Sec. Vilsack Encourages Use of E15
In a continued effort by the administration to support the biofuels industry, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack has called on petroleum companies to increase the percentage of ethanol in America's gas tanks by adopting E15. The Environmental Protection Agency approved the blend as a fuel option for most vehicles in 2010, and once the blend becomes commercially available, it will support the ethanol industry's efforts to help keep gas prices down.
"The availability of E15 will increase America's energy security and spur additional job creation," Vilsack said. "Increasing the percentage of ethanol to be blended with gasoline will help boost economic growth while lessening the nation's dependence on foreign oil."
E15 and the Renewable Fuel Standard advance the use of domestically produced renewable fuels, help encourage new technologies, bring jobs to rural America and enhance U.S. energy independence. More than 70,000 Americans are directly employed by the production of ethanol; many in rural America, thanks to the expansion under the RFS. In addition, the use of ethanol has reduced gas prices by roughly 89 cents per gallon, decreasing the average household's gasoline bill by roughly $800 per year. A broad coalition of stakeholders, including ethanol and agricultural organizations, environmentalists, oil companies and state air officials, supported the legislation.
Click here for more information on Secretary Vilsack's remarks.
Our View
"Would" versus "Could:" The Pitfalls of Academic Models and Public Perception
By Rick Tolman, Chief Executive Officer -
As an alumnus of Purdue University, I love the school and think it is an outstanding institution. Overall, the School of Agriculture has a stellar staff, a tradition of excellence and a dean who is outstanding. I received a master's degree from Purdue in Agricultural Economics, and the time I spent there and the training I received has been, and continues to be, one of the key defining experiences of my life.
But alas, even Purdue from time to time, like many of our Land Grant institutions, suffers from what I consider to be two serious weaknesses. The first is an over-reliance on academic modeling and academic-only institutional experience. This often results in an undervaluing of reality and real-world experience. The second is the way the results of some of their academic modeling exercises are promoted and played up to the public - as if they are real-world results.
There are many recent instances where this has occurred across our Land Grant system. It is not only a disservice to U.S. agriculture, which the Land Grant system was put in place specifically to serve, but also the general public, who are misled and given misperceptions that are unfortunately long lasting and very difficult to overcome. Models are designed to take a limited number of variables to try and explain past occurrences. Once it adequately explains the past, modelers then try to make future predictions. However, depending on the variables or constraints selected-purposely or not on purpose, or things change in the future, the accuracy of the models predictions can vary wildly from reality.
To read the full article, click here.
Wallace to Tackle Talladega while Advancing American Ethanol
Tune in Saturday as Kenny Wallace races a special American Ethanol paint out at the Talledega Speedway. As a founding partner of American Ethanol, NCGA urges members (and all race fans!) to watch the race and see the power of ethanol for themselves.
"I have fielded a lot of questions about ethanol through my work with NCGA," said NCGA NASCAR Advisory Committee Chairman Martin Barbre. "You can understand academically the environmental, economic and national security benefits of this sustainable, domestically produced fuel, but, to gain a more visceral knowledge, you just have to see Sunoco Green E15 in action on the track. Ethanol doesn't just make sense, it fuels some of the most exciting racing on the planet today."
In 14 Nationwide Series starts at Talladega Superspeedway, Wallace boasts one top-five and four top-10 finishes. His best showing at the 2.66-mile track is a third-place finish, which he achieved in July 1995. The nine-time Nationwide Series race winner has an average starting position of 23.3 and an average finish of 18.4. Additionally, Wallace has competed in 24 Sprint Cup Series races at the Alabama Superspeedway. His best and most-well-known finish of second came in 2000, when he pushed the late Dale Earnhardt to his final Cup Series victory at Talladega Superspeedway.
For the whole story, click here.
Remind Congress that RFS is Important to Every American
Congress returned home this week to spend some much-needed time meeting with and listening to the voters that elected them into office. Now is the perfect time for growers to contact their members of Congress and remind them why the Renewable Fuel Standard is important to all Americans, such as by saving money at the gas station.
"Corn ethanol plays a pivotal role in America's fight to reduce our dependence on foreign oil," NCGA President Garry Niemeyer said. "Not only does it help diversify America's fuel supply but it also fosters a more vibrant economy. Recently, ethanol reduced wholesale gasoline prices by $0.89 per gallon, saving the average American household $800. In addition, American-made ethanol contributed more volume to our fuel supply than the gasoline refined from oil imports from Saudi Arabia, Iraq and other OPEC nations. We need to remind Congress the RFS is doing its job."
The Energy Independence and Security Act became law in 2007. Included in the bill was an expanded Renewable Fuel Standard, which requires 36 billion gallons of renewable fuel to be blended into the nation's fuel supply by 2022. There is also an allowance for 15 billion gallons of corn-based ethanol by 2015. The act builds on the progress made by the 2005 Energy Policy Act, the first comprehensive energy legislation the nation has seen in more than a decade.
For the whole story, click here.
Lab Time! Take a Hands on Look at What the Maize Genomic Database Will Do
This week, the "Off the Cob" podcast series spoke with Dr. Jack Gardiner, the curator of the Maize Genome and Genetics Database, where NCGA has funded activities that will add functional genomic software tools into the preexisting USDA ARS database. When completed, these tools will allow researchers to easily isolate and examine manageable data sets, thus decreasing the time and effort needed to utilize the massive amounts of genomic data on corn and produce results that will aid farmers.
