ISDA awards $15,000 grant for hardwoods marketing<br>

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — The Indiana State Department of Agriculture (ISDA) awarded the Indiana Hardwood Lumbermen’s Assoc. (IHLA), Inc. a $15,000 Value-Added Agriculture Funds grant to support the next phase of the “Premium Indiana Forest Products” branding campaign.<br>
Indiana’s high-quality hardwood products are vital to the state’s agricultural economy, which is an important part of Gov. Mitch Daniels’ economic vision, according to ISDA Director Andy Miller.
“The Daniels administration has long recognized the value of Indiana’s $9 billion hardwood industry,” said Miller. “ISDA supports their vision and over the last two years, we have traveled the world to open markets and develop cost-competitive opportunities.
“This grant is another opportunity to promote Indiana’s hardwood trees and products around the world, and we are pleased to work with the Indiana Hardwood Lumbermen’s Association.”<br>
The Premium Indiana Forest Products logo was developed using a combination of state and industry funds and was introduced to the overseas market by Daniels during a trade mission to Japan in 2006.<br>
The current grant will be used to produce additional marketing materials featuring the logo, such as brochures, product hang tags, media spots, signs and advertising.  The $15,000 ISDA grant will be matched with $35,000 from the IHLA.<br>
“Indiana Hardwoods are among the best in the world, and Indiana’s forests are verified as sustainable by both the state and federal government,” said Ray Moistner, IHLA executive director. “Forest products are as important to Indiana as potatoes to Idaho and oranges to Florida, and the best part is that hardwoods are a renewable resource, and a critical component of environmentally-responsible stewardship.<br>
“We have a great story to tell, and it’s important that we deliver that message to a global consumer base.”
Corn insurance discounts to farmers for using BYE<br>
URBANA, Ill. — Farmers in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa and Minnesota will be able to receive discounts on crop insurance for nonirrigated corn grown for grain by using the Biotech Yield Endorsement (BYE), said a University of Illinois extension farm financial management specialist.<br>
“To be eligible for the discount, farmers must plant hybrids containing Monsanto-based technology with the following three traits: Roundup Ready Corn 2, YieldGard Corn Borer and YieldGard Rootworm,” said Gary Schnitkey.<br>
“A list of the qualifying hybrids will be made available online” at www.biotech yieldendorsement.com<br>
Schnitkey has prepared a report on BYE, which is available on UoI extension’s farmdoc website at www.farmdoc.uiuc.edu/manage/index.asp<br>
He said the BYE discounts are offered because Monsanto provided three years’ of comprehensive field-trial data to the USDA Risk Management Agency indicating that Monsanto-based triple-stack hybrids have lower yield losses than conventional hybrids under drought and other stress conditions.<br>
“Because yield losses are expected to be less, insurance payments are expected to be less,” he said. “Lower expected payments then justify lower crop insurance premiums.”<br>
To be eligible to receive a BYE discount, a farmer must plant 75 percent of an insured unit of nonirrigated grain corn with hybrids containing Monsanto-based triple-stack traits.<br>
In addition, farmers using BYE must:<br>
•Sign a certification indicating that 75 percent of the insured unit is planted to eligible hybrids<br>
•Maintain invoices indicating that sufficient quantities of eligible hybrids have been purchased to plant required acres
•Be prepared for spot checks<br>
“During the growing season, spot checks of BYE-insured units will be made,” Schnitkey said. “During a spot check, documentation listed above will be checked and seed dealers will be contacted to verify that the eligible hybrids have been purchased. Plant tissues will also be collected.”<br>

Ga. biodiesel plant on hold because of soybean prices<br>

PLAINS, Ga. (AP) — Plans for a biodiesel refinery announced last year by former President Jimmy Carter has been put on hold.
Alterra Bioenergy is waiting to install equipment in the newly constructed plant in Carter’s hometown of Plains because of historically high soybean oil prices.<br>
The company is looking at using non-food canola oils or chicken fat instead of soybeans to produce fuel.<br>
The price of soybean oil rose from 31 to 50 cents in recent weeks. That means the biodiesel fuel would cost more than $5 a gallon, which is not competitive with what’s on the market now.<br>
Alterra officials say the Macon-based company’s plant in Gordon is producing only half its capacity after opening five months ago. The Plains plant was supposed to be operational by November.<br>