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NEWS

Horizon Series Features FUEL

 Murray Campbell The question was posed, how many people walked to this meeting room today? Only two of the 30 or so attendees to the Horizon Luncheon Series presented by the Georgia Agribusiness Council raised their hands. Murray Campbell, CEO of First United Ethanol llc. (FUEL), knew he had captivated his audience of Georgia agri-leaders.

FUEL is in the process of constructing a 100 MGY corn-based ethanol manufacturing facility in southwest Georgia’s corn-belt region. According to their website, www.firstunitedethanol.com, this will be a destination plant, which will strategically create value by being close to the customers and markets it serves. Read the rest of this entry »

UGA Cellulosic Grant

At the Southeast Bioenergy Conference last week, Senator Saxby Chambliss talked about a recent DOE grant for the University of Georgia to work on cellulosic ethanol.

Alabama Energy Revolution Summit

A revolution is coming to Alabama next month – the Alabama Energy Revolution Summit.

The Summit will be held on September 17 -18, 2008 at the Renaissance Hotel in Montgomery, Alabama. Registration information can be found at www.midsouthrcd.com

Southeast Bio-Conference Underway

The Southeast Bio-Energy Conference is going on this week in Tifton, Georgia as Tyron Spearman has been there and talked with a couple of people involved in this year’s event.
Senator Saxby Chambliss

And while at the 3rd annual event, Tyron also was able to talk with Georgia Senator Saxby Chambliss about bio-energy efforts not only here, but also in our nation’s capitol.

EPA Upholds Ethanol Mandate…Upsetting Livestock Industry

EPAThe Environmental Protection Agency announced Thursday that it would deny a request by Texas Governor Rick Perry to reduce the Renewable Fuels Standard.

EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson says they carefully considered the more than 15,000 comments on the issue and found that “the RFS is not causing economic harm but is strengthening our nation’s energy security and supporting American farming communities.”

But there are many in the livestock industry disappointed with the EPA’s decision.

Southeast Bio-Energy Conference is Next Week

The Southeast Bioenergy Conference will be held next week in Tifton, Georgia as Tyron Spearman looks at some of the topics to be discussed.
Listen to report here:
To learn more about the Southeast Bioenergy Conference click Here

Florida Governor Supports Biofuels Production

Florida Governor Charlie Crist spoke to a group of over 450 gathered for the third annual Florida Farm to Fuel summit in Orlando Thursday, following an address by US Secretary of Agriculture Ed Schafer.

“You know that Florida is a top agricultural state already,” Crist told the group. “The development of ethanol and other biofuels is incredibly important to Florida’s future and America’s future. I truly believe that investing in renewable and alternative energies in the Sunshine State can propel us as a leader, no question about it.”

After his remarks, the Governor held a press conference to announce that the Central Florida Regional Transit Authority LYNX will become the nation’s first transit agency to build its own biodiesel blending facility at Rosen Shingle Creek in southeast Orange County.

Listen to Governor Crist’s remarks here:

USDA & Energy Depts Announce $10M for Bioenergy Research

WASHINGTON, DC -July 31, 2008– Agriculture Under Secretary for Research, Education
and Economics Gale Buchanan and Energy Department (DOE) Under Secretary for Science
Raymond Orbach and today announced plans to award 10 grants totaling more than $10
million to accelerate fundamental research in the development of cellulosic biofuels. Read the rest of this entry »

FL Farm to Fuel Mtg to Feature FL Gov & U S Ag Sect’y

A high octane lineup for the 3rd annual Farm to Fuel Summit, this year being held in Orlando. CLICK HERE for a lot more details as things rev up for the week’s discussions. Stay tuned.

Putnam of Florida Talks to FB Presidents

Self-proclaimed “land grant and Farm Bureau baby” Representative Adam Putnam (R-FL) spoke to state Farm Bureau presidents meeting in Washington DC last week about a number of issues, but especially energy.

Read more from the American Farm Bureau.

Listen to report here:

Happy Energy Independence Day

As we celebrate our country’s independence this weekend, many in the agriculture industry are continuing to push towards energy independence with the help of biofuels like soy biodiesel.

Listen To MP3Report(1:00 mp3)

A provision in the Farm Bill allows excess sugar to be made into ethanol.

Listen To MP3Report(1:00 mp3)

And USDA is researching a number of “power plants” that could provide biomass for new types of biofuels.

