NC Flue-cured & Burley Tobacco Tours Set

Registration is now open for the 2013 flue-cured and burly tobacco tours. The Eastern tour is July 15 and 16th with several stops in Johnston, Lenoir, Greene and Edgecombe Counties. The Piedmont tour is on July 17th with stops in Johnston, Franklin, and Granville Counties. For more information or a registration packet click here

Hearing on RFS 

The House Energy and Commerce Committee held a hearing on the Renewable Fuel Standard earlier this week. Committee Chair Fred Upton – Michigan Representative – said the purpose of the hearing was to perform a check-up of the RFS. Lawmakers questioned whether or not fuel producers could meet RFS mandates.

U.S. Energy Information Administrator Adam Sieminski told the committee fuel producers can meet the mandates this year – but next year would be a challenge.

SC Farmer Stepping Down from General Assembly to Run State FSA

South Carolina Rep. Harry Ott is stepping down to take a farm job in President Obama's administration. He will step down to take over as state director for the U.S. Farm Service Agency.

is a farmer who grows cotton, peanuts and other crops served as House minority leader for eight years before deciding not to run for re-election in January, saying he couldn't commit to another two years in the post. He spent 15 years in the House.

157-year-old Kansas City Board of Trade moving to new home

Beginning next week, the Kansas City Board of Trade will be headed to its new location in Chicago. According to The Kansas City Star, pit trading in Kansas City will come to a formal end today, though it has been winding down since electric trading began to dominate more than five years ago. The CME Group purchased the exchange for $126 million in October 2012. Shortly after, it announced that trading in Kansas City would move to Chicago. Despite the move, CME plans to keep “Kansas City” in the name of the hard red winter wheat contract, thanks to its powerful name recognition.