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by Matt Thompson (Ethanol Producer Magazine) A novel engine technology could make it possible for ethanol to be used in compression-ignition engines, opening up a potential multi-billion-gallon market. With $3 million in financing secured, Clear Flame Engines is poised for commercialization. — It sounds almost too good to be true,
Iowa
by Greg Henderson (Drovers) America’s economy is showing signs of recovery from the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, but any economic surge is likely over, according to a quarterly report from CoBank’s Knowledge Exchange. “Economic data prior to the recent resurgence of coronavirus cases has shown a consistent, steady improvement in the U.S.
July 14, 2020
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by Stephanie Kelly (Reuters) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has put on hold indefinitely a proposal for the amount of biofuels refiners must blend into their fuel next year, two sources familiar with the matter said. Many anticipated the proposal would come out in late June or early July. The EPA
July 6, 2020
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(Office of Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX)) U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) today issued the following statement on the nomination of Doug Benevento to be Deputy Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): “The price of RINs has more than quadrupled since the beginning of the year, and now sits around
July 2, 2020
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by Timothy J. Rudnicki (Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association) … That is why it is imperative for the Senate to include the financial aid package for the ethanol industry that was introduced by Sen. Chuck Grassley and Sen. Amy Klobuchar in the next COVID-19 relief bill. While this aid package is much needed
July 1, 2020
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(Mankato Free Press) … Here’s what rural Minnesota does need: It needs clean water and subsidized wastewater systems. It needs good government that gets state and federal subsidies to provide a life that provides a solid base of services but few luxuries. It needs good roads that can support more traffic and
June 29, 2020
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by Glenn Minnis (The Center Square) … The president was there to help industry executives celebrate his administration’s removal of a regulation that up until then prohibited companies from selling gasoline containing 15% ethanol year-round. “It was a terrific event for my company and the renewable fuels industry, drawing nearly
June 25, 2020
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by Ronald Langston (Clinton Herald) … To truly increase the sale of E-15, Iowa’s leaders should help bring this home-grown fuel to every community in Iowa – “rural” and urban. Fuel Iowa estimates 85% of the retail fuel facilities do not have dispensing systems compatible with the sale of E-15. There
June 22, 2020
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(Iowa Renewable Fuels Association) Failure to address tax differentials will raise fuel taxes for consumers, hurt farmers and producers — As Iowa’s elected leaders prepare to return to the State Capitol and wrap up the 2020 legislative session, Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA) members urge legislators to take action on key
June 4, 2020
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(Iowa State University) Tracking COVID-19’s economic impacts, especially in the state of Iowa, is now possible thanks to resources on a new web hub. The webpage “COVID-19 Pandemic: Research and Resources” developed by the Center for Agricultural and Rural Development and the Department of Economics at Iowa State University, examines the pandemic’s impacts
May 26, 2020
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(Journal Standard) Adkins Energy LLC recently announced Aaron Folk, Kayla Runkle and Hannah Pickard as the recipients of this year’s scholarship awards. The scholarship provides each student with $500 scholarships to help them further their higher education. Entries for this year were judged on academic achievement and an essay answering the
May 19, 2020
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) … Leading the defenses is Joan of Ernst, er, Senator Joni Ernst of Iowa along with Tina Smith of Minnesota, Chuck Grassley of Iowa and Debbie Stabenow of Michigan. Two Republicans, two Democrats, now urging the Trump Administration to uphold the Renewable Fuel Standard and
May 15, 2020
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(Farm Journal/AgWeb) Bankruptcies are rising and are expecting to increase due to problems associated with COVID-19. According to the American Farm Bureau Federation, Chapter 12 family farm bankruptcies for the 12 month period ending in March totaled 627 filings. That’s a 23% increase from the previous 12 months. It also marks five
May 12, 2020
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by Art Cullen (The Guardian/Storm Lake Times) … “A lot of voters wanted to believe Trump – that out there in Washington it’s all BS, and that a savvy businessman could straighten it out,” (Drake) Custer said. It’s hard for many to admit that it didn’t work out. A tragic comedy
May 12, 2020
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(Office of Senator Joni Ernst) Ernst and her colleagues write, “We urge you to direct the EPA to reject all calls to waive the RFS. The RFS is more important now than ever as farmers, the biofuel sector, and rural America struggle to remain operating amid the COVID-19 crisis.” — U.S.
