“We’ve been Midwest nice for too long.”  

That was the E15 rallying cry of Ohio corn farmer Jed Bower at last week’s Commodity Classic. 

It also was one of the biggest applause lines — if not the biggest – during the ag gathering of more than 12,000 attendees in San Antonio.  

The message is a salvo to lawmakers in Washington stuck on how to tackle legislation that would allow year-round, nationwide sales of higher ethanol blends, known as E15. A main sticking point has been division among oil companies on a push to shrink the number of refinery exemptions from national biofuel-blending rules. 

“We don't want any more excuses. We're tired of waiting,” Bower, president of the National Corn Growers Association, said prior to encouraging members to call their representatives on E15. “We're tired of being pushed around and bullied by big industry.”  

So, what’s next? Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor says there’s “still positive movement forward” on Capitol Hill. “We just have to be unrelenting,” she said. “We want to make sure that lawmakers understand just how critically important this is, not just for us economically but also for fuel affordability.”  

Gasoline spikes: The U.S. attack on Iran is poised to send oil prices skyrocketing and hit Americans with sticker shock at fuel pumps.  

A rapidly escalating geopolitical conflict is sure to bolster calls by the biofuel industry for E15. 

Political fallout: Meanwhile, Democrats and Republicans alike are looking to sharpen their jabs at the other side ahead of the super-high-stakes midterm elections in November. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., last week took aim at House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., for the missed Feb. 25 deadline the chamber set for a vote on E15.  

Duckworth and Nebraska GOP Sen. Deb Fischer worked to get a bipartisan E15 bill included in recent funding legislation. “Then, at the 11th hour, Speaker Johnson effectively blocked it by requesting yet another planning commission to do a job that we’ve already done and promising us a vote,” Duckworth said in a statement.   

“Now, with so many other broken promises, that deadline has come and gone with no proposals in sight for a solution — and it’s unacceptable.”  

Top Indian economic official: India ready to ‘rebalance’ US deal

A top Indian official says that India is ready to revisit the terms of a recent U.S.-India trade pact if the underlying “circumstances change” following the Supreme Court’s tariff ruling.

Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal pointed to language in a joint statement last month that states either side can modify its commitments if the previously agreed tariff rates change. 

Speaking at a summit on Friday, Goyal said that the trade landscape is still “evolving” following the elimination of President Donald Trump’s emergency tariffs. But he stressed that “should the circumstances change, the deal will be rebalanced.” 

Take note: Under the terms of the pact, the U.S. agreed to apply an 18% reciprocal tariff to Indian exports. The administration also nixed an additional 25% tariff imposed over India’s buys of Russian oil. 

The new 10% global tariff currently applies to Indian exports. But Trump and other administration officials have indicated that they will raise tariffs further in the coming weeks and months. 

Both sides have already previewed tariff reductions for certain ag sectors as part of the U.S.-India deal. Goyal on Friday provided further details about the scope of the deal.

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“Dairy, maize, soybean and poultry are exempt from the U.S. trade deal,” he said, while adding that “no GM foods will come into India.” 

Judge approves settlement in USDA climate data lawsuit

A federal judge has approved a settlement requiring the Agriculture Department to share climate data with environmental groups and keep that data publicly available on its website until it does so.

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U.S. District Judge Margaret Garnett of New York's Southern District has signed off on an agreement to settle a lawsuit over climate data the agency attempted to purge from its website last year. According to a court filing, the agency has agreed to provide the groups with Forest Service mapping and climate data.

Until those records are released, the agency agreed to maintain public access to the Climate Risk Viewer, a web resource that includes data on old-growth forests.

The suit was brought by the Northeast Organic Farming Association, the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Environmental Working Group.

Wife of Rep. Jim Baird dies; Danise Baird was mother of three

The wife of Indiana Rep. Jim Baird, a Republican and a member of the House Agriculture Committee, has died.

Baird’s office issued a statement on the passing of Danise Baird, whose death resulted from “complications from injuries sustained in a car accident earlier this year.”

Baird and his wife were married for 59 years, “building a life centered on faith, family, and service,” the statement says. “A devoted wife and loving mother of three, she was the foundation of their family and will be deeply missed. We ask that you keep the congressman and his family in your prayers during this difficult time.”

Ohio congresswoman, Ag Committee member Brown will speak at Agri-Pulse summit

Agri-Pulse’s annual Ag & Food Policy Summit on March 23 will feature an address from Rep. Shontel Brown, the vice ranking member of the House Agriculture Committee.

The Ohio congresswoman serves on the House Agriculture Committee's subcommittees on General Farm Commodities, Risk Management, and Credit; and Nutrition and Foreign Agriculture.
 
 This year's summit theme is: “Profit, Policy, and Possibility: Mapping the Future of Market Expansion for U.S. Agriculture.” Keynote speakers and panel discussions will cover everything from new value-added products to renewable fuels, the power of protein, trade, artificial intelligence and more.
 
If you are interested in sponsoring the event, please contact Jason@Agri-Pulse.com. For more event information, contact Sara@Agri-Pulse.com.

Final word

“Livestock is that bright spot in the ag economy right now, and folks are using that livestock piece of their operation, in many cases, to finance the row crops and other pieces of their operation that are under true stress. … We are cautiously optimistic. We've seen some of the prices jump recently. We've seen some positive movement in soy and some other areas lately. Hopefully, that continues, but [what] we really need in agriculture is more demand. We need greater demand that can, in turn, of course, support and improve the economic outlook for farmers.” – Farm Credit Council President and CEO Christy Seyfert, speaking to Jeff Nalley on Agri-Pulse’s Open Mic.
 

Listen to the full interview here.

For more news, go to Agri-Pulse.com