" I heard it through the AgLine"

July 7, 2011

 

 

·       US, Mexico resolve trucking dispute

·       Purefresh wins Game Changer award

·       Canada, EU ink organic trade deal

·       Airlines get OK to use plant biofuels

·       Honeybee program lands at O’Hare

 

 

US, Mexico resolve trucking dispute

 

(Bloomberg) – The U.S. and Mexican governments reached an accord today to resolve a 15-year cross-border trucking dispute that will result in the lifting of punitive tariffs on about $2.4 billion of U.S. goods.

 

Under the agreements signed today in Mexico City by the U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and Mexican Communications and Transportation Minister Dionisio Perez- Jacome, Mexico will suspend half of the tariffs within 10 days. The rest will be eliminated when the first Mexican trucking company is allowed to deliver goods into the U.S. The tariffs range between 5 percent and 25 percent.

 

“The agreements signed today are a win for roadway safety and they are a win for trade,” LaHood said in a statement.

 

Mexican trucks must comply with all Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards and have monitoring systems to track hours on the road, the transportation department said. Also, truck drivers must take drug tests that are analyzed in the U.S., hand over complete driving records and prove their English-language skills.

 

Mexican trucks will be allowed to carry loads to a U.S. destination and bring cargo back to Mexico. They won’t be able to deliver goods between two U.S. cities. U.S. trucks will be allowed to circulate in Mexico under the same guidelines.

 

The conflict dates back to December 1995 when the U.S. cited safety concerns to block rules under the North American Free Trade Agreement that permitted Mexican trucks to cross beyond a 25-mile border zone.

 

A previous attempt to resolve the problem failed after the U.S. canceled a cross-border trucking certification program in March 2009. Only 157 Mexican trucks took part in that pilot program. The U.S. announced in January it would hold talks with Mexico to resolve the dispute.

 

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Purefresh wins Game Changer award

 

(Wire Services) FREMONT, CA – Purfresh, a leading provider of clean technologies that purify, protect, and preserve the global food supply chain, today announced that it has been selected as "California's 2011 Leaders In Agriculture Innovation" by Grow-California for its cutting-edge approach to business which has a positive impact on California's agricultural industry and economy.

 

The award will be presented by California Secretary of Agriculture, Karen Ross, and USDA Rural Development State Director, Dr. Glenda Humiston, at a special ceremony during the inaugural California Agriculture Innovation conference on the campus of U.C. Davis on July 21st.

 

"We are honored to be selected as one of California's 2011 leaders in agricultural innovation," said Mr. David Cope, president and CEO of Purfresh, Inc. "At Purfresh, we are focused on improving efficiencies throughout the food supply chain by helping the agricultural industry leverage next-generation products to maximize food production, enhance the quality of food grown, and reduce losses that occur during transit. This acknowledgment is a reflection of our commitment and dedication to the worldwide ag industry."

 

The California Agriculture Innovation conference marks the first time that the Silicon Valley will be focusing on the Central Valley and beyond for potential investment opportunities within the state's agricultural industry to help ag entrepreneurs grow and develop while at the same time creating new companies and jobs which will help rebuild the economy. Conference organizers hope that by bringing the venture capital community together with the agricultural community, there will be tremendous potential to create an innovative technology hub for agriculture in the Central Valley which will spawn new companies, jobs, and economic activity.

 

"Purfresh is a true game changer in its innovative approach," said Jon Gregory, president and CEO of Grow-California. He added, "It is a business that has caught the interest of numerous investors, bankers, and economic development organizations who consulted with us to identify California agricultural companies who were impressed by their focus on innovation."

 

To be considered as a Game Changer of the Year, companies must be headquartered in California or have significant operations or facilities in the state; have at least $5 million in annual revenue in 2010; and, be in existence for at least four years. A selection committee comprised of investment banks, venture capital funds, academia and conference sponsors reviewed nominations and determined the winners.

 

For more information about the California Agriculture Innovation conference and the "Game Changer of the Year" awards, visit: http://www.grow-california.com/.

 

About Purfresh, Inc.