May 12, 2020
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(Nexstar Media Wire/Fox40) Midwest lawmakers say biofuel producers should be getting the same support and protection as oil companies. Coronavirus shutdowns have slashed the demand for gasoline, and while the White House is pledging to buy 75 million barrels of oil, ethanol producers say their requests for help have gone ignored. “We’re
May 5, 2020
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by Karl Plume (Reuters) Global commodities trader Cargill Inc [CARG.UL] starting this spring will pay American farmers for capturing carbon in their field soils and cutting fertilizer runoff, an executive said. The Soil & Water Outcomes Fund, a partnership with the Iowa Soybean Association and third-party verification company Quantified Ventures,
May 1, 2020
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by Rhiannon Branch (Brownfield Ag News) A University of Illinois ag economist says he does not expect a bounce back from ethanol demand destruction anytime soon. “I think it’s going to be a long, hard road to recovery.” Todd Hubbs tells Brownfield COVID-19 related stay at home orders have dropped ethanol production
April 30, 2020
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by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Rep. Abby Finkenauer, D-Iowa, on April 28 announced the introduction of the Clean Fuels Deployment Act of 2020. The bill aims to provide funding for installing and converting fuel pump infrastructure to deliver higher blends of ethanol and biodiesel. The bipartisan legislation is cosponsored by
April 29, 2020
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by Austin Cannon (Des Moines Register) The domino effects of the COVID-19 pandemic are widespread, but here’s a peculiar one: Having fewer cars on the road has caused a shortage of a crucial component at Iowa’s water treatment plants. Follow along: Across the country, people are staying home to avoid
April 28, 2020
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by Kelby Wingert (The Messenger) … With fewer cars on the roads, fewer people commuting to work and fewer families traveling for vacations, gasoline prices across the nation began to drop. And while consumers at the pump are enjoying the lowest gas prices in a decade, the nation’s ethanol biofuels industry
April 24, 2020
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(Renewable Fuels Association) As the COVID-19 pandemic and crude oil glut continue to ravage world fuel markets, U.S. ethanol sales in 2020 could fall by more than $10 billion and the industry’s contribution to gross domestic product (GDP) could drop by nearly one-third, according to a new analysis released today by the Renewable
April 21, 2020
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by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) … “We are surviving day by day,” Peterson (Chris Peterson, president of Hero BX) said. “All our people are still employed.” According to Peterson, Hero BX owner Pat Black strives to provide stability for his staff to assure them with confidence that, no matter what
April 15, 2020
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by Jenna Higgins Rose (River Cities’ Reader) Iowa Biodiesel Board points to successful state policies behind growth — A report released by the Iowa Department of Revenue shows biodiesel-blended fuel represented 69.9 percent of the total reported sales of on-road diesel last year in Iowa. Furthermore, blends of 11–20 percent biodiesel
April 10, 2020
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by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) The Midwestern Clean Fuels Initiative, facilitated by the Great Plains Institute, is a broad coalition of fuels producers and marketers, nonprofit and research organizations, scientists and engineers, and agriculture and industry stakeholders. The coalition works to create economic benefits for the region through policy,
April 10, 2020
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by Kurtis Harms (Nebraska Corn Board/KNEB) Motorists living near or traveling through Lexington now have opportunities to refuel their vehicles with higher blends of ethanol. Through an infrastructure development program, the Nebraska Corn Board (NCB) provided Country Partners Cooperative with grant dollars to convert four existing fuel pumps into blender pumps
April 10, 2020
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(The Hagstrom Report/The Fence Post) Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, said today that he will send a letter to Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue urging him to use the Commodity Credit Corporation to help the ethanol industry. Grassley said he did not know exactly how the ethanol industry should
April 8, 2020
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) At last week’s Digest webinar, Mark Laurenzo from the Iowa Economic Development Authority shared this illuminating presentation on Iowa’s key value propositions, activity from the biosciences industry in the state where bioscience R&D expenditures per capita is 30% higher than the national figure, how there
April 7, 2020
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(The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association/Biodiesel Magazine) Iowa’s spring planting season is just around the corner and Renewable Energy Group’s biodiesel plant near Newton is getting a head start with a unique kind of planting. Local Pheasants Forever representatives recently conducted a seeding of native grasses, milkweed and other plants that attract pollinators.
April 1, 2020
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by Alex Snodgrass (Independent Commodity Intelligence Service) US fuel ethanol producer and refiner Valero is closing two of its ethanol plants and declaring force majeure on shipments of dried distillers grains or corn purchases, according to sources. The force majeure is due to lack of storage availability for corn or ethanol
March 27, 2020
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(Renewable Fuels Association) The number of fuel stations now offering Flex Fuel E85 has reached an important milestone, as a Casey’s store in Ankeny, Iowa, became the 5,000th station nationwide to sell E85. While offering significantly lower emissions than traditional fuel, the E85 flex fuel blend also offers a price advantage
March 24, 2020
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) … In response to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) created exemptions allowing certain alcohol fuel permit holders to sell ethanol (alcohol) for use in the production of hand sanitizers. Consequently. Aemetis, Inc. said its 65 million
March 24, 2020
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(Iowa Renewable Fuels Association) Many of the often-touted benefits of biodiesel – from cleaner air and reduced carbon emissions to high-paying jobs in rural communities – benefit the next generation beyond all others. In recognition of the important role students and young professionals will play in the future of the biodiesel
March 19, 2020
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by Ken Anderson (Brownfield Ag News) Earlier this week the Trump Administration was granted a two-week delay in deciding whether to appeal a court ruling on small refinery exemptions. Does that mean an appeal is likely? Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley doesn’t think so. “No, I read it as just the opposite,” Grassley
March 13, 2020
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(Iowa Renewable Fuels Association) Economic benefits hampered by RFS exemptions — Today (March 11, 2020) a new study finds despite challenges, Iowa biofuel production continues to have a significant impact on Iowa’s economy, supporting over 48,000 jobs and more than $2.4 billion in household income. The study, authored by John Urbanchuk
March 13, 2020
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(Biofuels International) Biodiesel producers, soybean farmers and other supporters in Iowa have urged state lawmakers to extend a break in fuel tax for diesel that contains at least 11% biodiesel. To date, the policy has almost tripled the number of retailers selling biodiesel fuel in the US state of Iowa,
March 12, 2020
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by Jennifer A Dlouhy (Bloomberg) Appeal would be ‘a stunning betrayal’ of farmers, groups warn; Move allows EPA to keep waiving refineries from biofuel quotas — President Donald Trump’s decision to defend the U.S. government’s power to broadly exempt oil refineries from biofuel-blending requirements is triggering a backlash in Iowa and
March 9, 2020
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by Jim Lane (Hydrogen Digest) There are two places in the world we thought there would long have been a hydrogen project built or announced. One, at the Port of Amsterdam in The Netherlands, and one at the Prairie View Industrial Center complex near Ames, Iowa. The absence of projects reminds us
March 4, 2020
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(Office of Congresswoman Angie Craig (D-MN2)) Today, U.S. Reps. Angie Craig (MN-02) and Dave Loebsack (IA-02) delivered a letter signed by 11 members on the bipartisan Congressional Biofuels Caucus urging the Select Committee on Climate Crisis to include biofuels as a cost-effective and readily available solution for further decarbonization. “The Select
February 27, 2020
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(Office of Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA)) On the 100 year anniversary of the Mineral Leasing Act, senators introduce the Fair Returns for Public Lands Act of 2020 to modernize the country’s antiquated public lands royalty system, increase return to federal and state taxpayers by $200 million each in the next
February 27, 2020
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by Jeffrey Bair and Michael Hirtzer (Bloomberg/Yahoo! Finance) BP Plc and Royal Dutch Shell Plc are exploring adding more ethanol in gasoline in top corn state Iowa to take advantage of how cheap the biofuel has become. The oil majors are gauging driver interest at a small number of stations in 15%
February 20, 2020
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by Bruce Comer (Ocean Park/Biofuels Digest) Biofuels Merger and Acquisition (M&A) activity in North America was subdued in 2019. Only four operating biodiesel, ethanol and advanced biofuels plants were sold during the year. These four acquired plants were relatively small with a combined capacity of only 133 Million Gallons Per Year.
