(Office of U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA)) Leads bipartisan group in demanding continued certainty ahead of looming Sept. 30 end date -- As the deadline to extend the Higher Blends Infrastructure Incentive Program (HBIIP) rapidly approaches, U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) is
Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC)
Back TO HOMEProject 2025 Is Awful for Midwest Farmers and Biofuels. Trump Should Disown It.
by Jon Doggett and Bob Dinneen (Des Moines Register/National Corn Growers Association/Renewable Fuels Association) To put it bluntly, farmers and renewable fuel industry workers who take the time to read the Project 2025 recommendations on agriculture and energy are likely to be
August 12, 2024 Read Full Article
A Record Year for Ethanol Exports: U.S. Grains Council Touts Success around the World
by James Henry (AgriNews) Along with solid sales of U.S. corn and distillers grains, ethanol exports are on pace to break an all-time record. Ryan LeGrand, president and CEO of the U.S. Grains Council, shared the exciting news at the Corn Congress
July 23, 2024 Read Full Article
GAO Affirms Legality of Vilsack's Use of CCC for Climate-Smart Projects
By Philip Brasher (Agri-Pulse) The Government Accountability Office says Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack had the legal authority to use the Commodity Credit Corporation to fund the Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities program, an initiative aimed at building markets for agricultural practices and
September 21, 2023 Read Full Article
Vilsack Defends Administration’s Ethanol Policy and Climate-Smart Programs
by Riley Smith (Iowa Agribusiness Radio Network) Today (August 30, 2023), at the Farm Progress Show in Decatur, Illinois, USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack defended the Biden Administration’s approach to supporting family farmers and the biofuels industry. Vilsack touted the department’s Climate
August 31, 2023 Read Full Article
Biden-Harris Administration Announces an Additional $325 Million in Pilot Projects through Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities, for Total Investment of $3.1 Billion
(U.S. Department of Agriculture) Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced today that the Biden-Harris Administration, through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing an additional $325 million for 71 projects under the second funding pool of the Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities effort, bringing
December 15, 2022 Read Full Article
Meeting the Methane Pledge: The U.S. Can Do More on Agriculture
by Ben Lilliston (Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy) When the United States and European Union signed the Global Methane Pledge in September 2021, it shined a bright light on the urgent need to slash emissions of this potent, short-lived greenhouse
June 30, 2022 Read Full Article
USDA Reports Strong Interest for Climate-Smart Commodities Funds DEADLINE Extended: June 10, 2022
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The USDA on May 10 announced it received more than 450 proposals for large-scale projects under its new Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities program. The agency is accepting proposals for smaller-scale projects through June 10. The USDA
May 19, 2022 Read Full Article
SfL Lauds Launch of New USDA Partnerships for Climate Smart Commodities Program DEADLINES April 8 and May 27, 2022 EXTENDED to June 10, 2022
(Solutions from the Land) Solutions from the Land (SfL) wholeheartedly endorses Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities, a new USDA program announced today by Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. “This exciting new program provides another opportunity and pathway to enable farmers, ranchers, forest
February 07, 2022 Read Full Article
USDA Requests Public Input on New Climate-Smart Agriculture Initiative DEADLINE November 1, 2021
(U.S. Department of Agriculture) The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced today that it is seeking public comments on a new initiative designed to create revenue streams for agricultural producers through market opportunities for commodities produced using climate-smart practices. “Through extreme
October 08, 2021 Read Full Article
USDA Aims at Ag Woes in $3B Package: USDA Announces Funds for African Swine Fever, Drought, Climate Program
by Todd Neeley (DTN Progressive Farmer) ... The agency announced on Wednesday plans to tap funds from the Commodity Credit Corp. as part of what USDA calls a "comprehensive investment package." The $3 billion package is aimed at supporting drought resilience and
September 30, 2021 Read Full Article
Vilsack: US Carbon Market Needs a Focus on Farmers
by Bill Tomson (Agri-Pulse) A priority for the USDA in the coming years will be judging the feasibility of setting up, executing and paying for a federal carbon bank to help farmers reduce greenhouse gas emissions and reward them for their
March 23, 2021 Read Full Article
Bipartisan Senators Call on USDA for Biofuels Relief
by Matthew Choi (Politico's Morning Energy) A bipartisan group of 10 senators is pressing the Biden administration to use authority under the CARES Act to provide targeted relief to the biofuels industry, which is still reeling from the pandemic that collapsed fuel demand. In
March 09, 2021 Read Full Article
Trump Left Biden a $30 Billion Fund Used for Trade Wars. Biden Has Other Plans for It.
