by Tim Alexander

Talk Turns to Corn in Nation’s Capitol

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Bill Foster (D-Ill.-11th) led a delegation of Illinois officials– including Representatives Tammy Duckworth and Bill Enyart, Dr. Michael Wang from Argonne National Laboratory and Dr. Steffen Mueller from the University of Illinois-Chicago– in a meeting urging the White House to support renewable energy by maintaining renewable fuel requirements under the EPA’s Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS). The group met with key presidential advisors to address the EPA’s proposal to reduce the renewable volume obligations (RVOs) for corn ethanol for the 2014 RFS.

“Recent analyses show that modern ethanol production is an important tool to preserve our environment and expand our economy,” said Foster. Enyart noted that the country needs to maintain its focus on President Obama’s previously-stated “all of the above” strategy for energy sources. “Ethanol, together with clean energy technology, will produce a bright future for our environment and our economy,” he said.

Duckworth added that, as a former National Guardswoman, she feels it is crucial the U.S. develops renewable energy sources like ethanol to “not only grow our economy, but to strengthen our national security and support our troops.”

Following their presentation, the delegation requested that EPA reconsider how they model greenhouse gas emissions associated with corn-based ethanol, which has been shown to reduce CO2 emissions by an average of at least 34 percent when compared to gasoline, Illinois Corn reported July 16. (Rep. Bill Foster news release, Illinois Corn Daily Update)

Award Winning Kids’ Ag Exhibit Returns

HENRY – The award-winning ImAGination Acres interactive kids’ farming attraction returned for its second year at the Marshall-Putnam County Fair in Henry earlier this month with a new addition: a prestigious national award. The educational exhibit, which is produced by the M-P County Farm Bureau in coordination with Illinois Ag in the Classroom, was one of just 22 awarded the American Farm Bureau Federation’s County Excellence Award at the 2014 AFBF Conference in San Antonio, Texas. The recognition was granted, in part, due to the efforts of the area ag and business communities, along with private citizens and craftsmen and women, to quickly bring the attraction to fruition in 2013. Over $6,000 was raised in just four weeks during a grassroots, word-of-mouth fundraising campaign last year.

“The community just got totally on board with the project,” said Tiffany Moodie, manager of the M-P County Farm Bureau and one of the creators of ImAGination Acres. “The response is so good, many of last year’s donors were wondering how they could help out again this year. I told them to go ahead and take this year off and wait for next year– I’ll see you then.”

The M-P Fair has free admission (excluding grandstand events), tractor and equipment shows, 4-H animal judging, and other no-and-low-cost attractions that harken back to the heyday of agriculture-based fairs conceived with the whole family in mind. The addition of ImAGination Acres by the M-P County Farm Bureau augments the fair’s family-friendly reputation, a connection that is not lost on many of the hundreds of families that visit the ag exhibit each day of the fair, according to Moodie.

“I’ve gotten calls from several parents who say how great it is to be able to come out to a fair where everything is free and family-oriented,” she said. “That’s what’s exciting to me.”

Soybean Groups Eyes DuPont, Stine Collaborations

BLOOMINGTON – Letting seed companies know what genetic qualities growers seek in soybeans is an important aspect of industry communications performed by the Illinois Soybean Association (ISA). That’s why a group of ISA directors and staff met with key marketing and research staff from DuPont-Pioneer in Johnston, Iowa and Stine Seed Co. in Adel, Iowa earlier in July. The contingent of grower-leaders was able to review the latest advances in soybean breeding programs and discuss opportunities for future collaborations with the companies, according to Sharon Covert, a soybean farmer from Tiskilwa and an ISA director.

“We know from working with our customers– including overseas buyers– that increasing protein and oil levels of our soybeans will help increase future demand. The conversations are critical to the future of our industry because our seed suppliers can play a crucial role in helping us keep Illinois soybeans competitive in the world market,” Covert said, in an ISA news release from July 14.

Covert added that another important aspect of the meetings is being able to share the information with other Illinois farmers. Updates from the trip will be included on ISA’s ILSoyAdvisor.com blog throughout the growing and harvest season.

ISA Announces Sustainability Showcase

BLOOMINGTON – In other ISA news, the state soybean organization announced it will host a “2014 Sustainability Showcase Farm Tour” at the Roy Wendte farm near Altamont on August 7.

“Name any sustainable farming practice and it’s a good bet the Wendtes have adopted it or are thinking about it,” said Don Guinnip, ISA director and production committee chairman. “ISA organized this event to show Illinois farmers are environmental leaders and to share ways to keep improving.”

Eleven farm sustainability experts will be on hand to give presentations and hands-on demonstrations on topics including equipment training, soil quality improvement techniques, government support programs, conservation funding, cover cropping and ISA support. The Wendtes, who have demonstrated a three-generation commitment to farm sustainability, will also discuss how their farming practices help enhance and protect natural resources.

For more details on the event, visit www.ilsoy.org/sustainability/showcasefarm. (ISA news release)

Illinois Farm Fact:

Between the 2007 and 2012 Censuses of Agriculture, the size of the average Illinois farm increased by 3.2 percent to 359 acres, and the average market value of agricultural products sold per farm increased by 32 percent to $228,895. (University of Illinois FarmdocDAILY)

(Tim Alexander is a freelance reporter who writes agriculture, news and feature articles for the News Bulletin, Farm World and many other publications.)