February 19, 2020
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by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Green Plains Inc. officials announces plans to transform into an ag tech-focused company that produces sustainable high-protein and novel feed ingredients in addition to biofuels during a fourth quarter earnings call held Feb. 11. “As 2019 continued to be a very challenging year for the
February 18, 2020
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(Renewable Fuels Association) Policy obstacles—especially ongoing trade disputes and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s granting of RFS compliance waivers to dozens of small refineries —dampened the U.S. ethanol industry’s economic contributions in 2019, according to a new study released today at the Renewable Fuels Association’s 25th annual National Ethanol Conference. Still,
February 13, 2020
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by Miranda Green (New Republic) If politicians no longer coveted that early “Iowa bump,” would they still feel compelled to support ethanol subsidies? In the wake of Iowa’s caucus vote-counting disaster, political staffers and pollsters alike are reconsidering the state’s “first in the nation to vote” status. The quaint caucuses
February 10, 2020
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by Marc Heller (E&E News) Fifteen years ago, farmers produced so much soybean oil they couldn’t figure out what to with it all. It was good for cooking and salad dressing — and not much more. “We were throwing it away,” recalled Bill Shipley, a farmer and district director with the
February 7, 2020
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The Digest published today a 2020 Deal Review and Outlook Bioeconomy M&A visual guide that looks at the slurry of recent mergers and acquisitions in the bioeconomy like Lygos and Librede, NuSeed and Agrisoma, FinCo Fuels and GoodFuels, The Andersons and Marathon Petroleum, Aemetis and Goodland
February 5, 2020
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by Geoff Cooper (Renewable Fuels Association/Des Moines Register) When Ted Cruz, a strong opponent of the Renewable Fuel Standard, won the Iowa caucuses four years ago, political pundits said it was the “beginning of the end” for national biofuels policy. After all, Cruz had walked into the lion’s den of corn country
February 3, 2020
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by Ed Wiederstein (Real Clear Energy) … Like clockwork, candidates on the stump in Iowa — and even at the recent democratic debate at Drake University — are making a point to show their support for our ethanol industry. But for voters who care about the renewable fuels industry and the 50,000 jobs it
February 1, 2020
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by Lisa Gibson (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The Nebraska Ethanol Board offers workshops to help retailers learn more about E15 and higher blends. Other states offer help with grant application processes, or are pushing for for mid-level blends. — Considering updating his fuel dispensers, Dan O’Neill, president and CEO of Kwik
January 30, 2020
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(Renewable Fuels Association) The 2020 season of the Crappie Masters Tournament Trail begins later this week, with the Renewable Fuels Association and the National Corn Growers Association signed on as co-title sponsors for the fourth consecutive year. The first tournament begins Friday, Jan. 31 at St. Johns River in Deland, Fla.