by Liz Crampton (Politico) A Depression-era financial institution was used by the Trump administration to dole out billions to farmers. Now the Biden team has their own ideas about how the money should be spent. The Trump administration used it to
February 01, 2021 Read Full Article
Biden Climate Plan Looks for Buy-in from Farmers Who Are Often Skeptical about Global Warming
by Georgina Gustin (Inside Climate News) The administration has options to cut emissions even if a Republican-led Senate opposes climate-focused agriculture policies. -- ... The U.S. Department of Agriculture, the administration said, “has not historically received the sustained political attention of
January 05, 2021 Read Full Article
Trump Signs Government Funding Bill Including CCC Replenishment
by Larry Lee (Brownfield Ag News) ... President Trump signed a continuing resolution funding the government after returning from campaign stops in Minnesota, about an hour after Washington officially ran out of money. Farm Bureau economist John Newton tells Brownfield the continuing
October 02, 2020 Read Full Article
Secretary Perdue Says Congress Must Approve Ethanol Aid
by Cindy Zimmerman (Energy.AgWired.com) Despite estimates that ethanol producers could lose up to $8 billion this year, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue says he has no authority to make payments to plants through the Commodity Credit Corporation under the latest round
September 30, 2020 Read Full Article
Trump Considers Cash Aid for Refineries Denied Biofuel Waivers
by Jennifer A Dlouhy (Bloomberg) Trump administration officials are developing a plan to offset the potential economic damage of denying dozens of refineries waivers from biofuel-usage mandates: giving them financial aid. The approach is actively being discussed by top Environmental Protection Agency officials
September 12, 2020 Read Full Article
Biofuel's Uphill Battle for More Coronavirus Relief
(RFD TV) ... The head of the Renewable Fuels Association, Geoff Cooper, says that ... USDA Secretary Perdue has made his position clear on using unspent CCC money for pandemic-crippled biorefineries. "Secretary Perdue has said pretty bluntly, 'look unless Congress
August 19, 2020 Read Full Article
U.S. Iowa Senators Hope to Include Biofuels Aid in Next Coronavirus Relief Package
by Stephanie Kelly (Reuters) U.S. lawmakers from Iowa are trying to add aid for the biofuels industry into a pending coronavirus relief package in the Senate, U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley said on Friday. Grassley and his Iowa colleague, Senator Joni Ernst, hope
July 20, 2020 Read Full Article
Biofuels Caucus Town Hall Talks Ethanol Issues
by Cindy Zimmerman (Energy.AgWired.com) Members of the Congressional Biofuels Caucus held a virtual town hall Wednesday to discuss the challenges currently facing the ethanol industry and what can be done to help. Participating in the meeting were caucus members including Reps. Collin Peterson (D-MN),
June 18, 2020 Read Full Article
Groups Ask Congress to Provide COVID-19 Relief for Biofuels
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) A group of 11 ag and biofuel groups sent a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on May 11 asking congress to provide COVID-19 relief for ethanol and biodiesel
May 12, 2020 Read Full Article
Electric Cooperatives Ask Congress to Provide Aid for Ethanol
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Three dozen Midwestern electric cooperatives and rural electric associations send a letter to 20 federal lawmakers on May 7 asking Congress to provide much-needed economic relief for rural America, which continues to suffer from
May 11, 2020 Read Full Article
Don’t Lose Heart or Courage
by Brian Jennings (Ethanol Producer Magazine/American Coalition for Ethanol) ... I encourage us to consider something Winston Churchill said during World War II that has resonance now. “It would be foolish to disguise the gravity of the hour. It would be
May 07, 2020 Read Full Article
Vilsack Warns Administration Continues to Ignore Biofuels
by Jacqui Fatka (Feedstuffs) ... (Former Agriculture Secretary Tom) Vilsack said the biofuel industry hasn’t been invited to the White House like the airline or oil industries have to discuss ways to help cover their losses. A number of conservative
April 30, 2020 Read Full Article
Coronavirus to Burst Another Bubble? Carbonation Shortage Threatens Seltzer, Beer and Soda
