Ethanol Associations Issue Unified Message Ahead of COP 27

Nov 10, 2022

In an intentional commitment to support the global fight against climate change, the U.S. Grains Council (USGC), Renewable Industries Canada (RICanada), UNICA, UNEM (National Corn Ethanol Union) and ePURE have come together today to underscore the importance of renewable ethanol in this effort.

The leaders of each organization issued a joint letter, declaring, among other things:

As the world’s leading ethanol associations representing producers across the globe, we support the global energy transition and effort to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Crop-based biofuels such as ethanol provide benefits to the environment, energy and food security, human health, and rural communities and underscores its essential role in global efforts to reach net zero by 2050 and beyond.

The use and implementation of renewable ethanol offers GHG reductions in the transport sector; produces valuable co-products such as animal feed and biobased additives, contributes to positive health effects among world populations; is a future-facing renewable liquid fuel that can be used by the aviation sector; and its affordability can assist countries seeking solutions to current energy security and inflation.

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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.