|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| News from Around the Farm World - March 18, 2009 |
|
|
|
Smokestack catches fire at Tennessee corn refinery
LOUDON, Tenn. (AP) — Authorities are trying to determine the cause of a fire that erupted in a smokestack at the Tate and Lyle PLC corn refinery in Loudon County.
Loudon City Police Chief James Webb said the plant was shut down for maintenance when the fire began Friday afternoon. The blaze was soon brought under control. He told WVLT-TV that no one was injured and fire crews were putting out hot spots as investigators tried to determine how the fire began.
The Loudon plant refines corn for animal feed, cereal sweeteners, food starches and ethanol used in a joint venture with DuPont Co. to make a biobased polymer substitute for oil in plastic products.
Illinois hog cooperative plans to enter bankruptcy
RANTOUL, Ill. (AP) — A hog-farming cooperative with more than 100 members expected to file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection last week.
The move would shut down Meadowbrook Farms and its processing plant in the central Illinois community of Rantoul. The plant employed more than 600 people until they were laid off in December. The Belleville-based cooperative had hoped to reopen and bring workers back.
Hog farmer Bob Johnson says he and other members of Meadowbrook’s board voted two weeks ago to enter bankruptcy. He expects that to happen soon, although he says there’s slim hope that Meadowbrook could find an investor or lender to bail it out.
Meadowbrook stopped paying its members late last year. Some were already complaining they weren’t being paid enough to stay in business.
NCBA withdraws from Food Before Fuel Coalition
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The National Cattlemen’s Beef Assoc. (NCBA) announced that as part of a revamped strategy to eliminate government intervention in the renewable energy market, it is withdrawing as a member of the Food Before Fuel Coalition.
“The Food Before Fuel Coalition has been a good partner in our efforts to raise awareness about the harmful impacts of the government’s excessive subsidization of the ethanol industry,” stated Gary Voogt, NCBA president and rancher from Marne, Mich. “As the coalition’s work broadens, however, we remain focused on a single goal: Ensuring a level playing field for our cattle producers.”
Since January 2008, the NCBA said cattle feeders have lost a staggering $4 billion because of high feed costs. Tough economic times combined with high corn prices and increased input costs have forced many producers to reduce herd sizes.
“Soaring feed costs and government payments to the ethanol industry are hurting small businesses and family ranches,” Voogt said. “Cattle producers don’t ask for subsidies, just equal footing.”
NCBA is working to reduce or eliminate three government interventions for the ethanol industry: the renewable fuels mandate, the blender’s tax credit and the import tariff. It stated it continues to support a market-based approach for the production and usage of ethanol.
“Our members and producers know that the marketplace offers many adequate risk management tools to utilize when building an industry. Government interventions via mandates and subsidies are never substitutes for good business practices,” a statement said.
“Our organization has a long history of advocacy for scientific research and development of promising new technologies,” Voogt added. “We support the development of alternative and renewable energy sources that do not compete with livestock for feed.”
House Ag solicits priorities for climate change laws
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Chairman Collin C. Peterson (D-Minn.) announced the House Agriculture Committee is seeking comments on proposals to address global climate change. The committee is soliciting the opinions of more than 400 agricultural, environmental, scientific and educational groups and other members of the public, through a print- and Web-based questionnaire.
“American agriculture producers know what it means to have a green job,” said Peterson. “Now we on the committee would like to know where and how these efforts will fit into the overall task of addressing global climate change.”
The questionnaire allows stakeholders throughout the nation to provide the committee with their views on different options being considered in Congress to reduce greenhouse gas emissions – especially as they relate to the agriculture and forestry sectors.
The questionnaire may be accessed at http://agriculture.house.gov online. All responses must be on topic, in line with House rules and include the biographical information sheet.
|
| 3/18/2009 |
|
|
|
|