by Chloe Sorvino (Forbes) Soft drink and beer makers are scrambling for access to CO2, a key ingredient in the carbonization used to make their products after coronavirus shutdowns have closed off their access to the chemical. “The supply is rapidly deteriorating,”
April 20, 2020 Read Full Article
Ethanol Left Out of USDA Aid Plan
by Cindy Zimmerman (Energy.AgWired.com) U.S. ethanol producers struggling with the largest downturn in the history of the industry were disappointed to hear that the new $19 billion USDA aid program will provide no direct help for them. “While we appreciate that USDA’s new program
April 20, 2020 Read Full Article
USDA Prepares Aid Package: Perdue Says Aid Coming 'Very Soon' as Groups Highlight Struggles for Industries Such as Ethanol
by Chris Clayton (DTN Progressive Farmer) ... Regarding ethanol, (Agriculture Secretary Sonny) Perdue talked about helping the export market, but he did not talk about providing direct aid to ethanol. On a webinar Wednesday with a Democratic-leaning group, "Focus on Rural,"
April 17, 2020 Read Full Article
Biofuels Industry Needs CCC Assistance
by P. Scott Schearer (Natinal Hog Farmer/Informa Business Media ) Legislative Watch: Biofuels feeling COVID-19 impact; CO2 shortage hits food industry; more loan flexibility needed; expanding beef pricing inquiry; USMCA moving forward. -- ... A bipartisan group of Senators is
April 13, 2020 Read Full Article
Grassley Urging USDA to Aid Ethanol Industry through CCC
(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
April 08, 2020 Read Full Article
Biofuels Industry Seeks Bailout to Weather 'Collapsing Demand'
(Reuters/NewsMax Finance) The U.S. biofuel industry has asked the Trump administration for funds from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Commodity Credit Corporation to help it survive a demand slump triggered by the coronavirus outbreak, according to a letter seen by
April 06, 2020 Read Full Article
When Markets Misbehave, Send the Marines! (World Governments Get a Case of Bioeconomy Interventionitis)
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The European Court of Justice has ruled that organisms altered via genome editing are GMOs and subject to GMO regulation in Europe, including warning labels for foods. And in the US, President Trump announced $12 billion in
August 06, 2018 Read Full Article
White House Readies Plan for $12 Billion in Emergency Aid to Farmers Caught in Trump’s Escalating Trade War
by Damian Paletta and Caitlin Dewey (Washington Post) The U.S. Agriculture Department on Tuesday plans to announce a $12 billion package of emergency aid for farmers caught in the midst of President Trump’s escalating trade war, two people briefed on the
July 24, 2018 Read Full Article
Withdrawal of the Notice of Funds Availability (NOFA) for and the Cancellation of the Farm-to-Fleet Feedstock Program Biofuel Production Incentive (BPI)
(U.S. Department of Agriculture Commodity Credit Corporation and Farm Service Agency) The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) has withdrawn support for the Farm-to-Fleet BPI Program, and is cancelling funding for the BPI payments to companies that
February 07, 2018 Read Full Article
Strength through Choice: The Digest’s 2017 Multi-Slide Guide to the US Navy’s military biofuels program
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) To explain the Navy’s marine and aviation biofuels program, Chris Tindal gave the following presentation at ABLC 2017 — focusing on efforts to internationalize the supply. As we described it earlier, “They’re here. $2.05 per
August 01, 2017 Read Full Article
USDA: Incentives Available for Drop-In Biofuel Delivered to Navy
by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) The USDA Commodity Credit Corp. has announced funding is available to pay a biofuel production incentive (BPI) under the Farm-to-Fleet program to companies producing drop-in biofuels from certain feedstocks. A notice published in the Federal Register explains
January 03, 2017 Read Full Article
Cruz Aims to Declaw Energy Security Hawks with Appropriations Amendment
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... The Def Con 2 alert from the biofuels educational and advocacy group (Advanced Biofuels USA) noted a House Subcommittee draft for defense appropriations, which had this language in Section 8132: None of the funds made available
May 13, 2016 Read Full Article
Great Green Fleet: The Digest’s 2016 8-Slide Guide to the US Navy’s Transition to Renewable Fuels
