In Germany, German-Chinese Research Training Groups at the University of Hohenheim and the China Agricultural University in Beijing are looking for solutions for sustainable phosphorus use using the example of maize cultivation systems. If it is not possible to use the resource phosphorus more sustainably, mankind is heading for a serious crisis: phosphorus is irreplaceable […]
In Washington, D.C., Reuters reports that a letter addressed to Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue from representatives in the biofuels industry asked the Trump administration for funds to help survive the decreased demand prompted by the coronavirus pandemic. The letter asks for funds from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Commodity Credit Corporation to help the biofuels […]
In Germany, UFOP reports that in early March, the corona crisis led many market participants to act cautiously and sit back to observe further developments, but that attitude has changed completely in the past two weeks, as livestock farmers ordered large amounts of compound feed in mid-March, leading to an explosion in demand and increased […]
In Washington, D.C., U.S. Grains Council reports that 756,000 metric tons (29.8 million bushels) of U.S. corn sold to China the week ending March 19, 2020, demonstrated follow through on commitments made in the U.S.-China Phase 1 agreement signed in January and provided much-needed positive demand news for U.S. farmers. The single sale brought total […]
In Washington, D.C., the EIA released its Weekly Petroleum Status Report for the week ending March 27, which was the first to reflect more fully the impact on the ethanol industry from the social distancing and stay-at-home restrictions associated with COVID-19, showing the largest ethanol production decline since the EIA began reporting ethanol production statistics […]
In Indonesia, Argus Media reports that the country is delaying implementation of its 40% biodiesel blending (B40) program indefinitely because of the coronavirus pandemic. Trials were due to begin in March with a roll-out planned for 2021. “The government is eager to push higher blending mandates to reduce reliance on expensive foreign oil and support […]
In France, Amoeba, producer of a biological biocide capable of eliminating the risk in water and human wounds, and of a biocontrol product for plant protection, signed a Material Transfer Agreement with STÄHLER SUISSE SA and another MTA with BASF. The purpose of the BASF research partnership is related to the amoeba lysate Willaertia magna […]
In Washington, D.C., the Department of Energy is extending the application deadlines for the “BOTTLE: Bio-Optimized Technologies to Keep Thermoplastics out of Landfills and the Environment” funding opportunity. The funding opportunity was announced on March 16, 2020, and will support high-impact R&D for developing new plastics that are capable of efficient recyclability and improving recycling […]
COVID-19 is creating a rocky road for everyone but is it all gloom and doom? RFA told The Digest that about 4.4 billion gallons of capacity has come offline since March 1, plus what was already idle, the total is about 5.2 billion gallons idle – that’s approximately 30% of the industry’s total. Growth Energy […]
Amidst a tsunami of wall-to-wall ‘Rona coverage, a series of storylines have been lost in the shuffle that will have impacts near and wide-ranging for the bioeconomy, some of them relating directly to testing, scale-up and deployment of health remedies — some in the broader bioeconomy. Out of reporter’s notebook and into your hands, here […]
