Studies at USDA show that reducing tillage for some Central Great Plains crops could help conserve water and reduce losses caused by climate change. Researchers at the Agricultural Research Service Agricultural Systems Research Unit in Fort Collins, Colorado superimposed climate projections onto 15 to 17 years of field data collected at the ARS Central Great Plains Research Station in Akron, Colorado to see how future crop yields might be affected. They used projections of increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide levels to 550 parts per million by volume in 2050 – as well as a five-degree Fahrenheit increase in summer temperatures by the year 2050. Those projections were used to calculate a linear increase of both CO2 and temperature from 2050 to 2100.

For crop rotations of wheat-fallow, wheat-corn-fallow and wheat-corn-millet – the team used the Root Zone Water Quality Model (version 2) to see how yields might be affected in the future. Three different combinations of climate change projections were simulated – including rising CO2 levels, rising temperatures and a shift in precipitation from late spring and summer to fall and winter. They ran the model with the projected climate for each of the 15 to 17 years of field crop data for each cropping system. All three climate factors were used to generate yield projections from 2005 to 2100. The yield estimates for all three cropping systems dropped over time – though the declines in corn and millet yields were more significant than the declines in wheat yields.

USDA’s researcher also simulated earlier planting dates and no-till management to see if either would reduce yield losses. The no-till option was the only one that helped. With no-till in the wheat-fallow rotation – wheat yields were higher than with conventional tillage through 2075. The no-till advantage was lost by 2100 – when summer temperatures had increase by eight-degrees Fahrenheit.

Three Republican Congressmen representing Central California are asking USDA to reopen the slaughterhouse operated by Central Valley Meat Company – citing the region’s high unemployment. The facility was shut down Monday after federal inspectors viewed an undercover video shot last month by an investigator for the Compassion Over Killing animal rights group. In a letter to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack – Representatives Devin Nunes, Kevin McCarthy and Jeff Denham say that shutting the plant will do nothing to further the goal of responding to the alleged animal abuse. The group is asking the Secretary to intervene against attacks occurring at the behest of radical groups.

The request comes after USDA and McDonald’s severed ties with Central Valley Meat Company – suspending purchases of meat from the facility. McDonald’s said there are behaviors in the covert video which appear to be unacceptable and would not adhere to the standards they demand of their suppliers. Despite USDA’s move to suspend purchases – federal officials say nothing they have seen in the video shows meat from cows that may have been sick made it into the food supply.

Presidential hopeful Mitt Romney has outlined an energy plan that he projects would achieve North American energy independence by the year 2020. He wants to pursue dramatic regulatory reform to accelerate the exploration and development of oil and gas and to facilitate construction of vital infrastructure. Romney wants to modernize outdated environmental laws to take cost into account. Romney says he will increase production – permitting access to resources in the Gulf of Mexico, the Outer Continental Shelf, western lands and the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge. He also plans to approve the Keystone XL pipeline on day one if elected President. Finally – he will invest in new energy technologies. More specifically – the Romney energy plan would support increased market penetration and competition among energy sources by maintaining the Renewable Fuel Standard and eliminating regulatory barriers to diversify the power grid, the fuel system and vehicle fleets.

Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Bob Dinneen applauded Romney’s commitment to domestic renewable fuels and his recognition of the importance of the RFS. He noted the RFS is helping to reduce America’s reliance on imported oil and create hundreds of thousands of jobs all across rural America. By working to remove barriers to market access for renewable fuels – Dinneen says America can help spur an economic recovery while securing our energy future.

Advanced Ethanol Council Executive Director Brooke Coleman also commended Romney’s recognition of the importance of the RFS to the economic and environmental welfare of the country and the need to open up the marketplace to renewable fuels. Coleman said the RFS and market access are two critical pieces of the puzzle when it comes to the ongoing development of the domestic biofuels industry. The AEC also noted the importance of the tax code when it comes to domestic energy development – and hopes Romeny will me more explicit in his campaign’s support for parity in the tax code for renewable fuels. Coleman says an ‘all of the above’ energy strategy isn’t possible if the U.S. tax code continues to offer incentives to oil and gas developers that are not being offered to renewable fuels projects. According to Coleman – leveling the playing field in the tax code is absolutely critical to achieving the energy security goals set forth by the Romney Campaign.

Growth Energy President and COO Jim Nussle also weighed in on the Romney energy plan – stating he was pleased to see the importance of renewable fuels highlighted. Nussle said the support for the RFS and a diversification of vehicle fleets and fueling systems is an essential tool in achieving increased market access for home-grown American energy and providing consumers with a choice when they fuel up.

Outside of farming regions – there’s not as much pressure on lawmakers to get a new farm bill through Congress. Drake University Professor of Politics Dennis Goldford says people are very aware of the farm bill in a state like Iowa – but it’s not the same in states where not much of the economy is ag-related. Still – pressure is expected to intensify when Congress returns to Capitol Hill next month – as the worst drought to hit the U.S. since 1956 has attracted nationwide attention to the challenges farmers and ranchers in rural America are facing. House Agriculture Committee Member Kristi Noem of South Dakota believes momentum is building to pass a farm bill. Still – she says it’s an uphill battle to educate those unfamiliar with the importance of agriculture on the importance of ag policy and what it does to benefit every family. She says we need more leadership engagement, President engagement – all hands on deck – to get the farm bill done and passed before it expires on September 30th.

Analysts and lawmakers alike are concerned that delaying a farm bill until after the November election – or even until 2013 – could leave programs open to even deeper spending cuts that would affect farmers and recipients of food stamps and other nutrition programs. Professor Goldford says the election will have more of an impact on the fate of the farm bill than the farm bill will have on the fate of the election.

The ethanol received approval from the EPA to sell and use E-15 ethanol blends in light duty vehicles made since 2001 on June 8th and now a Kansas station has become the second in the U.S. to sell E-15. Zarco 66 Owner Scott Zaremba says he is excited to add a high octane renewable fuel choice for customers and continue to reduce the nation’s dependence on foreign oil. Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Bob Dinneen says American consumers are looking for a choice when they go to fuel their vehicles and ethanol helps consumers during these difficult economic times by lowering prices at the pump. According to a study by professors at the University of Wisconsin and Iowa State University – ethanol reduced wholesale gas prices by one-dollar and nine-cents per gallon on a national average in 2011. In the Midwest – that savings was one-dollar and 69-cents per gallon. RFA continues to work with the petroleum industry, gas retailers, automakers and consumers to ensure E-15 is used properly.

According to the U.S. Drought Monitor map released last week – 62-percent of the U.S. is still in some level of drought and 24-percent is now in extreme or exceptional drought. The core of the drought remains over the Corn Belt. Due to the extreme heat – so far this year the corn harvest is at least three weeks early – with USDA reporting four-percent is complete compared to one-percent normally at this time. In Kansas, Missouri and Tennessee – harvest is even further along – with 17-percent complete in Kansas and 18-percent complete in Missouri and Tennessee. Still – production is expected to be the lowest since 2006 and expected yield averages are lower than anticipated – at nearly 123-bushels per acre – after farmers planted 96.4-million acres of corn – the most in the past 75-years.

National Crop Insurance Services President Tom Zacharias says the vast majority of farms in drought areas are protected by crop insurance. He says the crop insurance industry is on the ground in those areas – mobilizing loss-adjuster teams. Zacharias says farmers can be assured their claims will be paid – as the companies will move as quickly and efficiently as possible to assess damages and get indemnity checks to farmers in a timely fashion.