Corn Growers: We’re Ready To Help Reduce Tailpipe Emissions

May 19, 2023

By Agri-Pulse

A Kansas farmer used a House hearing Wednesday to make the case that EPA’s plan to slash tailpipe emissions ignores the part that ethanol should play. “The agricultural and liquid fuels industry stand at the ready to assist in reducing air pollution.

Unfortunately, current and proposed EPA rules prevent us from being a part of the solution and adversely impact low income and rural citizens across the United States,” Josh Roe, CEO of the Kansas Corn Growers Association, told the House Oversight and Accountability Committee. While electric vehicles will play a vital role in achieving carbon neutrality, “complementary alternatives such as biofuels have a role to play but are being pushed aside,” Roe said.

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Video: Dicamba Returns for Georgia Farmers: What the New EPA Ruling Means for Cotton Growers

After being unavailable in 2024 due to registration issues, dicamba products are returning for Georgia farmers this growing season — but under strict new conditions.

In this report from Tifton, Extension Weed Specialist Stanley Culpepper explains the updated EPA ruling, including new application limits, mandatory training requirements, and the need for a restricted use pesticide license. Among the key changes: a cap of two ½-pound applications per year and the required use of an approved volatility reduction agent with every application.

For Georgia cotton producers, the ruling is significant. According to Taylor Sills with the Georgia Cotton Commission, the vast majority of cotton planted in the state carries the dicamba-tolerant trait — meaning farmers had been paying for technology they couldn’t use.

While environmental groups have expressed concerns over spray drift, Georgia growers have reduced off-target pesticide movement by more than 91% over the past decade. Still, this two-year registration period will come with increased scrutiny, making stewardship and compliance more important than ever.