Infrastructure
This fall, Farm Journal’s Chip Flory and Michelle Rook traveled to the Port of Grays Harbor in Washington and the Port of South Louisiana. Here’s what they learned about two very different ports with two important jobs.
The Last Acre Act would help expand high-speed internet access across eligible farmland, ranchland and farm sites. At least 15% of farms and ranches have no access to the internet today.
Carbon dioxide pipelines are not new – but they’re making news. There is a major effort to build a new pipeline network to transport CO2 from ethanol and fertilizer plants to underground storage.
The historically low water levels on the Mississippi River have caused a trifecta in the soybean market. Its increased freight weights, slammed basis levels and taken a real toll on exports.
Carbon pipelines are stirring up controversy. According to John Phipps, projects like pipelines, transmission lines or solar arrays are bitterly and usually unsuccessfully opposed, but only by those affected.
After record low water levels on many of the major rivers used for export movement in 2022, agriculture could see a repeat this fall.
Bill 3372 could lower greenhouse gas emissions, mitigate factors leading to supply chain backlogs, reduce damage to roads, and provide an extra set of brakes to improve stopping capacity and safety, one lawmaker says.
California wastes water, hindering farmers’ ability to grow crops. Farmers are ready to conserve, but we need officials who prioritize the future.
Seven U.S. states along the drought-starved Colorado River have reached a deal with the Biden administration to conserve water in a “historic consensus” to prevent supply problems for big cities as well as farmers.
Rural electric cooperatives, utilities and other energy providers will soon be able to apply for nearly $11 billion in grants and loans for clean energy projects, funded by the $430 billion Inflation Reduction Act.
Mississippi River Flooding Expected to Peak at the 7th Highest Level Ever Near Quad Cities Next Week
As the upper Mississippi River continues to rise, USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey says the worst is yet to come, with a top 10 flood crest not expected near the Quad Cities for as much as two more weeks.
For a developed country as large as the US, we are almost unique in our lack of robust rail capabilities. John Phipps answers a viewer’s question about the possibility of updating the rail system to move grain faster.
The Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association supports the adoption of the Local Farms and Food Act, which backers claim will help local growers, in the 2023 farm bill.
Agriculture is watching the ongoing contract negotiations between the unions at West Coast ports as tensions rise. However, the unreliability of shipping has already caused a shift in business to East Coast ports.
What is the true cost of manufacturing green energies? John Phipps says in order to answer the question, it’s important to first clear up confusion about what green even means.
Waste issues for renewables may seem huge but not when compared to the alternatives. John Phipps says one problem is the availability bias. He analyzes the cost of the waste compared to alternatives in Customer Support.
Since states have majority control of utility policies and rates, the differences between renewable and fossil fuel-generated electricity is dramatic. California has a duck curve for electricity demand and solar supply.
“When Ukraine fails, in terms of their ability to produce agricultural products, the world becomes less safe,” says Howard Buffett, global philanthropist and Illinois farmer.
With improved snowpack in areas such as Montana and precipitation through the midsection of the country late last fall and this winter, the Mississippi River and its tributaries could be back to normal by this spring.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has been dredging the river 24 hours a day, 7 days a week since July but hopes to finish very soon.
“The goal is to gather data and best practices to deploy the sites to farms across the country, widening the scope of land for solar developers and providing farmers with another revenue stream,” the program manager says
The House on Friday averted a government shutdown by voting 225 to 201 in favor of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023—the omnibus spending bill. Here’s what’s in it for ag.
The Fertilizer Institute applauded the passage of the legislation, which it dubbed an “integral” component of the fertilizer distribution system.
According to Biden’s economic advisors, as many as 765,000 Americans — many union workers themselves — would have been put out of work in the first two weeks of shutdowns.
Congress is stepping in to avert a nationwide railroad strike, which was set to happen as early as December 9.
With less than two weeks from a railroad strike deadline, President Biden plans to call on Congress to take action to avert a shutdown of the country’s freight railroads. . .
A year ago, USDA scientists announced a process to make sustainable aviation fuel from soybean oil. Commodity organizations looked at the aviation fuel consumption data and fell in love, but Johns Phipps has questions.
Harvest is nearing the finish line, but as corn continues to pile up, there are renewed concerns about what a possible rail strike could mean for the grain industry, as well as fertilizer needs this fall.
Rural America, and farmers especially are skeptical to put it mildly about electric vehicles and tractors. John Phipps says this attitude is reasonable, but also myopic, and explains why in John’s World.
Unions are arguing railroads haven’t done enough to address worker concerns, largely surrounding working conditions and paid time off.