The U.S. Department of Agriculture released investment results in scientific research including 222 new inventions, 94 patents awarded and 125 new patent applications filed in 2015. The USDA Annual Report on Technology Transfer includes new agriculture-related discoveries, inventions and processes made by USDA researchers, universities and small businesses with the potential for commercial application. USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack said the results show that USDA research partners have “changed the world.” Vilsack says studies show that every dollar invested in agricultural research returns $20 to our economy. USDA highlighted investment projects from 2015 including computer chips made from wood fiber, mosquito-resistant uniforms for U.S. military personnel and bacteria repellent cooking pan surfaces.

The National Biodiesel Board applauded the 2017 Renewable Fuel Standard just released by the Environmental Protection Agency as the law increases biodiesel volumes. Under the new RFS rule, biomass-based diesel standards would move to 2.1 billion gallons in 2018, up from two billion gallons in 2017. Additionally, the new RFS rule would move advanced biofuels to 4.28 billion gallons in 2017 up from 3.61 billion gallons in 2016 with biomass-based diesel continuing to fill a large portion of the advanced program. The new standards reflect modest growth but remain below the more than 2.6 billion gallons of biodiesel and renewable hydrocarbon diesel expected in 2016. The National Biodiesel Board says: “The real winners with this announcement are American consumers who will now have access to even more cleaner burning, advanced biofuel.” NBB says biodiesel is produced in nearly every state in the country and is currently supporting more than 47,000 jobs.

The Environmental Protection Agency Wednesday released the final Renewable Fuel Standard volume requirements for 2017, setting the conventional biofuel volume—which includes ethanol—at the statute level of 15 billion gallons. That represents an increase from 14.8 billion gallons in the proposed rule and sets the standards in line with bipartisan Congressional intent when the RFS was put into law. Pro-ethanol groups applauded the move by the EPA as it followed series of years in which the EPA undercut the statute set volume levels under the RFS. Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor said the final rule “validates the critical importance of cleaner burning, less expensive biofuels,” like ethanol.

Outgoing Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack says the Renewable Fuel Standard will survive a Donald Trump administration because ethanol is too well-established in rural areas. Vilsack says the RFS “supports too many jobs” for a Trump administration to dismantle the law. U.S. ethanol production has more than doubled since 2007, when the current form of the law was enacted, according to the U.S. Energy Department. Farm Futures reports that President-elect Trump told the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association earlier this year that the U.S. should increase ethanol mandates, but in September his campaign published a fact sheet calling for the removal of the biofuel blending credit system. His campaign later reissued the fact sheet without the language opposing the system. Vilsack said rural support for the RFS would be enough to withstand attacks. Meanwhile, the Environmental Protection Agency is due to release the final 2017 RFS by the end of this month. The statute requires ethanol volumes for 2017 to be set at 15 billion gallons. However, the EPA proposed earlier this year to set the volume target at 14.8 billion gallons.

When President-elect Donald Trump takes office in January, he is likely to have an Agriculture Secretary with ties to Indiana. Indiana Governor Mike Pence, who will serve as Trump’s Vice President, is overseeing the transition efforts, and Politico reports that Pence will have a lot of say in who gets control of the Department of Agriculture. Five of the nine names among the top potential picks for Agriculture Secretary are from Indiana either by birth or business connections, and most have ties to Pence. The shortlist includes past president of the Indiana Farm Bureau, Don Villwock and Ted McKinney, the current director of the Indiana Department of Agriculture. Also included on the shortlist is Chuck Conner, the president and CEO of the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives. Conner is a Purdue University graduate who has previously served as the Deputy USDA Secretary. Also on the list is Mike McCloskey, a dairy executive from Indiana, and Kip Tom, a farmer who ran for Congress in Indiana this year but was defeated in the primary.

Japan is one of six Trans-Pacific Partnership member countries vowing to move forward with the trade deal, despite the nation’s Prime Minister calling TPP “meaningless” without the United States. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (sheen-zoh ah-bay) made the comments around the same time U.S. President-elect Donald Trump promised to withdraw from TPP on the first day of his presidency. Still, Reuters reports that Japan plans to take the lead in getting TPP into effect as soon as possible. A top official within Japan’s government said this week that Japan plans to lobby other signatories to the pact, but declined to elaborate. Also this week, officials from Mexico said at least six countries, including Japan, plan to move forward on TPP with or without the United States.

A video statement released by President-elect Donald Trump this week indicated he would follow through on his campaign promise to withdraw from the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement. Withdrawing from TPP topped his priority list for day one of his presidency. Trump said that instead, under his administration, the U.S. would “negotiate fair bilateral trade deals that bring jobs and industry back onto American shores.” Amid the statement by Trump, China has announced hopes to conclude an Asia-wide trade pact as soon as possible. A Chinese foreign ministry spokesman said Tuesday that Asian leaders are pressing ahead with talks for the 10-nation Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership that China has backed as an alternative to the U.S.-led TPP deal.