January 30, 2020
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by Marjorie Kulba (Farm Journal’s Ag Pro) An Iowa biodiesel plant is reopening after it shut down late last year. The Western Dubuque Biodiesel plant in Farley, Iowa started up production at the plant last week after shutting down for most of December and January. A representative told AgDay’s Betsy Jibben the small refinery exemptions
January 29, 2020
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) … We need “idealism without illusion”, as President John F. Kennedy once defined it. … For that task, there is no better leader we’ve seen on the Democratic side this season than Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, who was the runaway winner in our most
January 23, 2020
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by Jeff Biggers (Climate Narrative Project/Des Moines Register) The fate of our state is too important to leave in the hands of someone who doesn’t have the wherewithal to deal with our climate crisis. — … Despite massive wind energy production, Iowa is becoming a climate disaster story. (Iowa Governor
January 21, 2020
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by Jim Spencer and Mike Hughlett (Star Tribune) The biofuel’s intended uses for energy independence and greenhouse gas reduction have become matters of debate. But no one questions its political clout, economic importance or staying power. — … Janet McCabe is a former assistant administrator of the air and radiation office
January 20, 2020
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by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The U.S. EPA released updated small refinery exemption (SRE) data on Jan. 16, reporting that five new SRE petitions have been filed under the Renewable Fuel Standard for compliance year 2019, up from 16 petitions that had been filed as of Dec. 19, 2019. A
January 17, 2020
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(Solutions from the Land) As discussions on climate change, clean water, hunger, poverty and biodiversity grow both on the domestic and global stages, the role of agriculture in addressing these mega-challenges is filling a growing role at the policy table. Statewide efforts facilitated by Solutions from the Land (SfL) and
January 16, 2020
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(FuelIowa) Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig presented Elliott Oil Company of Ottumwa and Diamond Oil Company of Des Moines with the 2020 Renewable Fuels Marketing Awards today at the FUELIowa Annual Meeting in Des Moines. The Ethanol and Biodiesel Marketing Awards were created by FUELIowa in partnership with the Iowa
January 15, 2020
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by Melody Mercado (WHOTV) … (Senator Amy) Klobuchar is claiming a home field advantage for next week’s Democratic debate in Iowa. She says she is looking forward to bringing rural issues to the debate such as the closings of biodiesel and ethanol plants in the region. Klobuchar says the issues in
January 13, 2020
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by Jeremy Martin (Union of Concerned Scientists) … Here are five reasons now is the time for Midwestern States to get started on a clean fuel standard. Accelerating Electric Vehicles: Electric vehicles are growing in the Midwest, but need a boost. While the Midwest leads the nation in biofuel and wind
January 10, 2020
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(Great Plains Institute) This Initiative is exploring a clean fuels policy, at the state or regional level, as a marketdriven approach to achieving our economic, energy security, climate, environmental, and public health goals. This white paper presents policy design considerations that are intended to inform further discussion of new and
January 8, 2020
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by Geoff Cooper (Renewable Fuels Association/Ethanol Producer Magazine) … I do remain bullish, because I believe in ethanol. It’s the right fuel at the right time—and for the time to come. It’s the low-carbon, low-cost fuel America and the world need now. As long as we remain committed to the
December 31, 2019
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) From what is an advanced biofuel to why, we take a look at the gallons, the ethanol blend wall, the residue capacity, and over 30 advanced biofuels projects from around the world to watch. In today’s Digest, a Digest 2020 Multi-Slide Guide on advanced biofuels that
December 27, 2019
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Iowa State University is working on fast pyrolysis, and Robert Brown, Director of the university’s Bioeconomy Institute looks at how their work is making us rethink thermochemical processing. By looking at autothermal pyrolysis, and more, Brown shared this presentation at ABLC NEXT in San Francisco. READ
December 27, 2019
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by Lisa Gibson (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Ethanol Producer Magazine talked to three experts about the past year, and what they see moving into 2020. — 2019 brought a Reid vapor pressure waiver for E15, but it also brought excessive small refinery waivers and low margins for ethanol plants. The year
December 24, 2019
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(Office of Senator Michael Bennet, D-CO) Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet and U.S. Representative Cindy Axne (IA-3) announced they have introduced new legislation to create the Advanced Research Projects Agency–Terra (ARPA–Terra), a new agency at the U.S. Department of Agriculture to invest in innovative agricultural technologies that increase economic opportunity for
December 20, 2019
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(Iowa Renewable Fuels Association) Following the harvest of a small corn field near Quad Country Corn Processors, the ethanol plant recently seeded it once more, only not with corn but with milkweed. Board member Alan Bennett conducted a dormant seeding of native grasses, milkweed, and other plants that attract pollinators on
December 20, 2019
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(Solutions from the Land) The global climate negotiating sessions in Madrid come to a close this week, and producer advocates remain gratified that delegates to the talks have demonstrated a growing acceptance of the agricultural sector’s role in addressing the climate crisis. As SfL steering committee member Ray Gaesser pointed
December 13, 2019
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(Solutions from the Land) … SfL Steering Committee member Ray Gaesser, an Iowa corn and soybean producer, and SfL President Ernie Shea appeared on the panel, which focused on climate change and the agriculture sector. They spoke of the role farmers are playing in addressing climate change, sharing with those
December 9, 2019
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by Jason O’Day (Daily Iowan) … Pumping gasoline with 10, 15, or 85 percent of a slightly less distilled version of the drink is bad for the health of your vehicle. It corrodes the gas tank and fuel line, especially in cars manufactured before 2001. Grain alcohol isn’t just bad
December 9, 2019
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by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico’s Morning Energy) A meeting last June in Newburg, Md., represented a change for U.S. farmers, Pro’s Helena Bottemiller Evich reports . The event was hosted by the U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance, a group made up of the heavyweights in American agriculture. It brought together three
