Developer plans wind farm project near Lafayette
LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) — A developer has announced plans for a 25-turbine wind farm in a rural area north of Lafayette.

Carmel-based Performance Services said Sept. 7 it expected to start construction in the fall of 2011 on the project across about 2,500 acres in northern Tippecanoe County. The Journal & Courier reports company president Tim Thoman said preliminary testing on the site has been positive.

The company is offering school districts and universities the opportunity to invest in the wind turbines and then share in profits from the sales of energy produced.

Indiana honors Rushville Pioneer plant with safety award
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — The Indiana Department of Labor (IDOL) is pleased to announce the certification of Rushville, Ind., Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc. in Indiana’s Voluntary Protection Program (VPP).

Employing nearly 50 full-time employees, Pioneer’s Rushville plant manufactures seed corn for the agriculture industry. During the summer detasseling season, the site employs an additional 1,500 employees, of which approximately 85 percent are under the age of 18.

Management commitment to and employee involvement in occupational safety and health are key components of an effective workplace safety and health program, according to the IDOL. Pioneer management and employees participate in multiple collaborative safety efforts, including a plant safety committee, Job Safety Analyses and incident investigations.

In addition, employees work on ergonomic projects and participate in the delivery of safety presentations during weekly safety meetings.

CoBank reports 2Q net earnings of $150.4 million
DENVER, Colo. — CoBank announced financial results for the second quarter of 2010.

Its net income was $150.4 million, compared with $156.1 million in the second quarter of 2009. Net interest income for the quarter was $217.9 million, compared with $239.7 million in the same period last year.

Average loan volume for the second quarter of 2010 was $43.2 billion, compared to $45.9 billion for the same period in 2009. For the first six months of 2010, net income increased 1 percent to $319 million and included the impact of refunds of insurance fund premiums paid in prior years.

Net interest income for the first six months of 2010 was $448.6 million, compared to $492.9 million in the same period of 2009. Total loan volume for the bank at June 30, 2010, was $42.3 billion.

As in recent prior quarters, loan volume decreased primarily due to lower commodity prices and lower inventories at agricultural cooperatives, which resulted in a corresponding reduction in seasonal lending to agribusiness customers. Those declines were partially offset by growth in loans to rural energy customers and in wholesale loans to associations in the Farm Credit System.

Capital and liquidity levels at the bank remain strong and well in excess of regulatory minimums. At quarter’s end, the bank held approximately $14.6 billion in cash and investments.

Forests at UT ag center certified into system
JACKSON, Tenn. (AP) — The forests at the University of Tennessee West Tennessee AgResearch and Education Center have been certified into the American Tree Farm System.

This distinction gives this property global recognition as being a well-managed forest, and any wood products that originate at the center will be marketed as being produced with the highest standards.

The center is one of 10 outdoor laboratories operated by UT AgResearch, a division of the UT Institute of Agriculture. It has 235 acres of forests. According to a news release from the university, 470 forests in the Volunteer State are now officially certified through American Tree Farm.