Ag Industry News and Events - Page 26

Iowa Corn Growers Association (ICGA) applauds Congress today for passage of a number of tax provisions set to expire at the end of this year. Both the U.S. House and U.S. Senate approved the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes (PATH) Act containing a $650 billon tax package, which provides extensions to the IRS Section 179 small business expensing and bonus depreciation provisions.

One lucky fan at the Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Men’s Basketball Game on Thursday, December 10 will receive the grand prize of a two-year lease to a brand new Chevrolet Equinox Flex Fuel SUV as part of the Fuel Up & Drive Away Sweepstakes. 

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office recently published a patent application (U.S. 2015/0329449) from the Iowa Corn Promotion Board (ICPB) for a production method using corn in the industrial manufacturing of a raw material called monoethylene glycol (MEG).

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released today its final rule decreasing the Renewable Volume Obligations (RVOs) under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). It reduced the volume of corn ethanol levels by nearly 500 million gallons for 2016.

On behalf of Iowa’s corn farmers, the Iowa Corn Growers Association (ICGA) would like to thank Governor Branstad and Lieutenant Governor Reynolds for intervening in the Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) Lawsuit. The WOTUS rule is overreaching and could hamper Iowa farmers’ ability to implement the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy.

Iowa Corn would like to announce the 18 Iowa college students who will make up the fifth Iowa Corn Collegiate Advisory Team (CAT).

Today, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack announced Iowa as one of the 21 recipients of federal grants through the Biofuel Infrastructure Program (BIP) amounting in $210 million. The Iowa Department of Transportation will receive $5 million, which could bring as many as 100 new stations and 187 additional pumps to the state through the “Fueling Our Future 100” initiative.

To help haul in this year’s harvest, Governor Terry Branstad signed into effect today a proclamation granting a temporary weight limit exemption for trucks on Iowa roads. The proclamation specifically increases the weight allowable for shipment of corn, soybeans, hay, straw and stover, by 12.5 percent per axle (up to a maximum of 90,000 pounds) without the need for an oversize/overweight permit.

The Iowa Corn Promotion Board (ICPB) is the recipient of a newly issued patent from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. The patent relates to an improved production process in making the compound isosorbide a key material in bio based plastics and polyester. Isosorbide can be used to increase the bio content of plastic bottles and other polymers while increasing the useful properties like plastic melting temperature.

Iowa Corn leader Don Hunerdosse and his family were recognized with the Wergin Good Farm Neighbor award on September 22nd. Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey presented the award at the farm of Blake Reynolds who nominated the family. Don serves as the District 8 Director for the Iowa Corn Promotion Board (ICPB) and is an active member of the Warren County Iowa Corn Growers Association.