December 9, 2019
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(National Association of Convenience Stores) On this week’s episode of Convenience Matters, “Increasing Fuel Options for Consumers,” NACS hosts John Eichberger, executive director for the Fuels Institute, and Donovan Woods, director of operations for the Fuels Institute, discuss the future of liquid fuels with Kristi Moriarty, senior engineer at the National
December 5, 2019
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(Office of Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)) Klobuchar has spent months calling for an end to the harm caused by abuse of hardship waivers — U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) led a public comment letter last week to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler expressing concern over the proposed supplemental
December 4, 2019
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by Donnelle Eller (Des Moines Register) Gov. Kim Reynolds gave a boost Tuesday to Iowa’s renewable fuels industry, requiring that all new state-owned diesel-powered vehicles — from cars and trucks to snowplows and graders — be able to use at least 20% biodiesel. Reynolds signed the executive order at the Iowa Farm
December 4, 2019
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by Sarantis Michalopoulos (EURACTIV.com) This article is part of our special report COP25: Is transport decarbonisation pragmatic enough?. Until electrification of transport is fully in place, ethanol could be used as a “bridge” to make fuels cleaner, US farmers told EURACTIV.com on the sidelines of the COP25 in Madrid. “In the US,
December 3, 2019
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Empower! Promote! & Advocate! for Biofuels at the 2020 Iowa Renewable Fuels Summit! January 16, 2020 at Prairie Meadows Conference Center in Altoona, Iowa 7:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. In the face of policy uncertainty and an ever-evolving energy landscape, biofuels advocates must unite at the 2020 Iowa Renewable Fuels
December 3, 2019
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(Solutions from the Land) Iowa agriculture, business, academic, government and conservation leaders met in Des Moines on Monday in a forum that began an exploration of the impacts that extreme weather events and changing climatic conditions are having on the state’s agriculture sector. More importantly, those participating in the event
November 26, 2019
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by Stephanie Kelly, Jarrett Renshaw (Reuters) The White House has asked Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley’s office for input on the administration’s latest proposal to boost the ethanol market in 2020, according to two sources familiar with the matter on Friday, after a flurry of conversations between President Donald Trump and corn-state
November 25, 2019
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by Chris Clayton (DTN Progressive Farmer) In another response to EPA’s actions regarding the Renewable Fuel Standard, POET-DSM Advanced Biofuels LLC announced Tuesday the company will “pause” production of cellulosic ethanol at its Project Liberty plant in Emmetsburg, Iowa. POET-DSM Advanced Biofuels is a 50-50 joint venture between Royal DSM and
November 21, 2019
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by Donnelle Eller (Des Moines Register) Three-fourths of Iowa’s registered Republicans back President Donald Trump’s approach to trade with China, and half say his tariffs have done more to help than harm Iowa agribusiness, a new Des Moines Register/CNN/Mediacom Iowa Poll shows. The poll includes 502 registered Republicans who do not plan to caucus
November 21, 2019
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Climate variability is a serious threat to many key industries in Iowa, and agriculture is uniquely vulnerable to climate stressors. Through the Iowa Smart Agriculture Initiative, industry leaders from agriculture, business, academics, government and conservation are examining ways to balance the various aspects of Iowa agriculture. The goal is to
November 18, 2019
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by Todd Neeley (DTN Progressive Farmer) A group of United States senators asked President Donald Trump in a letter on Friday to make sure an EPA proposal to account for small-refinery exemptions to the Renewable Fuel Standard will account for actual gallons waived. The letter is signed by Sens. Charles Grassley,
November 18, 2019
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by Isabella Murray (Iowa Starting Line) … (Beto) O’Rourke had read a guest op-ed by Leonard and Matt Russell, executive director of Interfaith Power and Light — a group that pushes for faith-based solutions to climate change — in the New York Times about how to win rural America. O’Rourke wanted to learn
November 13, 2019
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by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) … It’s a back and forth game of Trump’s promises to help farmers and agriculture and support ethanol and biofuels, EPA giving small refinery waivers to big oil companies, …. … (T)he latest responses from Midwest Senators, the American Coalition for Ethanol, how both
November 11, 2019
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by O. Kay Henderson (Radio Iowa) Iowa Senator Joni Ernst today said she’s talked directly with President Trump about the furor over proposed EPA rules which Ernst says do not fulfill the deal Trump struck in September on the renewable fuels standard. “I did visit with the president actually, again, two
November 8, 2019
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by Mike Naig (Sioux City Journal/Iowa Department of Agriculture) There’s a growing sense of frustration across America’s heartland, and it’s not hard to understand why. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is undermining the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS), which is hurting farmers, biofuels producers and rural communities across Iowa. … EPA
November 7, 2019
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(Heavy Duty Trucking) All of Heavy Duty Trucking magazine’s Top Green Fleets of 2019 take sustainability to the next level — through fuel economy, freight efficiency, alternative fuels, energy savings, and more. — What does it mean to be “green”? For a trucking operation, whether for-hire, private, or government, it
November 6, 2019
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by Amy Klobuchar (Argus Leader) ‘When we’re straight with the American people, we can build an even bigger coalition with an optimistic economic and justice agenda for this country.’ — From town halls to fish fries, debate stages to Hall of Fame dinners, we have talked a lot about changing our
November 6, 2019
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by Art Cullen (Storm Lake Times/Washington Post) … (J.D.) Scholten, a 39-year-old former semi-pro pitcher, was out on a 14-county “Don’t Forget About Us Tour” targeting Iowa towns of 1,000 people or fewer in his uphill climb against Rep. Steve King, the anti-immigrant Republican who dabbles in white nationalism. King’s
November 5, 2019
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by Bob Fisher (KGLO/Radio Iowa) Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg says President Trump isn’t keeping his promises to Iowa’s agricultural community when it comes to the Renewable Fuels Standard. “Actions speak louder than words and the president says he cares about farmers, but if you look what he’s done with the RFS
