Koch expands nitrogen fertilizer holdings
A Koch Industries subsidiary will pay $3.6 billion to buy the Iowa Fertilizer Company from chemical-maker OCI Global, based in the Netherlands, announced the companies on Monday. Iowa Fertilizer, which began production in 2017 in southeastern Iowa, was the first large-scale nitrogen fertilizer factory built in the United States in 25 years, said OCI.
Foreign buyers of ag land show interest in its potential to generate renewable energy
When foreign investors acquire U.S. forest and farm land, they frequently are interested in the possibility of solar, wind, or renewable energy generation on their new property, said an Agriculture Department report. Companies with the words “wind,” “solar,” or “renewable” in their names hold 28 percent of the 43.4 million acres of foreign-owned or -leased agricultural land in the country.
TODAY’S QUICK HITS
More wildfires in the East: After studying wildfire data since 1980, researchers found an increasing risk of large wildfires in the eastern half of the United States, where the majority of Americans live. (University of Florida)
Ask for six-month delay: The USDA should delay the compliance date for its new fair-play rule on contracts between processors and poultry farmers for at least 180 days — until mid-August — so processors have time to revise the documents, said 64 lawmakers. (National Chicken Council)
County requires CAFO setback: County commissioners in Linn County in west-central Oregon voted to require large livestock barns to be at least one mile from neighboring residences, reducing the potential locations for a proposed 580,000-bird chicken farm. (Statesman Journal)
Crop subsidy enrollment opens: With the one-year extension of the 2018 farm law, farmers have until March 15 to sign up for the Agriculture Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage subsidies for this year’s crops and to make changes to crop-by-crop elections. (Farm Service Agency)
‘Livestock roadshow’ for insurance: Citing rapid growth in enrollment, the Risk Management Agency said it would hold a dozen workshops, in person and online, this winter for producers to learn about insurance for livestock, dairy revenue, and forage. (USDA)
