AgNet Online

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.

Report (1:00 mp3)

Report (1:00 mp3)

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.

Report (1:00 mp3)

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.

Report (1:00 mp3)

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The University of Florida’s quest to develop cost-effective 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. (more…)

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. Report (1:55 mp3)

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. Report (2:00 mp3) Report (2:00 mp3)

Being Counted Is Up To YOU!

Florida 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.
Report (2:00 mp3) Report (2:00 mp3)

Being Counted Is Up To YOU!

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.

Report (1:00 mp3)

Cellulosic 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.

Report (1:00 mp3)

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/

Report (1:00 mp3)

FEBRUARY 4TH IS THE DEADLINE - HAVE YOU RETURNED YOUR QUESTIONNAIRE YET?

We enjoyed our visits among the attendees and exhibitors at the 38th annual Georgia Young Farmers Association (GYFA) convention in Savannah this week.

In this post, hear comments from Harry Thompson (mp3) GYFA Executive Secretary, who discusses the GYFA program and history;
Doug Kleweno (mp3), USDA Georgia Ag Statistics Service who updates us on the Agriculture Census presently underway;
Georgia Cotton Commission’s Richey Seaton (mp3) discussing upcoming events for Georgia cotton producers;
Sunbelt Ag Expo’s Chip Blalock (mp3) about the 2008 event set for October;
and David Skinner (mp3) from the Georgia Development 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?

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.

Report (1:00 mp3)

FEBRUARY 4TH IS THE DEADLINE - HAVE YOU RETURNED YOUR QUESTIONNAIRE YET?

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.

Report (1:30 mp3)

Tyron Spearman looks at some of the features of the Energy Bill which has already been signed by the President.  Report (1:00 mp3)

Alternative crops for the production of biofuels in Florida was a topic at the Florida Ag Expo last week.

Report (1:30 mp3)

House Ag Committee chairman Collin Peterson hosted a rally for supporters of increasing the Renewable Fuels Standard in the Energy Bill on Wednesday.

Report (1:00 mp3)

Florida Congressman Tim Mahoney talked about what the RFS could mean for Florida’s agriculture and economy.

Report (1:30 mp3)

Laura McNamara recently attended an educational event about ethanol sponsored by the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council and she used the opportunity to create a six part series about the farm-based fuel.

Report 1 (1:00 mp3)

Report 2 (1:00 mp3)

Report 3 (1:00 mp3)

Report 4 (1:00 mp3)

Report 5 (1:00 mp3)

Report 6 (1:00 mp3)

More and more states have joined those from our area in signing on to support the 2025 renewable energy goal.  Report (1:00 mp3)

The state of Florida is now accepting applications for grants through the Farm to Fuel Program.  Report (:40 mp3)

Florida Agriculture Commissioner Charles Bronson talks about the recent Farm to Fuel Summit. Report (1:00 mp3)

More information about this year’s event, including links to each speaker’s presentation, can be found on the web at http://www.floridafarmtofuel.com/summit_2007.htm. General information about Florida’s Farm to Fuel program can be found at http://www.floridafarmtofuel.com/

Florida Farm Bureau is sponsoring a trip to Iowa next month to learn about renewable energy and value added agriculture opportunities.

The trip will be Oct. 21-24. Find out more here.

Report (1:00 mp3)

In the first report, Florida Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Bronson discusses the new citrus nursery recently dedicated by Southern Gardens Citrus in north-central Florida. In the second report, Bronson is concerned about continued pest and disease introductions in the field. In the third report, Bronson says the emerging alternative fuels industry has big potential for some Florida farmers who may wish to diversify.
Report (2:00 mp3)
Report (2:00 mp3)
Report (2:00 mp3)

USDA has awarded $97 million in guaranteed loans to help businesses in Georgia, Illinois and North Carolina create jobs and develop renewable energy systems.
Read USDA release here.

Report (:45 mp3)

A middle school student from Merritt Island was in the spotlight at the 2007 Florida Farm to Fuel Summit last month in St. Petersburg for her work in making biofuels.

Erin McCaskey, 12, attends Thomas Jefferson Middle School and her seventh grade science project last year was making biodiesel from a variety of sources.

For her eighth grade project, Erin will be making ethanol from different sources. Erin received recognition for her work from Florida Governor Charlie Crist and Agriculture Commissioner Charles Bronson. She also received a free ride to the college of her choice, courtesy of Florida state representative Marty Bowen, Haines City.

Report (2:00 mp3)

Ethanol producers and sugar producers alike are pleased with a provision included in the farm bill recently approved by the U.S. House that would permit the government to channel some surplus sugar to ethanol production.

Report (1:30 mp3)

Gary Cooper interviewedFlorida Farm Bureau president John Hoblick at the recent Farm to Fuel Summit in St. Petersburg about the future of biofuels and agriculture in Florida.

Report (1:30 mp3)

All Florida citrus growers should hear comments in these reports from grower Peter McClure, who heads up the Florida Citrus Production Research Advisory Council (FCPRAC). He says many Florida growers who remain apathetic to greening control may be out of business in the not-too-distant future. In one of these reports McClure also makes an interesting comparison between hard-fought-for dollars for greening research, and the much larger sums going into biofuels research for an industry that does not yet exist in Florida. The second report also has a wrap up about the recent series of grower meetings concerning the Citrus Health Response Plan (CHRP).
Report (2:00 mp3)
Report (2:00 mp3)
Pre-register for Seminars and Trade Show attendance at
Find information at USDA’s Website About the Citrus Health Response Program

The future of citrus was a big topic at the Farm to Fuel Summit in Florida recently. One of the speakers was David Stewart, CEO of Citrus Energy, LLC who discussed the development of citrus waste as a biomass feedstock for ethanol production. He is the inventor of three pending patents: Ethanol Production from Citrus Processing Waste, Method and Apparatus for Vacuum Cooling of High Solids Slurries, and Methanol and System of Treating Citrus Waste to Remove Peel Oil Components.

“If you’ll excuse the pun, within cellulosic ethanol I think we have the low hanging fruit as a feedstock,” said Stewart. “The citrus industry has been under pressure from Brazil and issues like canker, so anything we can do to help that industry is important.”

Listen to Stewart’s Farm to Fuel address here:
Report (14:00 mp3)

At the Bio-Energy Conference underway in Tifton, Georgia’s Governor stopped in to speak. Tyron Spearman was there and has this Report.  (1:05 mp3)

At the recent Farm to Fuel Summit in Florida, the state’s chief financial officer told the crowd that biofuels are the future for Florida agriculture.

CFO Alex Sink noted that one of the turning points in Florida’s history was when citrus first started to be grown in the state. “My bold prediction is that this sea change that we are seeing in addressing opportunities that we have to be involved in biomass is going to change the face of agriculture in Florida potentially as much as citrus did.”

Listen to part of Sink’s Farm to Fuel address here:
Report (10:00 mp3)