November 5, 2019
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) At ABLC Next last week, there was lots of buzz and tons of discussion about all sorts of things, but what were the key takeaways? Let’s start with Sustainable Aviation Fuels, CRISPR, new food, the law, and more. In today’s Digest, find out what the
November 5, 2019
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(Atlantic News Telegraph) On Oct. 15, staff from the Flint Hills Resources Menlo ethanol plant participated in “On the Trail of Iowa Corn,” a field trip and educational opportunity for area third graders to learn about farm and food topics. Nearly 100 students, teachers and parent chaperones from Adair-Casey, Nodaway
November 4, 2019
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(Finance & Commerce/Bloomberg) Donald Trump’s effort to boost corn demand by allowing year-round sales of ethanol-blended gasoline has run into a logistical problem. Few stations offer it. In corn country, gasoline with a 15% blend of ethanol is now pretty accessible year-round. But in large population states including California, New York
October 31, 2019
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by Cindy Zimmerman (Energy.AgWired.com) The National Biodiesel Foundation has been awarded U.S. Environmental Protection Agency funding for its 2020 National Clean Diesel Project. In partnership with Iowa Department of Transportation (Iowa DOT), Optimus Technologies, and Renewable Energy Group (REG), the project supports the purchase of three new replacement snowplows that
October 25, 2019
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by Donnelle Eller (Des Moines Register) Angry over proposed ethanol changes, Iowa agriculture leaders warned Wednesday that President Donald Trump will lose rural voters next year unless he makes good on a deal to restore millions of gallons of lost renewable fuel demand. “No more Iowa nice. Now, it’s Iowa pissed,” said Craig Floss, CEO
October 18, 2019
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(South Dakota Farmers Union) Following yet another disappointing announcement by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on their management of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), South Dakota Farmers Union President Doug Sombke said it’s time to recognize the RFS Is broken. “The “big beautiful deal” EPA announced last week raised more
October 17, 2019
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) “EPA Reneges on Trump’s Biofuels Deal”, said the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association in reacting to the US Environmental Protection Agency’s new plans for fulfilling federal renewable fuel requirements. EPA released a proposed supplemental rule for the Renewable Fuel Standard today, and the bioeconomy is up in arms, and
October 16, 2019
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) It matters of course, what people think about bioenergy, not just the makers and political folk or offtakers, but the broader groups as well in what is called elsewhere ‘civil society’, amongst pressure groups, and ordinary customers at the pump or retail store. The measurement
October 11, 2019
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(The Andersons/Ethanol Producer Magazine) The Andersons Inc. today announced that it and Marathon Petroleum Corp. have merged four ethanol entities with and into the new legal entity The Andersons Marathon Holdings LLC (TAMH). The ethanol facilities involved in the merger include those in Albion, Michigan; Clymers, Indiana; and Greenville, Ohio, which were all
October 8, 2019
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(Office of Representative Cindy Axne (D-IA-3) Axne, Klobuchar express concern regarding recent EPA statement claiming “zero evidence” that biofuel waivers are hurting ethanol producers, request USDA conduct an economic impact report — Today (October 3, 2019), U.S. Rep. Cindy Axne (D-IA-03) and Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) sent a letter to U.S.
October 8, 2019
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by Amy Mayer (High Plains Public Radio) …Lee Tesdell is all-in for reducing his carbon footprint. He began installing solar panels on his farm in Polk County, Iowa, in 2013. “And all the time I was thinking that I would like to drive an electric car,” he said, “so that
October 7, 2019
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(Environmental Protection Agency) Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Sonny Perdue issued the following statements after President Donald J. Trump successfully negotiated an agreement on the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS): “President Trump’s leadership has led to an agreement that continues to promote
October 4, 2019
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by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) A series of unfortunate events this summer—all caused by U.S. government action or inaction—has led to a precarious situation in the biodiesel sector, but there may be a silver lining. — … The volume of SREs (small oil refinery exemptions) granted has exploded during the
October 2, 2019
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by David J. Lynch (Washington Post) … After two decades, Siouxland (Energy Cooperative) this month halted operations following the Environmental Protection Agency’s decision to exempt 31 small oil refiners from a federal law requiring them to blend ethanol in their gasoline. The waivers, which the Trump administration has approved almost
October 2, 2019
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by Ken Anderson (Brownfield Ag News) Leaders in the renewable fuels industry say it’s urgent that President Trump fix the demand destruction and “economic crisis” created by RFS waivers. Ron Heck of Perry, Iowa, secretary of the National Biodiesel Board, says there’s no time to wait. “Many farmers are losing patience with
September 27, 2019
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(North American Climate Smart Agriculture Alliance) State-level climate smart ag groups are growing, evidenced by wide media attention drawn by a forum held last month by the Florida Climate Smart Agriculture (FL CSA) Work Group, and an early meeting of a robust new work group of ag and forestry leaders
September 23, 2019
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by Todd Neeley (DTN Progressive Farmer) With a reported big deal for biofuels in flux, an economist at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign put forward a plan on Thursday to account for more than 4 billion gallons of biofuels exempted to small refineries from the Renewable Fuel Standard from 2016
September 23, 2019
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(Biofuels International) A member of the National Biodiesel Board (NBB) has testified to the House Small Business Committee on Rural Development on the contribution of biodiesel to the clean energy economy. Thomas Brooks, general manager of Western Dubuque Biodiesel, spoke at a hearing on ‘Growing the Clean Energy Economy’, in
September 19, 2019
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“I’ve been hoodwinked so many times, not just by the EPA on this issue, but by other bureaucracies as well, so I’m going to see if what we talked about is the end product,” Senatory Chuck Grassley (R-IA) told reporters on September 17 referencing enforcement of the Renewable Fuel Standard.