 

An innovator and market leader, Purfresh offers a range of clean, science-based solutions for the global food supply chain. Designed to purify, protect, and preserve fresh produce, Purfresh's crop management products and cold chain solutions couple proven science with advanced technology to optimize the quality and safety of produce as it moves from the farm to the consumer. Serving more than 1,500 customers in 50 countries, Purfresh and its global partners help companies maximize yields, reduce losses, expand market opportunities, and deliver safer, higher-quality produce to the market. For more information, visit www.purfresh.com. Follow Purfresh on Twitter and Facebook.

 

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Canada, EU ink organic trade deal

 

(Wire Services) OTTAWA – Canada and the European Union have reached an historic agreement to recognize each other's organic standards and laws, after nearly four years of formal negotiation.

 

This is the world's second such agreement. In June 2009, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and the United States Department of Agriculture signed the very first "organic equivalency arrangement," which opened the significant U.S. organic market to Canadian exports.

 

The global organic trade is now estimated at over $55 billion per year, with 96% of this represented by the U.S. and EU markets. Canada is now the only country in the world able to deal directly with these two key markets through its domestic standards.

 

"This is an absolute game-changer for Canadian farmers and food manufacturers," said Matthew Holmes, Executive Director of the Canada Organic Trade Association, and an organic sector advisor to the Government of Canada on international trade and market access. "With full access to European markets, suppliers, and ingredients, Canada's organic sector now has a strategic edge. This agreement will increase trade and boost Canada's organic sector, from the farm to the consumer."

 

COTA calculates the Canadian organic market has grown from $2 billion in 2008 to over $2.6 billion in 2010.  Canadian companies annually export over $390 million worth of organic commodities, ingredients and products to the U.S., EU and other parts of the world. Since 2008, COTA has coordinated a Long-Term International Strategy for the organic sector, with roughly $500,000 in cumulative matching funds contributed through Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's AgriMarketing Program to support Canadian companies branding and marketing their organic products around the world.

 

"This recognition of Canada's organic standards by both the EU and U.S. shows that Canada's organic standards are among the best in the world," said Holmes. "This agreement also means consumers at home will know that strong organic standards have been followed in order to enter our country, while eliminating the burdensome costs of multiple organic certifications now carried by farmers, processors and traders."

 

In 2009, Canada implemented the Organic Products Regulations, which make Canada's organic standards mandatory for domestic and imported products. Under the OPR, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency oversees and enforces the organic certification system as well as organic claims in the marketplace. The new "Canada Organic" logo allows consumers to identify products that meet Canada's new organic requirements.

 

The Canada Organic Trade Association is the membership-based trade association for the organic sector in Canada. With the Organic Trade Association, COTA advocates for organic agriculture and products throughout North America. Their combined membership include growers, shippers, processors, certifiers, farmers' associations, distributors, importers, exporters, consultants, retailers and others throughout the U.S. and Canada. Their shared mission is to promote and protect the growth of organic trade to benefit the environment, farmers, the public and the economy.

 

SOURCE CANADA ORGANIC TRADE ASSOCIATION

 

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Airlines get OK to use plant biofuels

 

(Bloomberg) – Airlines won final approval from a U.S.-based technical-standards group to power their planes with a blend made from traditional kerosene and biofuels derived from inedible plants and organic waste.

 

The decision published late last week on the website of ASTM International allows airlines to fly passenger jets using derivatives of up to 50 percent biofuel made from feedstocks such as algae and woodchips. It will help carriers that account for 2 percent of global carbon dioxide emissions reduce pollution blamed for damaging the Earth’s atmosphere.

 

“We’re extremely pleased to see the approval of the first group of biofuels for aviation,” Billy Glover, Boeing Co. (BA)’s vice president of environment and aviation policy, said in an e- mail. “The ASTM Emerging Fuels Taskforce, co-led by Boeing and the Federal Aviation Administration, worked for years to enable aviation to diversify its fuel sources and reduce our environmental footprint.”

 

Airlines already have conducted test flights using the fuel. Air France-KLM Group on June 29 operated the world’s first commercial flight using a blend including cooking oil. It’s planning 200 similar test flights from Amsterdam to Paris starting September. Boeing did a trans-Atlantic flight with fuel from the camelina plant.