Listen To MP3Report(1:00 mp3)

FL Commissioner’s Spotlight on Rising Fuel Prices

Florida Agriculture Commissioner Charles Bronson talks about rising fuel prices.

Visit Rising Fuel Prices on the web for more information.

Listen To MP3 Report (1:00 mp3)

Producing Food, Feed and Fuel

lifeline foodsWith all the controversy right now regarding the use of corn for ethanol, one company is leading the way in demonstrating how one little kernel of corn can be turned into multiple products. Laura McNamara has a six-part series of reports spotlighting Lifeline Foods of Missouri.

Listen To MP3 Report 1 (1:00 mp3)

Listen To MP3 Report 2 (1:00 mp3)

Listen To MP3 Report 3 (1:00 mp3)

Listen To MP3 Report 4 (1:00 mp3)

Listen To MP3 Report 5 (1:00 mp3)

Listen To MP3 Report 6 (1:00 mp3)

FL Commissioner’s Spotlight on Farm to Fuel

Florida Agriculture Commissioner Charles Bronson talks about the upcoming 2008 Farm to Fuel Summit being held July 30th through August 1st, at the Rosen Shingle Creek in Orlando.

More information is available on the Florida Farm to Fuel web site.

Listen To MP3 Report (1:00 mp3)

Third Florida Farm to Fuel Summit

Florida is hosting the third annual Farm to Fuel summit next month in Orlando. Last year’s conference in St. Petersburg attracted more than 450 participants and this year’s conference is expected to be even bigger and better. This conference will be held July 30 to August 1 at the Rosen Shingle Creek Resort in Orlando.

Read more here.

Listen To MP3Report (1:00 mp3)

Commissioner’s Spotlight on E10 Quality Standards

Florida Agriculture Commissioner Charles Bronson talks about the new fuel quality standards for gasoline/ethanol blends. More information is available on the web at: Gasoline/Ethanol Blend Standards.

For information about the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ efforts to promote the development of alternative fuels and energy sources, click Farm to Fuel.

Listen To MP3 Report (1:00 mp3)

Lee V. McCoy 1947-2008: “RealMcCoy” Will Be Sorely Missed

Lee McCoy Directs Traffic, acting as the admission sheriff at the 2006 Citrus Expo in Ft Myers FL It is with great sadness and tremendously heavy hearts we report of the passing of Lee V. McCoy, known to many of his legions of friends and colleagues as the “RealMcCoy”. Lee lost his battle with cancer early morning Thursday May 22 in a Georgia hospital, admitted the Monday before in a bout with pneumonia.

Please find details regarding Lee’s memorial services at the end of this news post.

For nearly a decade until making a move into a new career opportunity last year, Lee was a regional representative of this radio network. He travelled the region and nation, and occassionally overseas, newsgathering and representing the network from his home location Read the rest of this entry »

Ethanol Debate

Debate over increased production of ethanol and the impact on food prices has been the subject of recent hearings in Congress. Laura McNamara has two reports.

Listen To MP3 Report (1:00 mp3)

Listen To MP3 Report (1:00 mp3)

Corvette Goes Cellulosic

General Motors Corvette Racing team will make its debut race on cellulosic ethanol in the upcoming American LeMans Series Acura Sports Car Challenge in St. Petersburg, Florida.

Listen To MP3 Report (1:00 mp3)

Georgia Ag Innovation Center Grants

The OneGeorgia Authority awarded nearly $200,000 for six research grants in support of Georgia’s Agriculture Innovation Center, most of which focus on bioenergy.

Read more about the AgIC and the grant recipients here.

Listen To MP3 Report (1:00 mp3)

UF Receives $1M to Unlock Energy from Sugarcane Residues

Freddy Altpeter GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The University of Florida’s quest to develop cost-Altpeter with Sugarcaneeffective methods of producing fuel ethanol from biomass received a $1 million boost this month, with a grant package for research aimed at increasing the amount of fermentable sugar obtained from sugarcane stalks and leaves. Read the rest of this entry »

FL Senate Ag Committee Chairman Comments on Leg Session

Florida Senator J D Alexander This report is a brief interview with Senator J D Alexander from Polk County who chairs the Ag Committee in the Florida Senate. Speaking with us moments after Thursday’s Ag Committee meeting in the state Capitol, he says it will be an important Session for agriculture and that producers need to get involved in the process. Listen To wmaReport (1:55 mp3)

Could “Citrus Country” turn into “Biofuels Country”?

