Agri-Pulse DriveTime

Kansas Senator Jerry Moran is this week's guest on Agri-Pulse Newsmakers. Moran speaks to pending ad hoc assistance for farmers and thoughts on a second turn for Donald Trump in the Oval Office.

China and Brazil have expanded trade deals to include a number of industries including agriculture. The country is also amending domestic policy that may reduce sales of used cooking oil.

Members of congress continue to set their sites on approving farm and nutrition legislation. Agri-Pulse's Lydia Johnson gathered comments from key leaders this week on Capitol Hill.

Iowa Senator Charles Grassley took his turn at criticizing the Democratic farm bill proposal submitted by Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow. He says the work will have to be done next year.

Senate Agriculture Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow released a near 1,400 page farm bill draft today and spoke from the chamber floor to support her bipartisan plan.

President-elect Trump has yet to appoint a Secretary of Agriculture, but one possible candidate spoke to farm broadcasters meeting in Kansas City Friday, and ethanol producers are more optimistic about the Summit Carbon pipeline project with approval from North Dakota

Farm broadcasters are meeting in Kansas City and hearing from ag organizations and companies about challenges and opportunities in 2025 and today we have comments from the American Farm Bureau Federation, Farmers National Company, RCIS, USDA’s Farm Service Agency Administrator, and Rabobank

Sen. John Thune was elected Senate Majority Leader and we have reaction from newsmakers at the National Association of Farm Broadcasting annual meeting to that and to President-elect Trump’s choice for EPA Administrator.

A new award honors veterans who are also farmers and the first recipient is a retired Army Colonel from Indiana.

This week’s Open Mic guest is Michael McAdams, President of the Advanced Biofuels Association. After an extensive career serving on Capitol Hill, McAdams founded the ABFA in 2006.  The group represents all aspects of the advanced biofuels in the nation from large refiners to major feedstock providers and new technology groups.  McAdams believes government statutes for advanced biofuels are not working with taxpayer incentives to grow the industry. While the nation transitions to new leadership in Washington, a delay in the release of new regulations has the industry operating in a cloud of confusion. McAdams believes Congress needs to act in the Lame Duck Session to provide a window of time to provide clear rules for the industry to follow and meet the growing need for advanced biofuels.