Senate this week would entice farmers located near ethanol biorefineries to grow dedicated energy crops. Department of Agriculture would determine the likelihood of construction of a future biorefinery, the local potential for feedstock production, the number of interested farmers and a biorefinery's economic impact. But the technological hurdles and costs have been so daunting that most ethanol producers instead relied on heavy government subsidies to squeeze fuel from corn. Department of...

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Mast, a multigenerational farmer who works 5,000 acres, leans forward in his chair and calculates his water evaporation loss: It comes to 317 gallons a minute. Biofuels can be made from a multitude of crops as well as manure, husks and food leftovers, all of which farmers can provide. The huge change in production a preponderance of corn over cotton was sparked by a greater demand for corn needed to produce the growing thirst for biofuel. The second effect is the increase in the price of...

Today, those who specialize in agriculture can end up in well-paying jobs managing golf courses, analyzing financial markets for Wall Street and developing new breeds of plants to improve food production. But agricultural jobs have moved well beyond the farm into the worlds of high finance, science and marketing. In fact, the number of job openings in agriculture exceeds the number of qualified college graduates each year, according to the U. If you are, images of pitching hay, slopping...

The committee will also advise USDA on private-sector efforts to enhance food and rural business systems in developing countries. All committee members have expertise in international agriculture, trade and marketing, especially as they relate to emerging market economies. Their expertise and unique knowledge will be instrumental in helping develop new export markets for our farmers and ranchers. Get the latest industry news delivered right to your computer! The program supports private...