Two webinars this month will provide an analysis of the potential impacts of waiving the federal ethanol mandate.

Farm Foundation, NFP is hosting a web conference at 10 a.m. central standard time Aug. 16, which features the work of three Purdue University economists. Advance registration is encouraged and can be completed by clicking here, or go to http://tvworldwide.com/events/farmfoundation/120816/  There is no fee to participate.

Faced with significantly higher feed costs due to the severe drought, livestock producers have asked the Environmental Protection Agency for a partial waiver of the Renewable Fuels Standard, which mandates blending ethanol in gasoline. Purdue University economists Wally Tyner, Farzad Taheripour and Chris Hurt have completed an analysis of the potential waiver and what it could mean for the ethanol industry and the price of corn.

“As was the case in 2008, when rhetoric in the food vs. fuel debate rose with the prices of corn and oil, the drought and high temperatures of 2012 are pushing corn and soybean prices to record levels, and the food vs. fuel debate is once again heated,” says Farm Foundation, NFP President Neil Conklin. “Farm Foundation and Purdue University’s shared mission is to be a catalyst for sound public policy by providing objective information to foster deeper understanding of the complex issues before our food and agriculture system today.”

On Aug. 31 from 11 a.m. to noon, central standard time, the National Agricultural Law Center at the University of Arkansas will host a free webinar covering legal and policy aspects of the historic 2012 drought.

The discussion will include key aspects of federal crop insurance and disaster assistance, state/federal aspects of hay transport, USDA drought initiatives, an update on the 2012 farm bill process relevant to drought and the ethanol mandate waiver.

Attendees are encouraged to submit questions prior to the webinar to Harrison Pittman at [email protected], via twitter direct message to @nataglaw, or via Facebook at www.facebook.com/nataglaw.

To participate in the webinar, click on https://connect.extension.iastate.edu/aglaw and sign in as a guest. Before viewing the webinar, visit this URL to confirm your ability to connect to the server: http://www.extension.iastate.edu/testconnect/.