September 18, 2019
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by Amy Mayer (Iowa Public Radio) The national average price for corn this season is back to $3.60 a bushel, about where it’s been most of this year except for an early-season spike ($4.16 in July) before the size and quality of the crop was known. That’s not great news for corn growers,
September 16, 2019
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by Julie Harker (Brownfield Ag News) An Iowa biodiesel business manager has testified at a House subcommittee hearing that his business is contributing to the clean energy economy, saying strong consistent federal policy is needed, “It’s ironic that the EPA has such concern for the economic hardships facing small (oil)
September 13, 2019
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by Mario Parker and Jennifer A Dlouhy (Bloomberg/Investors Business Daily) Discussions aimed at breaking logjam over biofuel plan; Friday deadline issued for ideas on potential compromise — Trump administration officials are squeezing biofuel and oil refining executives to agree to a plan to bolster corn-based ethanol and soy-based biodiesel. In
September 12, 2019
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by P.J. Huffstutter and Tom Polansek (Reuters) … Many farmers are angry, and some are directing their anger not at the Republican president, but at Washington’s bureaucracy. Trump has faced backlash from agricultural groups, ethanol producers and Midwestern politicians upset that his trade war with China has slashed export sales
September 10, 2019
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by Ty Rushing (NWestIowa.com) … During his town hall, King addressed multiple topics including immigration, trade negotiations and the struggles of the agricultural renewable fuels community. POET Biorefining, the nation’s largest ethanol producer, has a plant south of Ashton, which King made reference to when questioning a recent decision by the
September 9, 2019
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by Chris Prentice, Stephanie Kelly and Jarrett Renshaw (Reuters) U.S. agricultural trade groups on Friday told the Trump administration a proposed biofuel reform package falls short of expectations, four sources familiar with discussions said, complicating plans the administration had for presenting the proposal to President Donald Trump. … The plan
September 8, 2019
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According to Reuters‘ reporters Humeyra Pamuk and Jarrett Renshaw, Terry Branstad, the former Iowa governor and now U.S. ambassador to China, showed a map of counties that had flipped in Trump’s favor in 2016 but were now considered at risk in the November 2020 election. Branstad also listed quotes from
September 6, 2019
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by Humeyra Pamuk and Jarrett Renshaw (Reuters) At a closed-door meeting at the White House on Aug. 19, President Donald Trump looked increasingly alarmed as his top envoy to China delivered evidence of rising Farm Belt frustration over his biofuel policy along with a stark warning: You’ve got a problem in
September 6, 2019
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by Robbie Sequeira (Ames Tribune) Ames-based Renewable Energy Group (REG) is looking to fuel the city of Ames’ ever-expanding sustainability efforts through 100 percent biofuel, as part of their B100 Pilot Program. In conjunction with Optimus Technologies, based out of Pittsburgh, PA, the B100 Pilot Program plans to test and
September 4, 2019
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by O. Kay Henderson (Radio Iowa) Governor Kim Reynolds and Midwest governors are planning a trip to Washington, D.C. to talk with President Trump about unrest in farm country. “Let him know first-hand what’s happening on the ground,” Reynolds said this morning. The Trump Administration recently granted waivers to oil companies,
August 28, 2019
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Klobuchar says “I will stop the oil refinery waivers”: In Iowa, US Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota said that, if elected President in 2020, would in her first 100 days in office order a moratorium on oil refinery waivers issued under the Renewable Fuel Standard, restore the
August 28, 2019
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(Renewable Fuels Association) Documents obtained by the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) show that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ignored strong recommendations from within the Trump Administration to redistribute Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) blending obligations lost to small refinery exemptions in the proposed rule for 2020 Renewable Volume Obligations (RVOs). According to
August 27, 2019
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On September 25 and 26, 2019, the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy’s (EERE’s) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) is planning to host a workshop / industry listening day to discuss research and development related to the integration of advanced process technologies into first generation (1G) ethanol
August 26, 2019
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(KFORNOW) Sorghum, the third most abundant cereal crop in the United States, is emerging as a star player in the biofuels industry. Right now, however, maximizing the crop’s potential is challenging. The function of much of its complete set of DNA remains a mystery. Without pinpointing the function of more of
August 23, 2019
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by Cindy Zimmerman (Energy.AgWired.com) Mike Lewis co-founded Pearson Fuels in 2003 as an “alternative fuels” station in San Diego, California. Today, Pearson Fuels is the largest distributor of E85 in California, supplying over 140 locations and about 76% of the market. Receiving the Paul Dana Marketing Vision Award at the American Coalition
August 23, 2019
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by Humeyra Pamuk and Stephanie Kelly (Reuters) President Donald Trump, faced with mounting anger in the farm belt over policies that allowed oil refineries to use less corn-based ethanol, is set to meet with cabinet members on Thursday to discuss ways to boost biofuel demand, four sources familiar with the matter said.
