With the oil spill in the Gulf a warning for this country to diversify its energy portfoilo, Sen. Mike Johanns is concern that the EPA is delaying its decision on increasing the amount of ethanol allowed to be blended with gasoline:

 “Another delay from EPA would mean even more uncertainty for our farmers and ethanol producers,” Johanns said.  “I was disappointed when the EPA announced in December of last year that it would delay making a decision on E15, further delays would seriously call into question the Administration’s commitment to growing our nation’s renewable fuel sources.”

 Johanns said that during the presidential campaign, then-Senator Obama stated he understands ‘firsthand the importance of continuing to increase the supply of biofuels in our national fuel supply.’

“Another EPA delay on E15 will only hinder his promised goal of increasing our country’s biofuels supply,” Johanns said. 

Renewable Fuels Assocation called the delay a “dereliction of duty.”

According to RFA, EPA is preparing to approve E15 use for only model year 2007 and newer vehicles in September while waiting to approve E15 for model year 2001 and newer vehicles later this fall. The RFA has repeatedly challenged EPA to provide any justification for such a decision, but the agency has yet to do so. This proposed trifurcation would further and unnecessarily confuse the issue, according to RFA.

“EPA is dropping the ball, and for no scientifically justified reason,” said RFA President and CEO Bob Dinneen. “While initial plans to approve the use of E15 for only 2001 and newer vehicles were bad, this plan borders on shameful. Confusing the market as EPA seems intent upon doing likely will lead to little if any additional ethanol being sold.”

Dinneen said Obama this week rallied the nation to an “Apollo-like program to end our dependence on oil.”

“By pursuing this path, EPA is failing to answer the President’s charge,” he said.

Allowing up to E15 blends, up from current 10 percent limits, would mean a potential increase of 6.5 billion gallons of new ethanol demand, displacing more than 200 million additional barrels of imported oil. according to RFA.

EPA’s failure to consider calls to immediately approve the use of 12 percent ethanol blends is also a concern for RFA.

According to RFA, existing oxygenate stacking rules would allow for it. Specifically, current “stacking” rules allow for the addition of up to 2 percent MTBE on top of currently allowed 10 percent ethanol blends. As ethanol and MTBE are both oxygenates, this additional 2 percent volume could be ethanol. In practice, a vehicle engine would not recognize if the oxygen content was from one fuel or two, according to RFA.

Nebraskans left with storm-damaged or flooded homes and businesses need to be cautious cleaning up the mess, a University of Nebraska-Lincoln specialist said.

Large swaths of the state have experienced flooding in the last few days, as roads, culverts, bridges and dams have given way after heavy rains, sending the Missouri, Elkhorn and Platte rivers, among other waterways, over their banks.

Although it’s important to clean up flood damage as soon as possible, several safety issues are key, said Shirley Niemeyer, housing and environment specialist in the university’s Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

“It’s important to use great caution when assessing and working on damaged structures,” Niemeyer said.

It’s also important for home and business owners to contact their insurance companies to determine the extent of coverage and what records, photos or examples are needed.

“Electrical safety is most important in floods,” Niemeyer said. “Watch for electrical shorts and live wires. Also, make sure electrical service is disconnected and any outside gas lines are turned off before attempting to do any work in the house.”

When it is safe to enter, an electrician should check wiring and appliances for safety before using electricity.

“Equipment and wiring that appears to be safe soon after flooding may fail prematurely and cause a fire or shock hazard,” she said. “Replacement often is the best option.”

It’s also important to clean up household items to prevent mold and odors after water damage, she said.

When cleaning the home, wear protective clothing, hard sole shoes, rubber gloves and an N-95 or a HEPA air filter mask for extra protection against contamination and particles. Also, be sure exposed skin is washed frequently.

It’s important to check the siding and roof for damage to keep further moisture out of the house, Niemeyer said.

“There are places that we don’t think about where water may have gotten,” Niemeyer said. “Crawl spaces, wall cavities and floor joist areas may need to be dried out, especially if there was extensive water damage.

Mold can start growing in 24 to 48 hours, especially next to anything cellulosic, such as paper or wood. To minimize mold and mildew, run a central air conditioner, dehumidifier or fans to accelerate the drying process. Make sure the electrical system is protected with ground fault circuit interrupters at the outlets, Niemeyer said.

