Farm News, Monday March 21, 2016
Ag Headlines for Monday March 21 include USDA Rural School Funding and Study on Sugarcane Biodiesel.
Study Says Sugarcane Biodiesel More Economical Than Soy
A study by the University of Illinois says biodiesel from sugarcane is more economical than biodiesel from soybeans. Researchers altered sugarcane metabolism to convert sugars into lipids, or oils, which could be used to produce biodiesel. The natural makeup of sugarcane is typically only about 0.05 percent oil. However, within a year of starting the project, a research team was able to boost oil production 20 times, to approximately one percent. The so-called “oil-cane” plants are now producing 12 percent oil with the ultimate goal of achieving 20 percent. The University says their research found that oil cane with 20 percent oil in the stem, grown on underutilized acres in the southeastern United States, could replace more than two-thirds of the country’s use of diesel and jet fuel. Further, they say leftover sugars in the plant can be converted to ethanol, providing two fuel sources in one.
USDA Announces Rural Schools Payments
USDA announced Friday that more than $272 million will go to 41 states and Puerto Rico this year to support rural schools, roads and forests. The funding comes from the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act, administered by the U.S. Forest Service. USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack says the program allows USDA to work with community leaders to meet rural communities' unique education, transportation, and conservation needs. The payments from the Forest Service are used to support public schools and roads; to maintain and improve forests; and for other county conservation needs. A breakdown of the funding is available on the Forest Service website, Forest Service
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