Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been categorized as “Biofuels/Energy”
USDA Backs EPA’s Renewable Volume Obligations, Protects Biofuel Demand for Corn and Soybean Farmers The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is throwing its support behind the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) newly proposed Renewable Volume Obligations (RVOs) under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS)—a move seen as critical for the future of biofuels and commodity demand for corn and soybean farmers. “We …
USDA Ends Solar Panel Subsidies on Farmland, Restricts Foreign-Made Panels Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced this week that the USDA will no longer fund taxpayer dollars for solar panels on productive farmland or permit the use of solar panels manufactured by foreign adversaries in USDA-supported solar programs. This major policy shift is seen as a win for farmers who …
USDA Ends Solar Subsidies on Farmland, Citing Land Loss and Foreign Dependence This week, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins made a significant announcement regarding the future of solar energy projects on American farmland. Speaking from Tennessee, Secretary Rollins declared that the USDA will no longer fund solar panel installations on productive farmland, nor will it allow panels manufactured by …
Windmills have long played a vital role in agriculture—grinding grain, pumping water, and powering essential equipment. But in 1854, a breakthrough in windmill design changed everything. That year, American inventor Daniel Halladay patented the first commercially successful windmill. What set his design apart? Unlike previous stationary windmills, Halladay’s model automatically turned to face the prevailing wind direction—dramatically increasing efficiency. Even …
In a story from the National Association of Farm Broadcasters (NAFB), the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) welcomed the release of the proposed Renewable Volume Obligations or RVOs for 2026 and 2027 calling the Environmental Protection Agency’s draft rule a very positive signal for America’s ethanol industry and farmers. By prioritizing domestically produced renewable fuels over imports, RFA said the EPA …
The US Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins released a statement last week supporting the US Environmental Protection Agency’s volume requirements in the Renewable Fuel Standard for American Grown Biofuels. According to an EPA press release, the EPA’s proposed volume requirements for 2026 and 2027 would be the highest ever under the program that “Sets strong growth targets for key renewable …
I’m Mark Oppold with an American Agriculture History Minute reports that by the 1930, more than 90% of rural homes still used kerosene lamps for lighting. Running water and indoor bathrooms were still impossible without power. That would all change in the early 1930s. In fact, for many rural Americans in the 1930s, one of the most memorable experiences of a …
Mark Oppold presents an American Agriculture History Minute, describing the challenging conditions of rural life in the mid-1930s, noting that 90% of rural homes lacked electricity. Farmers had to perform tasks like milking cows by hand using kerosene lamps, and families relied on basic wood-range washboards for domestic chores. Mark further explains how the lack of electricity significantly impacted rural …
Mark Oppold presents an American Agriculture History Minute, explains that the story of rural electrification began during the 1932 presidential campaign when Democratic nominee Franklin Roosevelt toured the South. During this tour, Roosevelt was deeply affected by witnessing the widespread poverty and sanitation issues in rural areas. Mark describes how Roosevelt believed that bringing electricity to rural areas would be …
Mark Oppold presents an American Agriculture History Minute, focuses on the historical development of rural electrification in America during the Roosevelt administration. Mark explains that when President Roosevelt took office in 1933, the initiative to provide electricity to rural America gained significant momentum. Mark further details that on May 11, 1935, President Roosevelt established the Rural Electrification Administration (REA) through …
