Agribusiness Update for Monday 09/16/13

USDA has announced funding to improve electric service for about seven-thousand rural customers through projects in seven states. The loan guarantees - made available through the Rural Utilities Service - include more than five-million dollars for smart grid projects.

Washington State University has received a portion of a $40-million dollar grant to lead extensive research into more development of aviation bio fuels. Along with MIT the schools are asked to develop research in a variety of areas ranging from  new alternative aviation fuels to studying the wear the new fuels might put on aircraft engines. A number of airlines have been experimenting with alternative fuels.?

The Department of Natural Resources has made a public announcement to squelch rumors that they have not released yellow jackets as biological control agents to kill forest pests. The large number of yellow jackets in the northwest this year has prompted the rumors but is really due to the mild winter and the cool, spring conditions that boosted the population of aphids which are a major food source for the wasps.

That's today's Agribusiness Update from the Ag Information Network.