Water-damaged furniture and household linens need immediate attention to prevent mold, mildew and odors. To begin the cleaning process, air dry all items outside in direct sun, if possible. Materials that could warp or fade should be dried in the shade.

As for materials such as floor coverings and furnishings, it’s generally recommended to discard fibrous or porous materials, such as carpets, as they are hard to completely clean. Hard, non-porous surfaces usually can be cleaned, Niemeyer said.

Success with cleaning carpets and rugs also depends on the extent and type of water damage.

“Clean water, including regular plumbing leaks or rain water through an open window, may be easier to deal with, while carpets and pads contaminated with sewage, flood water or runoff water should be discarded,” Niemeyer said.

Carpets soaked with clean rainwater in a small area may be saved, she said. They should be steam-cleaned by a professional carpet cleaner skilled in flood-damaged carpets.

“If you must attempt to salvage carpet contaminated with clean rainwater yourself, discard the pad,” she said. “Do not replace carpet and new padding until the flooring and floor joists are thoroughly dry.”

To aid in drying, remove subfloors and open up the floor joist area, Niemeyer said. Drying out subflooring, joists and wall cavities can take up to weeks or months. Moisture meters can help determine the moisture content of wood and other materials and to make decisions about when to replace wallboard (drywall) and flooring.

“Wall cavities often are overlooked and not thoroughly dried out, creating a good environment for mold growth,” she said.

Moldings, baseboards, drywall and insulation also should be removed well above the apparent water line. Drywall and fibrous or porous insulation should be thrown away. In addition, moisture can seep into other materials. Allow the cavity to thoroughly dry several weeks to months before replacing any type of drywall or wall covering.

“This is critical for preventing mold growth,” Niemeyer said. “Keep humidity levels between 30 % to 50 % RH.”

“Keep a vigilant eye out for any signs of odors, moisture or mold growth and run a dehumidifier to control moisture levels,” Niemeyer said.

More information is available from local UNL Extension offices or online at http://www.extension.unl.edu/ and at the Extension Disaster Education Network, http://eden.lsu.edu/Pages/default.aspx; click on
Floods and Flooding and scroll down to Resources. Information also is available from eXtension, at http://www.extension.org/pages/Extension_Disaster_Education_Network_Floods.

The Center for Rural Affairs in Lyons reported that the USDA will announce the publication of a new draft rule Friday regarding how meatpacking corporations must deal with farmers and ranchers in the procurement of livestock.  The administrative rule establishes a definition for what constitutes an “undue or unreasonable preference, according to John Crabtree of the Center for Rural Affairs.

According to Crabtree, the Packers and Stockyards Act specifically prohibits price discrimination by meatpackers against smaller, family farmers and ranchers.  

Specifically, he said, the Act makes it unlawful for packers to “… make or give any undue or unreasonable preference or advantage to any particular person or locality in any respect whatsoever.”

“It’s been a long time coming,” Crabtree said. “The Center for Rural Affairs has been after USDA to write this rule for almost 15 years. Family farmers and ranchers have asked for decades for nothing more than fair access to livestock markets that treat them equitably.

According to Crabtree, USDA has not effectively enforced the Packers and Stockyards Act for decades.  For example, he said packers routinely pay five, six or even ten cents per pound – even more in some cases – in purely volume-based premiums to the largest hog producers just because they are large.  

“These sweetheart deals for large volume producers have become commonplace, but no less a violation of the Act,” said Crabtree. “Six cents per pound may not sound like much of a discount, but, for a family farmer with 150 sows in a farrow-to-finish operation it amounts to receiving $56,000 less annually for hogs of the same quality, simply because he markets fewer hogs.”

Crabtree said the draft rule was written with the authority granted Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack under the Packers and Stockyards Act.  The Secretary was required to write the rule by a provision in the Livestock Title of the 2008 Farm Bill.

“That is precisely why the Center for Rural Affairs worked so diligently during the last farm bill debate to secure the provision compelling the Secretary of Agriculture to define what constitutes an ‘unreasonable preference,’” Crabtree said.  ”It became obvious that USDA would never make this move unless Congress forced the issue.  However, to Secretary Vilsack’s and Director Butler’s credit, they had the courage to take that farm bill provision and run with it, resulting in a strong draft rule.”