 

Engine Impact

ASTM gave preliminary approval for the new blends in early June and will publish detailed rules for refiners to follow in the next few days. General Electric Co. (GE), the world’s biggest jet engine maker, said it doesn’t expect the new fuels to have any impact on the function of its motors.

 

The 27-nation European Union is prodding airlines toward cleaner fuels by forcing them to cap emissions or buy permits for the excess beginning next year.

 

Companies that may benefit from opening the $139 billion a year aviation fuel market include Neste Oil Oyj (NES1V) of Finland, U.S.-based Solazyme Inc. and Honeywell International Inc. (HON)’s UOP unit, which is developing a fuel-making technology.

 

“Today’s announcement is a major step in its efforts to commercialize advanced low-carbon biofuels,” Jonathan Wolfson, chief executive officer of Solazyme.

 

Airbus estimates airlines may consume 30 percent of their fuel from plant-derived sources by 2030.

 

Boeing and Airbus

The plane maker, with Deutsche Lufthansa AG (LHA), plans in the coming weeks to undertake a six-month trial using planes with one engine powered 50 percent by biofuel from jatropha, camelina and animal waste. Lufthansa is aiming to blend clean fuel with kerosene at up to 10 percent of the total by 2020.

 

Only one other type of clean jet fuel is currently cleared for use. This was approved in 2009 and is made from feedstocks including biomass, natural gas and coal.

 

“Approval for plant-oil based biomass jet fuels is only a first step,” Glover said. “Boeing, our customers, and many other stakeholders will build on this first achievement to enable these next groups of aviation fuels to be approved.”

 

Airbus and Boeing, which together manufacture about 80 percent of the world’s passenger planes, are planning to set up biofuel production chains across the world.

 

Airbus is working on a supply hub in India where it’s talking with government and airline officials. Its aim is to form joint ventures and partnerships with growers, transporters and refiners.

 

Boeing is negotiating with companies across the supply chain in South America. Fuel from inedible plants or waste doesn´t put price pressure on crops as can fuel from corn, sugar cane or soy.

 

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Honeybee program lands at O’Hare

 

(Chicago Sun-Times) – It’s all the buzz out at O’Hare Airport: Sweet Beginnings has landed.

 

The nonprofit North Lawndale Employment Network’s bee-farming program has established 33 beehives on airport property — making O’Hare the first U.S. airport to incorporate apiaries in a conservation program.

 

Airports in Europe have used apiaries in landscaping as part of sustainability efforts for years, and O’Hare’s 7,000 acres offer much unused open space.

 

The Sweet Beginnings bees and their keepers arrived in March on 2,400 square feet of vacant, undeveloped, grassy land on the east side of O’Hare. Future landscaping is planned to support the bees, with bird- deterrent plant varieties, of course.

 

“We’ve been pursuing a whole variety of green initiatives for many years now, and O’Hare is recognized as a leader in sustainability nationally and internationally,” said Amy Malick, deputy commissioner of sustainability for the city Aviation Department. “Airports in Germany were the first to embark on apiaries. They have been doing this for a decade or so. We’re really proud that we’re the first to follow suit in the U.S.”

 

Sweet Beginnings is the nationally lauded program of the North Lawndale group headed by award-winning CEO Brenda Palms Barber. The progam helps ex-offenders and other residents of that impoverished West Side community find permanent jobs.

 

Palms Barber started Sweet Beginning 10 years ago to create temporary green jobs for her clients while they complete job-training and readiness programs. It produces Beeline honey and natural honey-based personal care products.

 

Barber’s group hopes to establish an apiary at Midway Airport within the next year, and future plans at O’Hare call for their Sweet Beginnings products to be sold through O’Hare’s food service programs and via a kiosk or storefront.

 

“This is a multi-pronged program that has an environmental, a social, and ultimately, an economic component,” Malick said. “We’re giving bees a chance to survive in a pretty difficult environment, and people’s gardens nearby hopefully will benefit. We’re providing opportunities for advancement for the disadvantaged population Sweet Beginnings serves, and we’re looking at the opportunity for Sweet Beginnings to sell their honey at the airport. So this is a very strong initiative.”

 

The Federal Aviation Administration and U.S. Agriculture Department approved teh project.

 

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