by Tim Alexander

EPA Increases Ethanol RVOs

BLOOMINGTON – Supporters of ethanol received a needed boost last week when the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) increased their recommended volume obligations (RVOs) for ethanol under the 2014 Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS). Illinois Corn Growers Association President Gary Hudson, a Hindsboro farmer, was among the first to issue a statement praising EPA’s about-face from their earlier call to reduce the amount of ethanol produced in the U.S. by millions of gallons.

“EPA’s decision to retract their proposed rule is the right one. We’ve been saying for a year that the Agency had no authority to make such a move. It’s good to see that the Administration recognized this regulatory overreach and stopped it,” said Hudson, in a Nov. 21 statement released by the corn growers. “Now we’re eager to see if this move will result in a change in how EPA does business. EPA has made a series of decisions with regard to corn-based ethanol that don’t add up based on science.”

Illinois farmers sent more than 1,100 comments to the EPA regarding the proposed rule, joining thousands of others from across the nation, according to Hudson.

“As EPA considers where they go from here with the 2014, 2015 and 2016 RVO numbers, they also ought to take a look at their other policy roadblocks that are keeping Americans from accessing homegrown, renewable fuels,” he said. “The proposed RVO rule was just one in a series of arbitrary market access barriers that EPA has installed.”

Lurkins: CAFO Rules Affect All Feeding Operations

SPRINGFIELD – With final rules for Confined Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) recently revealed by the Illinois Pollution Control Board, the Ill. Farm Bureau (IFB) and Ill. Pork Producers Association (IPPA) recently concluded a series of meetings across the state to educate pork producers about the new rules.

Lauren Lurkins, who is director of natural and environmental resources for IFB, said the goal of the meetings was to advise livestock producers on how to best operate their farms to avoid any accidental manure discharges and stay in compliance with the new CAFO rules. But first up was setting the record straight on exactly who the new rules affect. “The (CAFO) name is a misnomer,” Lurkins said. “The rules apply to any animal feeding operations– or AFOs, if you will.”

During the seven-city informational tour, producers often expressed surprise at some of the requirements for their operations that are detailed in the final CAFO rules, according to Lurkins.

“There will be plenty of surprises for those who have not been following the background of the rule,” Lurkins said. “There are elements of the rule that are applicable to all livestock farmers and all animal feeding operations. There are some things that (producers) are not going to love.”

For instance, “there are some new rules on temporary manure stacks for smaller operations that usually stack manure for less than six months. A new requirement (dictates) a cover and pad or other control to prevent leaching into groundwater or surface water,” Lurkins said. “I think there will be some pushback on that issue.”

In addition, the new rules direct that new livestock facilities must have 120-day storage tank or holding pond storage capability. There are new rules regarding vegetative filter strips or other field runoff applications. There is also a much greater emphasis placed on producer record keeping. Producers: for more info on new CAFO requirements, contact Lurkins at the IFB office.

So, How Much Corn is Out There?

URBANA – Large differences between the planted acreage estimates for corn and soybeans issued by the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) compared with the planted acreage reported by farmers to the Farm Service Agency (FSA) in November have left unresolved questions about planted and harvested acreage, according to Darrel Good, University of Illinois Department of ACES farm economist. Though Good said he expects the differences to narrow with the December-January reports from the two agencies, the discrepancies could contribute to price fluctuations, he reported in an essay posted to farmdocDAILY.com.

“How that difference narrows…has important price implications for corn and soybeans. Last year, for example, most of the narrowing in the corn estimates was the result of lower NASS estimates. The FSA corn acreage estimates increased by 846,805 acres from September to November and by 76,120 acres from November to January,” Good wrote. “The NASS planted acreage estimate, however, declined by 2.038 million acres from September to November and increased by only 24,000 acres from November to January. For soybeans the narrowing was the result of almost equal changes in the estimates. The FSA estimate increased by 563,912 acres from September to November and by 76,120 acres from November to January. The NASS planted acreage estimate declined by 685,000 acres from September to November and then increased by 40,000 acres from November to January.”

Rauner Names Ag Transition Team

BLOOMINGTON – Illinois Governor-elect Bruce Rauner announced his transition teams for agriculture and energy-environment last week, and the roster includes ex-presidents of Illinois Corn (ICGA) and the Illinois Beef Association (IBA).

Rauner’s Ag Transition Team includes Len Corzine, past ICGA and National Corn Growers Assoc. president and Illinois farmer, the ICGA has announced. Also selected were Jeff Beasley, past president of the IBA, Heather Hampton-Knodle, past president of Illinois AgriWomen and a Montgomery County farmer, and Corey Flournoy, director of the Center for Urban Agricultural Education at the University of Illinois.

Rauner’s Energy and Environment Transition Team consists of Amy Francetic, CEO of Clean Energy Trust, Jeri Titsworth, environmental supervisor for Marathon Petroleum Co., and Charlie Trotter, president and CEO of the Max McGraw Wildlife Federation.

Illinois Farm Fact:

An acre of corn will give off 4,000 gallons of water per day in evaporation. (Ill. Ag in the Classroom)

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