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The Department of the Navy is now buying advanced, drop-in, cost-competitive, next gen renewable fuels. The biofuels sought can be blended in a range of 10 to 50 percent with conventional petroleum products and must meet
January 20, 2016 Read Full Article
Navy to Launch Great Green Fleet with 77 Million Gallon Buy of Cost-Competitive, Non-Food Advanced Biofuels Blends
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) They’re here. $2.05 per gallon, at-scale, domestically produced advanced renewable fuels — utilizing non-food feedstocks and based on next-generation technology. The Navy’s 7-year quest to diversify its fuel supply without paying more or changing its
January 08, 2016 Read Full Article
Transformative Algae Products at Scale: The Digest’s 2015 8-Slide Guide to Solazyme
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Solazyme is a renewable oil and bioproducts company that transforms a range of low-cost plant-based sugars into high-value oils. Headquartered in South San Francisco, Solazyme’s renewable products can replace or enhance oils derived from the
September 14, 2015 Read Full Article
USDA Invests $100M in Renewable Fuel Pumps: The Deep Dive into Who Got What, and How the Landscape Shifts
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) USDA announces state finalists for the Biofuel Infrastructure Partnership. Will it move the needle? The Digest investigates. In Washington, US Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that 21 states will receive grants through the Biofuel Infrastructure
September 14, 2015 Read Full Article
USDA Announces State Finalists for the Biofuel Infrastructure Partnership
(US Department of Agriculture) Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that 21 states will receive grants through the Biofuel Infrastructure Partnership (BIP) to add infrastructure needed to supply more renewable fuel to America's drivers. Since announcing the program in May
September 10, 2015 Read Full Article
US Navy, DOE, USDA Award $210M for 3 Biorefineries and Mil-Spec Fuels
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Washington, the Department of Defense has awarded $210 million under the Defense Production Act to Emerald Biofuels, Fulcrum BioEnergy and Red Rock Bio towards the construction of biorefineries that produce cost-competitive, drop-in military biofuels. Under the grants, the
September 19, 2014 Read Full Article
U.S. Navy Eyes Biofuels to Fuel Fleet of the Future
by Matt DiLallo (Motley Fool) ... America's military actually consumes as much energy as the entire population of Nigeria, and there are 140 million people living in Nigeria. Suffice it to say, the military uses a lot of oil, which is
August 26, 2014 Read Full Article
Biofuels Making Progress on Two Continents
(RenewableEnergyWorld.com) New Hampshire, USA -- ... In a move that could restore biofuel market uncertainty in Europe, this week (June 11, 2014) energy ministers are expected to reach political agreement on measures to incorporate indirect land use change (ILUC) into
August 06, 2014 Read Full Article
Department of Navy Seeks 37.5M Gallons of Biofuels
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) The U.S. Department of Navy is seeking at least 37 million gallons of drop-in biofuels to power its F-76 marine diesel and JP-5 shipboard jet fuel supply in the upcoming Inland/East/Gulf Coast bulk fuels solicitation released by the
June 12, 2014 Read Full Article
Navy Plans Action This Year on Two Large Pathways to Alternative Fuel
by Jared Serbu (Federal News Radio) The Navy says it will create two new acquisition vehicles this year to ensure it has a stable supply of advanced biofuels. The service says the high-tech liquid fuels won't cost it any more than the
April 24, 2014 Read Full Article
Advanced Biofuels Leadership Conference Rumblings of Discontent
by Joanne Ivancic (Advanced Biofuels USA) In the meetings, hallways and conference sessions at Biofuels Digest’s Advanced Biofuels Leadership Conference near Washington, DC, the following issues, rumblings, lessons and congratulations abounded. Criticism of the Obama administration and its lack of enthusiastic
April 21, 2014 Read Full Article
Benjamins for Biofuels in the 2015 Obama Budget: The Digest’s 7-Minute Guide
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Vitally interested in President Obama’s proposed 2015 budget and the 411 on grants, incentives, tax credits, loan guarantees and R&D support — but haven’t got the time to read all 1653 glorious pages? Try the