 12-year run, highlighting agricultural policy developments and financial issues of note to farmers.

The new site provides links to other ag news summaries and Good’s social media offerings, while offering the ability to search an extensive archive of news summaries. It also features a free subscription to daily email announcements and headlines. “We hope you will take a look at the new site and sign up for the daily email announcements,” said Scott Irwin, farmdoc team leader.

Check it out for yourself at www.farmpolicynews.illinois.edu. (farmdoc news)

Illinois Farm Fact:

Slides for all 2016 Illinois Farm Economics Summit presentations may be accessed at www.farmdoc.illinis.edu/presentations/IFES_2016.

500-bushel corn grower to lead seminar

BLOOMINGTON — 2016 national corn and soybean yield record holder Randy Dowdy will lead a day-long seminar on maximizing yields on Jan. 20 at the Parke Regency Hotel and Conference Center in Bloomington. Dowdy is the 2016 national soybean yield record holder at 171.8 bushels per acre, and the 2016 no-till/strip-till irrigated corn yield record holder with a yield of 521 bu./acre. He was also the the national corn yield winner in 2014, with 504 bu./acre.

Dowdy’s goal is to “teach growers why things work and how to understand the crop’s needs,” according to a media advisory. The event is sponsored by the Illinois Corn Growers Association, Illinois Soybean Association (ISA), FS InVISION and FS HiSOY. (ISA news)

Soybean Summit agendas finalized

BLOOMINGTON — The Illinois Soybean Association (ISA) has announced key sessions and speakers for the ILSoyAdvisor.com Soybean Summits scheduled for Effingham (Feb. 3) and Peoria (Feb. 16). The Effingham summit will feature speakers Mike Boehlje of Purdue University (“How Do You Win in Tough Times?) and Kirk Reese of DuPont-Pioneer (“Accelerating Soybean Genetic Gain”), and will offer a roundtable led by certified crop advisers (CCAs) on “Double-Cropping: Challenges and Viable Solutions.”

The Peoria event will include speakers Robb Fraley of Monsanto (“Innovation in Agriculture”) and Steve Johnson of Iowa State University (“Ag Outlook 2020”), along with a CCA-led roundtable focused on double-cropping. Full agendas and other summit information can be found on the ISA website (www.ilsoy.org).

Farm Econ Summit draws 175 farmers

EAST PEORIA — Around 175 farmers and agribusiness personnel were in attendance for the University of Illinois 2016 Farm Economics Summit, held Dec. 14 at the Par-A-Dice Casino Hotel. This is according to U of I Department of ACES professor emeritus Darrel Good, who manned the event registration table following his presentation on crop and livestock prices for 2017. In addition to Good’s presentation, five other U of I agricultural economists and professors offered insights on the summit’s theme of “The Profitability of Illinois Agriculture: The Margin Squeeze Continues.”

Many of the speakers focused on measures producers can adapt to decrease negative margins, including cutting input costs and renegotiating cash rent amounts for farmland. A farm bill program update and outlook delivered by Associate Professor Nick Paulson projected low payments for those who elected the Agricultural Risk Coverage (ARC) County option through 2018. Paulson predicted that changes to the ARC-CO risk option due to low grain prices and small payouts will be a hot-button issue during negotiations for the 2018 Farm Bill.

In addition, Todd Kuethe offered an agricultural credit market update that came just moments before the Federal Reserve raised key interest rates by 0.25 percent. Kuethe told the farmers that because farm loan delinquencies are on the rise along with requests for credit due to low commodity prices, lenders are scrutinizing loan applicants more closely than in recent years.

The U of I Farm Economics Summit also traveled to Champaign, DeKalb, Springfield and Mount Vernon during the week of Dec. 12-16.

–R.F.D. NEWS & VIEWS–