With the Farm to Fuel Summit coming up July 29-31, Ag Commissioner Charlie Bronson says that it has been very successful through the past four years.
The U.S. House of Representatives has approved legislation that will allow farmers, ranchers and forestland owners to fully participate in a market-based carbon offset program, earning income for activities they undertake to address global climate change, as Tyron Spearman has more.
A floor vote on the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 is set for Friday. However, many Ag Organizations still remain opposed to the bill with American Farm Bureau’s Paul Schlegel arguing it’s still not good for agriculture.
Kevin Tunison of the National Arboretum says that they have recently installed a solar powered drip irrigation system for one of it’s research nurseries and that homeowners can scale similar projects to suit an agricultural, commercial and even a home landscaping application.
The debate regarding the Waxman-Markey bill continues and the House Ag Committee’s Top Republican, Frank Lucas, says the cost-benefit issues for ag in the climate bill are too profound to overcome.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Fuel isn’t the only product derived from petroleum. Byproducts of the refining process are used to create other substances, such as plastics. However, in the race to replace our dependence on petroleum with biofuels, these valuable byproducts are often overlooked.
The eight House committees that have jurisdiction over the American Clean Energy and Security Act have very few days remaining to review the legislation.
With renewable energy the hot topic of the moment, Ag Commissioner Charles Bronson says that Florida is in a prime position to capitalize on the opportunities alternative fuels may provide.
The Agriculture Department is going full steam ahead on the energy portions in the 2008 Farm Bill as Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack says they have made the 30 day deadline set by President Obama.
The House Agriculture Committee held a hearing on the much talked about Waxman-Markey climate change and energy legislation.
The Environmental Protection Agency held a hearing on its proposed rule to determine the greenhouse gas emissions performance of biofuels. The hearing centered on a controversial theory called indirect land use change.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Plans for a new cellulosic ethanol research and demonstration plant to be built by the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences are being revamped for a location closer to Gainesville.
In this report, USDA Radio’s Gary Crawford (photo) talks with Meteorologist Brad Rippey about the potential for an El Nino weather pattern to develop, and if it does, what the impacts on various areas of the U S may be.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has placed a deadline on the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s action on the climate change legislation, HR 2454, with a June 19th deadline.
There is growing concern in the Ag sector regarding proposed climate change and energy legislation.
House Agriculture Committee Chair Collin Peterson wants key issues settled before he will sign off on the American Clean Energy and Security Act - the climate change legislation recently approved by the Energy and Commerce Committee.
Everett Griner explains how bio-energy has had little impact on food prices.
A new study has shown increasing the amount of ethanol blended into the gasoline supply to 15-percent, would have a minimal impact on prices while helping to increase farm income and provide value to the nation’s economy. Growth Energy CEO Tom Buis says the study reinforces the fact that America’s farmers are up to the task of providing energy.
With much of the watermelon season winding down here in Florida studies have shown that there may be another market for the popular fruit.
In this weeks podcast, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack speaks on the status of Animal ID, Florida Cattlemen sizzle the summer through partnerships, Gary Cooper wraps up his Citrus Tour, Florida Food Banks take a cut in financial assistance and Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Charles Bronson talks about the new E85 fueling station in the state.
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This week’s Commissioner’s Spotlight from Florida Agriculture Commissioner Charles Bronson is about the 2009 Farm to Fuel Summit. More information is available on the web by clicking on Summit.
South Florida is now home to the nation’s 2000th E85 fuel pump which Agriculture Commissioner Charles Bronson says is good for agriculture, the environment and the economy.
The American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009, or HR 2454, passed the House Energy and Commerce Committee late last week. And National Affairs Coordinator for the Florida Farm Bureau Federation Adam Basford says that bill currently lacks any benefits for agriculture.
The Renewable Fuel Standard Improvement Act, or H.R. 2409 has been introduced in an effort to eliminate the EPA requirement which considers indirect land use when calculating greenhouse gas emissions associated with advanced biofuels.
Catching up with Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives Larry Cretul 
at a Marion County Farm Bureau farm tour luncheon Friday we asked about the impact of the Seminole Gaming Compact on horse racing in Florida; a possible special session; farm to fuel initiatives; grass roots input to lawmakers with respect to the new lobbying restrictions, and what his future plans may be considering he term limits out of his House seat after next Session. Click the icon to hear his remarks.
The Obama Administration has made two major announcements concerning biofuels.
Today Tyron Spearman has information from EPA concerning refinements to the renewable fuels standard, and also how the name of the latest influenza has been changed to help protect the hog indsutry.
Renewable Fuels:
H1N1 Influenza:
The Defense Department is the largest consumer of energy in the United States, spending roughly 18-billion dollars on energy resources just last year. But, that may be all about to change.
As the Florida Legislature takes a quick Easter break we check in with Sam Ard, Director of Governmental Affairs for the Florida Cattlemen’s Association, to get an update regarding the energy bill and the Florida Governor race for 2010.
The Propane Education and Research Council has been busy promoting the use of propane on the farm as both an eco-friendly and economical option. And Brandon Robinson, A Project Manager with PERC, says that they have a great program designed for farmers to fully experience how they can incorporate propane in the operations.
