Although the federal government has approved year-round sales of E15, don’t expect to see it at every pump anytime soon. “You just can’t get that infrastructure changed quickly. It’s unlikely many gas stations will change from E10 to E15,” said Wally Tyner, agricultural economics, Purdue University. Industry cost estimates for new pump and storage tank installation would likely prohibit the fuel to be taken up by smaller companies. Rural areas may experience more pressure to install because farmers want to support each other, Tyner said. (Columbus Dispatch)

The Agriculture Department won’t pay farmers for unplanted acres under its new $16 billion trade-relief program, Secretary Sonny Perdue announced Monday evening. But Perdue said USDA is considering whether it can make “minimal” payments to producers who file for prevented planting insurance and also plant cover crops that are eligible for trade aid. Perdue also promised more details of the second trade aid program would be released “in the coming weeks.” (Politico)

The Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) announced on Tuesday it will extend the application date that dicamba can be applied on soybeans in Illinois for the 2019 growing season until July 15. “Due to the extraordinary wet weather seen in this state during the spring planting season and with still over 50% of the soybean crop to be planted, the IDOA will extend the application date to apply dicamba until July 15th,” said John Sullivan, Director, IDOA. “This decision was not taken lightly, however, farmers have been under intense pressure related to the extreme wet weather conditions and hopefully this

More data is out evaluating the ongoing trade war and its impact on the Midwest. The Mid-America Business Conditions Index finds that one in eight manufacturers has reported switching suppliers to avoid tariffs that have impacted their supply chain. As a consequence of the ongoing trade war, IFB Economist Mike Doherty sees an “umbrella effect” taking shape, “in which everyone gets to raise their prices in line with the tariff. All you have to be is a little bit less than the tariff and you come out competitive.” (FarmWeekNow)

Illinois Farm Bureau (IFB) and COUNTRY Financial will host a webinar this Thursday, June 13 at 1 p.m. to discuss:   – Late planting period for corn – Final plant dates for soybeans – Failed crop – Current weather conditions – Market Facilitation Program – Federal disaster assistance   Members can click on this link to participate.

President Trump heads to Iowa this week to shore up his rural base and promote the U.S.-Mexico-Canada agreement. Trump will be in Council Bluffs, Iowa, on Tuesday to visit the Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy ethanol plant, where he’ll talk up USMCA as well as the EPA’s recent decision to allow year-round sell of E15. (Agri-Pulse)