Podcast Summary
Sustainable aviation tax credit, feedstocks: Farm groups push for improvements to make sustainable aviation tax credit more accessible to US farmers, concerned about rising imports of feedstocks from countries like China and Brazil, and hindrances from climate smart practices and burdensome paperwork.
Top farm groups are advocating for improvements in the administration's sustainable aviation or clean fuel tax credit to make it more accessible for American farmers. The concern is that without a domestic feedstock requirement, imports of feedstocks from countries like China and Brazil will continue to rise, decreasing demand for US-based feedstocks. Additionally, bundling of climate smart practices and burdensome paperwork are hindering the success of the new tax credits. Farm groups believe this tax credit could be a game changer for farmers and biofuel producers, but only if they can take advantage of it. Another issue is the potential ban on Chinese-made DGI drones in the US due to security risks they pose to farmers and ranchers. The use of drones in agriculture has significantly increased, with over 3 million acres being sprayed by drones in 2023 alone. These developments highlight the importance of domestic production and security concerns in the agricultural sector.
DJI drone ban.: U.S. government concerns over Chinese drone manufacturer DJI's data practices and monopolistic business tactics have led to calls for a ban on their drones in both the public and private sectors, with the latest effort being a proposed bill in the Senate that would deny them FCC authorization.
The United States government's concerns over Chinese drone manufacturer DJI's potential security risks have led to calls for a ban on the use of their drones, both in the public and private sectors. This issue dates back to 2017 when the Department of Homeland Security raised concerns about DJI's data practices and monopolistic business tactics. The National Defense Authorization Act of 2019 banned the use of DJI drones by the U.S. government due to these security concerns. More recently, a proposed bill in the U.S. Senate, led by Representative Alicia Fonnick, would effectively ban DJI by denying them FCC authorization, making their drones unable to function in the country. This legislation passed the House of Representatives and is currently under consideration in the Senate.
Data Collection by Foreign Entities: Foreign ownership of US farmland and data collection pose significant risks to economic and geopolitical standing, potentially granting foreign entities an economic and geopolitical advantage.
The collection of data by foreign entities, including through drones and ownership of American farmland, poses significant risks to the country's economic and geopolitical standing. With China owning nearly 350,000 acres of US farmland and the immense amount of data being gathered, it's logical to assume that this data could be used to gain an advantage. Foreign entities, including governments, could potentially use this data economically and geopolitically. It's important to be cautious about these potential risks, as even seemingly insignificant issues like flies can have a big impact on milk and meat production on farms. As Arthur Erickson, the CEO of US drone manufacturer Helios, noted, the Countering CCP Drones Act is a necessary step to address these concerns.
Flies and dairy cow productivity: Flies reduce dairy cow productivity by causing irritation and spreading diseases like pink eye, attracted to manure and difficult to manage effectively, resulting in cattle standing more and increasing pink eye infection likelihood.
Flies can significantly impact dairy cow productivity and health by causing irritation and spreading diseases like pink eye. Flies are attracted to manure, which is abundant in pastures and difficult to manage effectively. This creates an ideal breeding ground for flies, making it challenging for farmers to keep their herds fly-free. The consequences of fly infestations include cattle standing more, reducing their feeding time, and increasing the likelihood of pink eye infection. Farmers can use insecticide fly tags, insect growth regulators, and manure management practices to minimize the impact of flies on their herds.