The work on the Maize Genome and Genetics Database continues NCGA's leadership in the area of corn genetics. Instrumental in its role as a proponent of the original Maize Genome Sequencing Project, the organization continues service to growers in its work bringing together the scientific talent and funding needed to advance collective knowledge supporting innovation.
As work toward this eventual goal chugs along, Gardiner provides an update on the project's progress while delving more deeply into how this tool, and the science that it makes more easily usable, looks to a trained scientist.
For the whole story, click here.
To take a quick tour of the EFP browser, complete with actual images and Gardiner's explanation, click here.
To listen to the full interview, click here.
Ethanol Rocks: NCGA Launches Video Contest
As the E15 ethanol fuel blend prepares for its national debut, NCGA calls on students to channel their "inner Spielberg" and submit entries in the Ethanol Rocks video contest.
"Right now, we're distributing Ethanol Rocks video contest application and rules packets online and to FFA chapters and members of the National Science Teachers Association," said Chad Willis, chairman of NCGA's Ethanol Committee. "Statistics and studies confirm that ethanol keeps the cost of gasoline down and reduces harmful emissions into the environment, and we're looking for creative ways to tell ethanol's great story. By giving American youth a creative platform, we hope to discover a wide variety of interesting perspectives on the benefits of ethanol."
The contest is looking for short videos (2 minutes or less) from active high school and college students that highlight the benefits of ethanol fuel blends to the U.S. environment and economy.
For the whole story, click here.
Click here for the guidelines, application and official rules.
Reminder! NCYC Early Registration Now Open; Online Available Soon
As farmers across the country have gotten a jump on planting season this year, NCGA invites them to register for the National Corn Yield Contest early too. Until June 15, growers can also take advantage of a special early entry discount. With fees reduced to $80 until that time, NCGA reminds growers that a small time investment now saves money later this summer.
"While it may still seem a ways out, we all know how quickly the time passes once planting season starts," said Production and Stewardship Action Team Chair Dean Taylor. "I have heard many growers speaking optimistically so far this year. In light of the favorable early planting conditions, I urge those who haven't entered before to become NCGA members and try their hand at high yield techniques as contest entrants in 2012."
For access to contest information, rules and forms, click here. As of today, entry forms are available for download, with submission through traditional mail. Later this month, NCGA will roll out an online entry form for those wishing to submit their entry electronically.
For the whole story, click here.
Enhancing Understanding of Enhanced Seed Varieties
As advertising budgets decline and competition increases, media outlets and food manufacturers alike find themselves needing to exploit any possible factor that could differentiate their product from the crowd. In many ways, the increased attention both parties pays to the use of biotechnology in agriculture stems from this predicament. Without solid, scientific claims against these products, news providers and food makers alike have found that exploiting the physiological tendency to fear the unknown drives consumers toward products which they identify as more natural despite no evidence that this somehow improves said product.
When in doubt, cause mass hysteria. Then, turn said hysteria into financial gain by promoting an agenda or product that can be marketed by promoting the lack of the very ingredient media outlets falsely villainized in order to gain ratings. Finally, advertise said "natural product" through the various channels that originally introduced the idea of its inferiority in the first place. The loop works to perpetuate the misunderstanding in order to make a profit for all parties involved.
Unfortunately, the entire system bases itself in generating and perpetuating attitudes toward biotechnology that are not based in the facts. Negative media coverage of GMOs and marketers bent on grabbing a portion of the non-GMO or organic markets, with their deep pockets and almost evangelical fervor.
For the whole story, click here.
Corn Planting Proceeds at Near Record Pace
Corn planting is progressing well ahead of the five-year average across much of the Corn Belt, according to a U.S. Department of Agriculture report released earlier this week. As a whole, the report indicates that a full 53 percent of the nation's corn crop had already been planted as of April 29, nearly double the 27 percent five-year average at that time.
"Looking back at where we stood at this time last year, the contrast is like that between night and day," said President Niemeyer. "In 2011, the country had only planted 12 percent of all corn acres as April came to a close. This year, corn farmers are more than half way complete. If the weather continues to cooperate, we have the potential for a smooth and quick planting season across much of the country in 2012."
The progress indicated by the report shows that the 2012 planting season has already been unique as, since 1980, there have been only three other crop years in which more than 50 percent of corn acres had been planted by the last week of April.
For the whole story, click here.
New Staffer Helps NCGA Grow Grassroots, Accelerate NASCAR
NCGA welcomes Jo Lynn Dollar to the Marketing Department, where she will serve as an administrative assistant. Dollar brings a strong background in many varied areas which will benefit the programs she supports.
"Jo Lynn will be a valuable addition to support our team in some of our key initiatives," said Vice President of Marketing Fred Stemme. "We are glad to have her on board and look forward to working with her."
Dollar's primary duties will be as support for the key communications initiatives of NASCAR and Grassroots. She will also assist with Membership and Development duties. Previously, she worked for Enterprise Rent-a-Car and Doubletree Hotels. She is a native of Texas.
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