According to Darrel Good,  University of Illinois agricultural economist, despite a record corn and soybean harvest last year, there’s room for more.

Good said the 2009 U.S. corn and soybean yields are the largest on record, at 164.7 bushels per acre and 44 bushels per acre respectively. Harvested acreage of corn for grain was 1.02 million acres more than that harvested in 2008, although well below the record acreage of 2007. Harvested acreage of soybeans was a record 76.37 million acres, 1.7 million acres more than that harvested in 2008.

“As a result of record yields and large acreage, production of both crops was record large in 2009,” he said.

Good said corn production was estimated at 13.11 billion bushels, 72 million bushels larger than the previous record of 2007. Soybean production, he said, was estimated at 3.359 billion bushels, 162 million bushels above the previous record of 2006.

Based on the USDA’s forecasts released on June 10, Good said consumption of U.S. corn during the current marketing year will exceed production in 2009. Consumption for all purposes is projected at 13.19 billion bushels, 1.134 billion bushels above consumption of a year ago and 453 million bushels above the previous record of 2007-08.

Using a lot of that corn, Good said, is the nation’s ethanol industry, which is expected to have an 873 million bushel increase in the amount of corn used for ethanol production. Year-ending stocks are projected at 1.603 billion bushels, 70 million bushels smaller than stocks at the beginning of the year, he said.

 According to Good, exports during the current marketing year could be slightly larger than projected. Cumulative export inspections through June 10 totaled 1.407 billion bushels. Through April, Census Bureau export estimates exceeded USDA estimates by 72 million bushels.

“To reach the USDA projection of 1.95 billion bushels for the year, it appears that shipments need to average about 40 million bushels per week from now through August, slightly less than the average of the six weeks ending June 10,” Good said. “Unshipped sales as of June 3 totaled 408 million bushels. New sales need to average only 7.8 million bushels per week for export commitments for the year to reach 1.95 billion bushels.”

A similar supply and consumption pattern is forecast for the 2010-11 marketing year, he said.

According to Good, harvested acreage of corn for grain is expected to total 81.8 million acres, 2.2 million acres larger than in 2009. That forecast will be updated on June 30. He said the U.S. average yield is projected at 163.5 bushels, second only to the record of 2009, resulting in a record production of 13.37 billion bushels.

However, Good said, consumption is forecast at 13.41 billion bushels, resulting in a 30 million bushel year-over-year reduction in ending stocks. Consumption of U.S. soybeans during the current marketing year is expected to reach a record 3.328 billion bushels, 247 million more than the previous record of 2006-07.

The 281 million bushel year-over-year increase reflects a 172 million bushel increase in exports and a 72 million bushel increase in the domestic crush.

“Use in both categories was supported by a small South American soybean harvest in 2009 and record large imports by China,” Good said.

According to Good, year-ending stocks of U.S. soybeans are forecast at 185 million bushels, 47 million bushels larger than the low level of stocks at the beginning of the year.

“While the domestic soybean crush appears to be declining in line with the USDA projection, the pace of exports and export sales remain robust in the face of a record South American soybean harvest earlier this year,” he said.

Cumulative export inspections through June 10 totaled 1.344 billion bushels. Census Bureau export estimates through April exceeded inspections by 40.3 million bushels.

 ”With 11.7 weeks left in the marketing year, it appears that weekly shipments need to average only 6 million bushels per week to reach the USDA projection of 1.455 billion bushels,” Good said. “Cumulative exports plus outstanding sales as of June 3 already exceed 1.455 billion bushels. The extremely strong soybean basis currently being experienced has some wondering if stocks are tighter than advertised.”

For the 2010-11 marketing year, a small reduction in the size of the U.S. soybean crop is expected, reflecting a small increase in acreage and a trend yield of 42.9 bushels. Consumption is expected to decline by 184 million bushels, leading to a doubling of U.S. stocks by the end of the 2010-11 marketing year.

“The bottom line is that another record U.S. corn crop will be required in 2010 to accommodate growing consumption,” Good said. “There may be a little more breathing room for soybeans, but a rain-delayed end to planting in the Midwest and hot, dry conditions in the Delta are of concern.”