Washington-Several industry and ag-related trade groups issued responses to President Obama’s Jan. 25 State of the Union speech. The American Chemical Council (ACC) welcomed what it referred to as “the strong commitment to job creation and economic recovery” in Obama’s address, but also pressed for the “right balance” with regard to federal regulations. “American chemistry is behind many of the innovations and new technologies that will help create jobs, drive economic growth, and achieve the goals articulated by the president: more clean energy sources; improved infrastructure; more efficient transportation options; medical advancements that help to bring down the cost of health care; and even a strong defense,” said ACC President and CEO Cal Dooley on Jan. 26. “While we were encouraged that the president again called for a review of the federal rules imposed on businesses, we urge the president and Congress to look beyond individual regulations, and to reform the process itself to ensure there is sound economic impact analysis and consistent standards for scientific quality, reliability and relevance. Only by improving the process, can we ensure rational, balanced regulatory outcomes.” The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) also weighed in on the speech, praising Obama for stressing the importance of biofuels in reducing dependence on foreign oil, the importance of pending trade agreements, and the role U.S. farmers play in feeding the world. “We were encouraged that President Obama spoke about the needs of rural America and the importance of our country’s global leadership when it comes to agriculture,” said NCGA Chairman Darrin Ihnen. Specifically, Ihnen cited Obama’s mention of three free trade agreements important to the organization: South Korea, Panama, and Colombia. “We need quick action on these three agreements, which have been languishing in Washington for years,” Ihnen said. “These agreements will help our country’s economy by increasing exports and creating sorely-needed jobs.” Ihnen also noted that the success of biofuels “hinges on the success of ethanol from corn ?Çô on the growth of an ethanol industry that is leading the way, sustainably increasing in economic, environmental and energy efficiency.”

Rio de Janeiro-Vale S.A. of Brazil said Jan. 21 that rumors regarding a bid to acquire a fertilizer company or negotiations with the purpose of making a bid to acquire such company are totally unfounded. Vale said it continues to focus on its multiple opportunities of organic growth. “Our multi-billion [dollar] investment plan for 2011, of US$ 24 billion, is anchored in a rigorous discipline in capital allocation and reinforces the confidence in long-term global fundamentals to generate shareholder value,” Vale said in a statement. Vale did not specifically name a company that it was rumored to be seeking. However, there was much speculation last week that Vale or BHP Billiton might be interested in The Mosaic Co. now that Cargill Inc. is planning to shed its majority stake in Mosaic (GM, Jan. 24, p. 1). While BHP has been seeking to become a major potash player, it let word leak when it was trying to buy Potash Corp. of Saskatchewan Inc. that it was not that interested in phosphate, which is a considerable chunk of Mosaic’s portfolio.

New Orleans-Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold (FCX) said Jan. 26 that it is completing the construction of a sulfur burner at its Safford, Ariz., facility that will provide a more cost-effective source of sulfuric acid used in solution extraction/electrowinning operations, as well as lower transportation costs. FCX said the project completion is expected in the second quarter of 2011 at a capital investment of approximately $150 million.

Washington-The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced E15 blends (15 percent ethanol/85 percent gasoline) to be safe for use in all cars and pickups built in 2001 and later. This decision builds upon an October 2010 EPA decision that limited E15 use to just 2007 and newer vehicles. With 2001 and newer cars and pickups included, EPA has approved the use of E15 for 62 percent of vehicles on the road today, according to car industry data.

Columbus-The Ohio Department of Agriculture has acknowledged without further comment that a suit has been filed by Sharon Township over the disagreement about locating a 12,000-gallon anhydrous ammonia tank that local officials consider to be a safety hazard. Spokeswoman Erica Pitchford told Green Markets that ODA is still in the process of reviewing the proceedings, and that there would be no comment until that process is complete. The township is seeking an injunction to put on hold the state’s approval for installing the tank at a Medina County farm until regulations are established to protect residents from an ammonia release. According to the complaint, regulations for installing the tank do not limit its size, require a background check of the installer, or consider the township’s ability to respond if the chemical were released. The tank, which ODA insists meets all state regulations, has been the object of a community-wide protest meeting and a bill sponsored by a leading Ohio state representative to prevent state agriculture officials from approving any ammonia tanks in densely populated areas (GM, Oct. 25, 2010). The bill leaves final approval with the ODA director, but the applicant would also have to submit written notification to local government, fire, and law enforcement officials.

Andover, Mass.-American Refrigeration Co. is letting its customers know that the company has accepted responsibility and agreed to pay a $40,000 fine to resolve federal charges that a company technician dumped ammonia into a drain that led to a wastewater facility in New Hampshire and caused the release of untreated sewage. The facility spent four days getting operations back to normal. Michael Sirois, president, explained that the design/build refrigeration contractor regrets not having appropriate measures and supervision in place at the time that would have prevented the incident. Sirois said the agreement with the U.S. Attorney’s office in Concord, N.H., stipulates the fine plus a $400 special assessment and two years probation. The statement said the incident occurred during transfer of ammonia during servicing. The trained ammonia service technician knowingly poured a mixture of anhydrous ammonia and water down a floor drain that led to the municipal wastewater treatment facility. He was able to transfer most, but not all, of the ammonia to other parts of the refrigeration system. The technician did not obtain permission or contact any federal, state, or local environmental authority, nor did he consult with anyone else at ARC before making the discharge. When the mixture reached the treatment facility it destroyed the biological agents, disabling the treatment and causing the facility to violate its own (National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit. In addition to the fine and probation, American must also commission and pay for an audit of its environmental compliance program and comply with any recommendations the auditors make.

Tokyo-Mitsui & Co. Ltd. has issued a statement saying that it has agreed to acquire CHS Inc.’s 44.2 percent stake in Multigrain AG. Multigrain engages in the agricultural production business and the grain distribution business in Brazil. With this acquisition, Mitsui’s own shareholdings in Multigrain will increase from 44.2 percent to 88.4 percent. Mitsui said its additional investment will be US$225 million, with its total investment in Multigrain now being $459 million. CHS, while indicating a few weeks ago that it was considering a sale of its Multigrain stake (GM, Jan. 17, p. 15), has yet to confirm the sale.

Calgary-Viterra Inc. said Jan. 26 that it is in discussions regarding a possible transaction to lease and operate the Montreal Port Authority (MPA) Grain Terminal. The terminal is a licensed transfer elevator that operates year round and has a storage capacity of 262,000 mt. The terminal is located in the deepest inland seaport in North America and connects directly to both CN and CP rail networks. It provides direct and efficient shipping routes to various destinations in Canada, the U.S., and Europe. Viterra says the discussions are ongoing, and no transaction has been finalized at this time.