August 22, 2019
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by Brian Dabbs (National Journal) Democratic presidential candidates are exploiting a controversial White House ethanol policy to try to generate support among President Trump’s staunchest backers. The Environmental Protection Agency waived ethanol blending requirements for more than 30 petroleum refiners earlier this month, in a move that continues to infuriate
August 22, 2019
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by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) Governors representing Iowa, Indiana, Kentucky, Nebraska and North Dakota recently sent a letter to U.S. EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler urging the agency to clarify biogenic CO2 is not a pollutant subject to regulation under the Clean Air Act. “We respectively request that you prioritize regulatory reform
August 21, 2019
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by Alex Guillén (Politico’s Morning Energy) EPA’s internal watchdog is being asked to determine how the agency decided to grant the vast majority of exemptions from the Renewable Fuel Standard that oil refiners have requested. EPA approved 31 petitions for waivers from the 2018 requirements, while rejecting just six, and
August 21, 2019
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By Elena Schneider and Catherine Boudreau (Politico) Pitches by some 2020 candidates aren’t yet translating into a broad conversation about the needs of rural voters. — As Democratic presidential candidates descended on the Iowa State Fair, a plane buzzed overhead, an ominous warning fluttering behind it on a banner: “Focus on
August 20, 2019
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by Andy Knight (The Herald Bulletin) Officials with POET Biorefining in Alexandria are monitoring the ongoing trade dispute between the United States and China, which has resulted in significant tariffs on U.S. ethanol shipments to that country. POET employs more than 40 people in Madison County and, according to the company’s
August 16, 2019
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In Iowa, Candidates Are Talking About Farming’s Climate Change Connections Like No Previous Election
by Georgina Gustin (Inside Climate News) About half the candidates have policy proposals or statements addressing climate change impacts on agriculture or farming’s potential as a climate solution. … They also brought an unprecedented focus on agriculture‘s connections with climate change—an issue that’s getting more traction among rural Midwestern voters and farmers in
August 16, 2019
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by Robert Rapier (Forbes) …In this model, the entities that control the model are the same as those that benefit from it: The Midwestern states that produce essentially all of the nation’s ethanol. The key goal here is to get the federal government out of the position of strongly impacting the market for
August 15, 2019
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“Public policy to date has put almost the entire burden of the (transportation) sector’s transformation on the nation’s vehicles. Shouldn’t the fuels they burn get equal attention?“ That’s the question asked by Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and former Senator Timothy Wirth (D-CO) in an op-ed in The Hill. READ MORE
August 15, 2019
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by Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and former Sen. Timothy Wirth (D-CO) (The Hill) … But public policy to date has put almost the entire burden of the sector’s transformation on the nation’s vehicles. Shouldn’t the fuels they burn get equal attention? Look at the numbers: Even a rapid transition to electric
August 15, 2019
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by John McCormick and Jesse Naranjo (Wall Street Journal) … “He’s doing the right thing,” said Leo Balk, a fifth-generation farmer who raises corn, soybeans, oats, beef and dairy cows on about 300 acres near New Hampton, Iowa. “It hurts, but his concept is absolutely right.” One of the reasons farmers
August 15, 2019
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by Pete Buttigieg (Des Moines Register) … To empower farmers to confront climate disruption, we will dramatically increase agricultural R&D. As president, I will double these investments over four years, dedicating nearly $50 billion over a decade. With scientists indicating our soil has the astonishing potential to absorb as much
August 14, 2019
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(Biofuels International) The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has approved Golden Grain Energy for cellulosic ethanol production from corn kernel fibre, according to biotechnology company Edeniq, which has supplied the technology for production. Golden Grain operates a corn ethanol plant in Mason City, Iowa, which has a capacity of 120
August 14, 2019
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by Matt Thompson (Ethanol Producer Magazine) It’s fitting that the Cornhusker State should be an important player in the nation’s ethanol industry. Second only to Iowa in production, Nebraska’s ethanol industry has a big impact on the state’s economy. In addition to a strong corn-growing contingent, Nebraska has an impressive cattle
August 6, 2019
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by Elvina Nawaguna (Roll Call) The bill would set aside $1 billion to build charging and fueling stations for electric-, hydrogen- and natural gas-powered vehicles — A provision in the Senate’s surface transportation bill that would help pay for charging and refilling stations for zero- or low-emissions vehicles should also support more stations for biofuels
August 2, 2019
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by Jim Lykam (Quad City Times) I respectfully disagree with Kerry Etringer’s July 18 letter in which he described homegrown ethanol as a “sop” to farmers rather than a “good renewable source of energy.” The truth is that Iowa farmers deserve credit for leading the charge on clean energy. The biofuels we
August 2, 2019
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by Ashley Halsey III and John Wagner (Washington Post) … The bill got pushback from Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), whose state is a major producer of ethanol, the corn-based product that is added to about 98 percent of gasoline. She objected to a provision to promote electric charging stations. “If all
August 1, 2019
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by Chris Clayton (DTN Progressive Farmer) As Democratic presidential candidates traipse through Iowa talking about their plans to address climate change, a mixed group of farmers and biofuel advocates are stressing the role agriculture can play as a solution. Matt Russell, executive director of Iowa Interfaith Power and Light, also operates
July 31, 2019
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by Jarrett Renshaw and Humeyra Pamuk (Reuters) Democratic presidential hopeful Elizabeth Warren is a champion of the corn-based ethanol industry when she campaigns in rural towns dotting the U.S. Farm Belt. But in Washington, the U.S. senator from Massachusetts is among the co-sponsors of the Green New Deal, which calls for the
July 29, 2019
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“EPA is screwing around with the program to the detriment of agriculture and the ethanol industry. EPA needs to stop doing the bidding of big oil companies,” Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) told reporters July 23, 2019, with regard to small refinery “economic hardship” exemptions according to Politico’s Morning Energy. READ
July 24, 2019
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(Office of Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA)) Contrary to assertions by the EPA, the Energy Department confirmed in a letter to Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) that the EPA has issued so-called “economic hardship” exemptions under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) to small refineries, often owned by billion-dollar oil companies, even when the Energy Department
July 24, 2019
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USDA Seeks Input on New Ethanol Sales Infrastructure Incentive Program DEADLINE January 30, 2020
(U.S. Department of Agriculture) The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is seeking public input to help with the creation of the Higher Blends Infrastructure Incentive Program (HBIIP), a new program that will expand the availability of domestic ethanol and biodiesel by incentivizing the expansion of sales of renewable fuels. “Feedback from farmers, retailers and