In a farmdoc daily article last week, we showed that biodiesel production profits in the U.S. had moved into the black in recent months, seemingly defying the typical pattern of losses in years following the expiration of the biodiesel tax credit. Given the anomalous movement in biodiesel production profits one wonders whether something similar has been happening to ethanol production. The U.S. ethanol production industry is coming off a good year in 2016. Net profits averaged $0.12 per gallon, about $0.05 higher than in 2015. [node:read-more:link]

The U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM) on Monday approved a resolution supporting a 100% renewable energy goal by 2035, and launched the Ready for 100 campaign to support the utilization of more clean power. The group of more than 250 U.S. [node:read-more:link]

Southern Co. is "immediately suspending start-up and operations activities" on the gasifier units of its Kemper County power plant, the company said in a release Wednesday.The 582 MW plant was designed to convert locally-mined coal into a synthetic gas and capture over half of its carbon emissions. [node:read-more:link]

Canadians are consuming more of their calories from protein than they did more than a decade ago, according to results from the newest Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) report. Fat consumption amongst adults increased slightly, and there was a small decline in carbohydrates consumption. The report notes that for children and teenagers, the percentage of daily energy intake from protein increased one percent (to 15.6 percent in 2015 from 14.6 percent in 2004). For adults, it edged up to 17.0 percent from 16.5 percent. [node:read-more:link]

Demand for local food is booming at the same time soaring labor costs are forcing more high-value fruit and vegetable production out of states like California, Arizona and Colorado and onto farms south of the border, according to two experts who work on agricultural labor issues.Philip Martin, professor emeritus of ag economics at the University of California-Davis, and Guadalupe (Lupe) Sandoval, executive director of the California Farm Labor Contractors Association, say the shift is already happening and likely to intensify. [node:read-more:link]

Over the last weekend of June, some of the already drought-stricken areas in north-central South Dakota saw a damaging frost on their corn. The frost didn't hit the winter or spring wheat, but that could be partially due to the fact that there isn't much winter wheat left in the fields. At least 75% of the winter wheat in the drought-stricken areas of South Dakota has been baled or sprayed out. Some authorities have declared that at least $20 million of crops in South Dakota have already been destroyed by drought or the June 24 frost, with more losses expected. [node:read-more:link]

The sale of Stonyfield is part of an agreement reached with the U.S. Department of Justice in connection with Danone’s recent acquisition of WhiteWave. Danone and WhiteWave together have big chunks of the yogurt market with brands including Dannon, Oikos, Actimel, Silk, Wallaby and Horizon Organic, which led to concerns from the Justice Department about concentration in the dairy sector. [node:read-more:link]

Earlier this year, Apple and Micro­soft marshaled their lobbyists in Lincoln, Neb., far from their usual corridors of political power. Their target was a proposed state law—the first of its kind, if passed—that could have set off a costly chain reaction nationwide. For decades, many electronics manufacturers have profited from a choke hold on repairs to their products. [node:read-more:link]

For a lot of people up and down the East Coast, Georgia is synonymous with peaches. Think about it; when have you ever heard someone wax poetic about a California peach?

Turns out, though, Georgia peaches, and Southern peaches in general, are having a really tough year. [node:read-more:link]

A new Pennsylvania law shields veterinarians from civil liability when they report suspected animal cruelty to law enforcement authorities. [node:read-more:link]