FL Congressman Tim Mahoney In these reports, Florida Congressman Tim Mahoney says south and central Florida could lead the cellulosic ethanol industry and that the federal goverenment is making serious investments to help spur the industry forward. Listen To wma Report (2:00 mp3) Listen To wma Report (2:00 mp3)

Being Counted Is Up To YOU! Click here to go to USDA/NASS website to learn more about the Agriculture Census

Mahoney Addresses Highlands Growers

Citrus Industry Magazine Editor Ernie Neff FL Congressman Tim MahoneyFlorida Congressman Tim Mahoney discussed several issues with Highlands County citrus growers at their recent banquet. Southeast AgNet’s Ernie Neff reports on the event, and catches up with Mahoney for comments to share with our listeners.
Listen To wma Report (2:00 mp3) Listen To wma Report (2:00 mp3)

Being Counted Is Up To YOU! Click here to go to USDA/NASS website to learn more about the Agriculture Census

Biodiesel in the Sunshine State

The National Biodiesel conference is scheduled to kick off Super Bowl Sunday in the sunshine state. A record 4,000 people are expected to attend the fifth annual conference in Orlando.

Keep up with all the conference happenings on the Biodiesel Conference blog.

Listen To MP3 Report (1:00 mp3)

Cellulosic Ethanol on the Fast Track

EPICCellulosic ethanol will be used for the first time in motor sports this year during the American Le Mans Series Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring in Florida on March 15.

Listen To mp3 Report (1:00 mp3)

FL Commissioner’s Spotlight on Fair Farm to Fuel

Florida Agriculture Commissioner Charles Bronson talks about about the Farm to Fuel exhibit at the 2008 Florida State Fair in Tampa, February 7th through the18th.

More information about Florida’s Farm to Fuel program can be found on the web at:

http://www.floridafarmtofuel.com/

Listen To MP3 Report (1:00 mp3)

FEBRUARY 4TH IS THE DEADLINE - HAVE YOU RETURNED YOUR QUESTIONNAIRE YET?Click here to go to USDA/NASS website to learn more about the Agriculture Census

GA Young Farmers Assoc Draws Crowd of Farmers & Exhibitors

GYFA Trade Show Crowd We enjoyed our visits among the attendees and GYFA's Harry Thompsonexhibitors at the 38th annual Georgia Young Farmers Association (GYFA) convention in Savannah this week.

In this post, hear comments from Listen To mp3 Harry Thompson (mp3) GYFA Executive Secretary, Jimmy Hill, Ga Agri-Leaders Forum (L) visits with Doug Kleweno in the Ag Statistics Exhibit at GYFA Conventionwho discusses the GYFA program and history;
Listen To mp3 Doug Kleweno (mp3), USDA Georgia Ag Statistics Service who updates us on the Agriculture Census presently underway;
Georgia Cotton Commission’s GA Cottom Commission's Richey Seaton manning the exhibit at GYFA Trade Show Listen To wma Richey Seaton (mp3) discussing upcoming events for Georgia cotton producers;
Sunbelt Ag Expo’s Listen To wma Chip Blalock (mp3) about the 2008 event set for October;
and Listen To wma David Skinner (mp3) from the Georgia The GA Development Authority Exhibit is in a busy corner at the GYFA Trade ShowDevelopment Authority, discussing the availability of money for Georgia farmers right now.

The GYFA Convention concludes with the Saturday night banquet later tonight.

FEBRUARY 4TH IS THE DEADLINE - HAVE YOU RETURNED YOUR QUESTIONNAIRE YET?Click here to go to USDA/NASS website to learn more about the Agriculture Census

Florida Awards Biofuels Grants

Twelve grants totaling $25 million were awarded this week by Florida Agriculture Commissioner Charles Bronson as part of the state’s “Farm to Fuel” initiative.

The proposals were evaluated on a number of factors, including their use of Florida-grown crops or biomass to produce energy, their potential to expand agribusiness in the state, preliminary market research and the efficiency of their use of energy and other material resources.

Read more here.

Listen To MP3Report (1:00 mp3)

FEBRUARY 4TH IS THE DEADLINE - HAVE YOU RETURNED YOUR QUESTIONNAIRE YET?Click here to go to USDA/NASS website to learn more about the Agriculture Census

Melon Fuel

The National Watermelon Association is still working on making fuel from melons.

Executive Director Bob Morrissey says they still believe they hope to get test projects going in Florida and Georgia to make ethanol from melons that go to waste each year.

Listen To MP3 Report (1:30 mp3)

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