March 23, 2024

IN THIS ISSUE

• CCPC Supports Radical Corn Value Chain Challenge
• U.S. Farm & Biofuel Leaders Seek Certainty on Sustainable Aviation Fuel
• Know Before You Grow
• Take the CCPC Annual Survey
• Show Your Love for Colorado Agriculture by Completing Colorado State University’s Annual Land Rental and Custom Rates Survey
• EPA’s New Tailpipe Standard Will Hurt Family Farms
• Pesticide Applicator Continuing Education

CCPC Supports Radical Corn Value Chain Challenge

Radicle Growth, a company-building platform investing in early-stage agriculture and food technologies, is delighted to announce, “The Radicle Corn Value Chain Challenge sponsored by US Corn Farmers.” The Challenge sets out to invest a minimum of US $1.5M in start-up and growth companies from around the world whose innovative technologies and business models create new uses for corn and long-term sustainable demand for corn production. These companies are expected to be developing new uses of corn that result in replacements for fossil fuel-derived materials with plant-derived materials such as sustainable aviation fuels (SAF), drop-in chemicals and plastics, compostable materials, and as yet unidentified products and product categories that could be new areas for corn-derived products to be used.

“Amidst the burgeoning expansion of the corn industry nationwide, projections anticipate a rise in surplus corn carryout. The Radicle Corn Value Chain Challenge presents an opportunity to pioneer inventive applications for this surplus, potentially opening up novel revenue avenues for corn farmers,” stated Matt Mulch, President of the Colorado Corn Promotion Council and a seasoned farmer hailing from Burlington, Colorado. “Through a commitment to innovation and fostering demand, we can safeguard the sustained profitability of American corn producers while bolstering the nation’s economic prosperity. The CCPC is proud to support this challenge.”

Read more...

U.S. Farm & Biofuel Leaders Seek Certainty on Sustainable Aviation Fuel

A multi-state coalition of biofuel and farm advocates, including the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) and many state corn advocates, called on President Biden’s Treasury Department to swiftly resolve any questions standing in the way of efforts to scale up U.S. production of Sustainable Aviation Fuel.

Specifically, they urged the administration to quickly adopt the U.S. Department of Energy’s GREET model for the calculation of SAF tax credits (40B) under the Inflation Reduction Act – completing a process that was originally scheduled to conclude by March 1.

Read more...

Know Before You Grow

Protecting your access to the products you need to grow a successful crop is top priority for NCGA. One way you can contribute: take a moment to be sure you’re using crop protection tools safely and responsibly. Get tips for this planting season and other resources from Growing Matters.

Learn More

Take the CCPC Annual Survey

The Colorado Corn Promotion Council is funded from the checkoff collected on bushels of corn grown and sold in Colorado. It engages in research,communication/outreach, issues and engagement,and market development efforts to improve the profitability of Colorado’s corn industry. 

The feedback you provide is confidential and anonymous. Please return your completed survey by April 30, 2024. If you have any questions, feel

free to contact us. Thank you! 

Show Your Love for Colorado Agriculture by Completing Colorado State University’s Annual Land Rental and Custom Rates Survey

Colorado State University Extension conducts an annual survey of land rental and custom rates charged for various crop and livestock operations and lease arrangements in Colorado in the preceding year. Data is collected from agricultural producers, landowners and managers, lenders, agricultural consultants, machine operators, and Extension agents. Results of the survey are used by producers, ag lenders, county assessors, the Colorado Department of Agriculture, land appraisers, and more. Land Rental and Custom Rates in Colorado is one of the most widely used publications available from the CSU Agriculture and Business Management Team.

The Custom Rates Survey is due by March 27, 2024 through CSU: https://colostate.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0lcICTAEGauQmDc

EPA’s New Tailpipe Standard Will Hurt Family Farms

The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) expressed grave concern and disappointment today with the Environmental Protection Agency’s final 2027-2032 emissions standards for sedans and light- and medium-duty trucks.

The plan still relies almost exclusively on the use of electric vehicles, requiring that a majority of the specified fleets are electric in less than a decade. A decision of this magnitude will have long-lasting negative implications for the rural economy because it ignores the benefits of ethanol. 

“We are deeply concerned and disappointed that EPA has chosen to force a one-size-fits-all solution to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and ignore the readily available solution that biofuels like ethanol bring to the table,” said NCGA President Harold Wolle. “This decision will not only severely hamper the administration’s ability to reach its own climate goals, but it will also hurt family farms and rural communities that rely heavily on the sale of biofuels. On top of that, it will remove consumer choice from the market.”

Read more....

Pesticide Applicator Continuing Education

Mountain West Pesticide Education & Safety Training (PEST) is happy to announce pesticide applicator recertification workshops around Colorado this upcoming training season. All of these workshops provide ALL seven required core credits. The workshops are open to both private and commercial applicators as well as applicator technicians. If you are a commercial applicator and need category credits, please contact MWPEST.

Workshops are posted at http://www.mountainwestpest.com/continuing-education.html

UPCOMING DEADLINES

• None at this time

UPCOMING EVENTS

• April 17: CCPC Board Meeting
• April 30: CCPC Survey Due