DuPont ethanol plant to be built in central Iowa
NEVADA, Iowa (AP) — DuPont has chosen a central Iowa location near the city of Nevada for its next-generation ethanol plant.
Jennifer Hutchins, a spokeswoman for DuPont Danisco Cellulosic Ethanol, a subsidiary of Wilmington, Del.-based DuPont, told The Des Moines Register the plant will take 12-18 months to build and is expected to be ready for production in 2013.
The facility will use corncobs, leaves and stalks to produce ethanol rather than kernels of corn and employ about 60 workers. DuPont Danisco is working with local farmers to get commitments for collecting cobs, leaves and stalks from fields. The plant will need about 300,000 dry tons of stover annually, according to Hutchins.
She declined to say how much DuPont would invest in the plant, though documents filed with the state show the investment would be $275.5 million.
DuPont had announced in January the project would go to Iowa, beating out a bid from Nebraska. The Iowa Power Fund board approved a project grant of $9 million in February. DuPont will be buying land next to the Lincolnway Energy ethanol plant after considering placing the biorefinery near Fort Dodge.
Nevada has said it would provide nearly $8.7 million in tax abatement over 10 years. The Iowa Power Fund also agreed to provide $586,000 in job training assistance and $4.6 million in tax credits.
Nominations open for 2011 AEM Hall of Fame
MILWAUKEE, Wis. — Nominations are open for 2011 inductees into the off-road equipment industry Hall of Fame program of the Assoc. of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM).
Nominations may only be submitted online at the Hall of Fame website. Deadline for submissions is July 18. Full details are online at www.aemhalloffame.com
Nominees should be from the manufacturing, distribution, rental or end-user sectors of the off-road equipment industry. Any person, living or deceased, who has made noteworthy and specific contributions that have helped improve the industry is eligible.
For more information and questions, contact AEM’s Rich Jefferson by email at rjefferson@aem.org or phone at 414-274-0655.
NCGA extends yield contest deadline to July 25 CHESTERFIELD, Mo. — Because of widespread planting delays, the final entry deadline for the 2011 National Corn Yield Contest has been extended 10 days, to July 25, the National Corn Growers Assoc. (NCGA) announced last week.
Entries must be submitted online or postmarked on or before that date and are subject to the standard entry fee of $110 per entry. To submit online, visit http://membership.ncga.com/CornYieldContest/Default.html
“It was a late, long planting season for many growers throughout the Corn Belt,” said Steve Ebke, chairman of the Production and Stewardship Action Team. “At NCGA, we recognize the strain farmers experience while attempting to get the crop in the ground. Furthermore, early delays can cause tasks to pile up. We want every grower interested to have an opportunity to participate in the contest and hope that by extending the deadline we make it easier for them to do so.”
Local meetings will provide filing help in Keepseagle WASHINGTON, D.C. — As part of the claims-filing process, attorneys appointed by the court will hold meetings around the country to provide assistance to Native American farmers and ranchers who wish to file a claim in the $760 million Keepseagle class action settlement.
The settlement resolves a lawsuit claiming the USDA discriminated against Native Americans in farm loan applications and servicing. Class members who wish to file claims for cash and loan forgiveness should register to receive a Claims Package at www.IndianFarmClass.com or by calling 888-233-5506. These claims must be filed by Dec. 27.
Class members can get free assistance in filing a claim at meetings that will be held around the country this summer and fall. Those who have registered for a Claims Package will receive a schedule of meetings with that package. The complete schedule of Claims Filing Meetings is available at www.IndianFarmClass.com or by calling 888-233-5506.
Class members wishing to register to receive
a Claims Package can do so through the website or toll-free number, or by writing to: Keepseagle Settlement Administrator, P.O. Box 3560, Portland, OR 97208-3560.
FCA gives preliminary approval of CoBank-U.S. AgBank merger
WICHITA, Kan. — CoBank and U.S. AgBank announced the board of the Farm Credit Administration (FCA) voted June 22 to grant preliminary approval of the proposed plan of merger between the two banks.
The three-member board voted unanimously to grant preliminary approval for the transaction, subject to certain conditions. The preliminary approval will enable CoBank and U.S. AgBank to submit the merger proposal to their stockholders for a vote later this summer.
The banks plan to distribute disclosure and voting materials to stockholders in the first half of July, with completed merger ballots due to be returned by Sept. 7. If stockholders authorize the transaction, it would be approved after a 35-day reconsideration period and receipt of final approval from the FCA.
I Make America launches ‘Better America’ photo contest
MILWAUKEE, Wis. — The Assoc. of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) and the I Make America campaign have launched the “Picture a Better America” photo contest to demonstrate the urgent need to invest in America’s crumbling infrastructure.
The contest aims to greatly amplify the voices of I Make America’s grassroots supporters and others committed to demonstrating the real cost of Congressional inaction on infrastructure investment, and who are pushing for passage of a fully-funded six-year highway bill by Sept. 30.
Through July 15, people can visit www.IMakeAmerica.com/photocontest to enter their photos in four thematic categories. Contestants can submit different photos in four categories. To learn more, visit www.IMakeAmerica.com |
