Soybean, corn, wheat and sorghum growers attending Commodity Classic February 28-March 2 in Kissimmee, Fla., will benefit from a wide variety of educational sessions, networking opportunities and a trade show with more than 1,000 booths displaying the newest technology, equipment, ideas and innovations in agriculture.

The political landscape in Washington changed with the November elections, including that for ethanol. In the past few months, Congress has seen fewer corn advocate members added to the freshman class and also to key committees such as the House Energy and Commerce Committee. In addition, shortly before Christmas, the White House announced the departure of EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson. It will be critical that the National Corn Growers Association use all opportunities to educate the new players on the importance of biofuels.

"The upcoming year could be a challenging one for ethanol advocates," NCGA President Johnson said. "At the same time, we see many new legislators and regulators coming to power. With fewer leaders from corn producing states, education and grassroots action will be essential to successfully defending the Renewable Fuel Standard."

As the 2013 calendar flips over, millions of Americans get a new beginning by looking to live healthier lifestyles in the new year. In addition to extra hours at the gym, many grocery shoppers will also spend more time ensuring their carts are filled with healthier options to feed their families. Today's plethora of labels and buzzwords that adorn food packaging only makes the trip to the market even more daunting. In fact, many of the labels, such as "grass-fed" and "organic," that often suggest food is healthier refer only to how it was raised, not to the nutritional content.