Alltech honors Norman Borlaug with 2014 Medal of Excellence

Alltech announced that the 2014 Medal of Excellence Award recipient is Dr. Norman Borlaug. The award will be accepted posthumously by Borlaug’s granddaughter, Julie Borlaug Larson. 
The late Dr. Norman Borlaug, the father of the "Green Revolution" and one of agriculture's greatest spokespeople, will be the recipient of Alltech’s 2014 Medal of Excellence. Alltech will present the posthumous award to Borlaug’s granddaughter, Julie Borlaug Larson, at the 30th annual Alltech International Symposium in Lexington, Kentucky, May 18-21. 
“Through his adaptation of new wheat technologies and improved crop management practices, Dr. Borlaug saved more than a billion people worldwide from starvation,” said Dr. Pearse Lyons, president and founder of Alltech, in a company press release. “Borlaug taught the world to feed itself, mass famines were averted and countries such as Mexico and India became self-sufficient in producing grains. His work continues to inspire us today as we strive to find solutions to feeding nine billion people by 2050.”
Borlaug, who passed away in 2009, was also awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Congressional Gold Medal in 2007 and the Nobel Peace Prize in 1970 in recognition of his contributions to world peace through increasing the food supply. 

GOA report questions ethanol subsidy

The Government Accounting Agency (GAO) issued a report, GAO-09-446, in August 2009 on the tax subsidies and targets set forth in the Federal Renewable Fuels Standard for ethanol in gasoline.
The report questions the desirability of continuing the 45 cent/gallon Volumetric Ethanol Tax Credit for blending ethanol into gasoline. This is based on the ethanol industry now being considered mature, and capacity theoretically approaching the annual 15 billion gallon target set for 2015, corresponding to 10% inclusion of ethanol in gasoline.
The Renewable Fuels Association is currently lobbying the Environmental Protection Agency to raise the inclusion level to 15% to penetrate the 10% “blend wall.” The GAO recognizes the need to increase domestic production of biofuels, but considers funds should rather be expended on research and development of alternatives to corn-based ethanol.
Contrary to the assertions of the Renewable Fuels Association, diversion of corn to ethanol has resulted in increased prices of corn and other ingredients, and indirect increases of livestock production costs and consumer prices.