Over 100 military veterans who work in the ethanol industry sent a letter to President Donald Trump this week urging him to include a prominent role for ethanol and the RFS in his “America First Energy Plan.” East Kansas Agri-Energy CEO Jeff Oestmann, a Marine Corps vet, started the effort at the recent National Ethanol Conference. “After serving our country …
Ethanol Groups Praise Emissions Rules Review
President Trump announced Wednesday that the administration is reinstating the Midterm Evaluation of the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) and greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) standards for the automotive industry, which is good news for the ethanol industry. “Today’s actions allow the opportunity for EPA to slow down, remove politics from the process, and take a more comprehensive approach to fuel …
ACE Elects Executive Committee
The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) board of directors recently elected officers and executive committee members for 2017. Officers re-elected to the Executive Committee include President Ron Alverson of Dakota Ethanol; vice president Duane Kristensen of Chief Ethanol Fuels; and Secretary Dave Sovereign from Golden Grain Energy. Brian Wilcox with Nebraska Public Power District was elected to serve as Treasurer …
New Nebraska Ethanol Board Member
Scott McPheeters has officially joined the Nebraska Ethanol Board as the business representative, appointed by Gov. Pete Ricketts last month and sworn in by the state legislature last week. McPheeters has a family farm operation southwest of Gothenburg, producing food-grade white and yellow corn for Frito-Lay, as well as soybeans and alfalfa hay. His family also has rangeland for beef …
NFU Honors Merle Anderson
Ethanol industry pioneer Merle Anderson was one of three individuals honored this week with the National Farmers Union (NFU) Meritorious Service Award for outstanding leadership and service to family agriculture. Anderson is Chairman Emeritus of the board of directors for the American Coalition for Ethanol, which he co-founded in 1977. Known as the “Father of Ethanol”, Anderson grew up on …
ACE Adds New Communications Director
Former bioenergy magazine editor Katie Fletcher has joined the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) staff as Communications Director. Fletcher has been a writer for Ethanol Producer Magazine and Biomass Magazine and editor for Pellet Mill Magazine. “We are excited that Katie Fletcher is bringing her exceptional communication skills, experience in agriculture and biofuels, and enthusiasm for ethanol to the ACE …
ACE DC Fly-in During Ag Week
The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) is holding its annual Washington, DC fly-in March 22-23 during National Ag Week – the first week of spring. ACE Director of Strategic Projects Shannon Gustafson says there will be lots going on in the nation’s capitol that week so it is a great time for ethanol supporters to be there. “We are trying …
Groups Oppose RFS Point of Obligation Change
U.S. biofuel and agricultural organizations wrote to EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt last week opposing any change to the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) point of obligation. “The point of obligation is one of the most important remaining tools to help drive higher blends remaining in the RFS. It creates economic incentives for gasoline retailers to offer higher blends such as E15 …
Industry Comments on Pruitt Confirmation
The biofuels industry welcomed Senate approval last week of Scott Pruitt to be the next administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. “As Mr. Pruitt said during his confirmation hearing last month, ‘To honor the intent and the expression of the Renewable Fuel Standard statute is very, very important.’ We could not agree more,” said Renewable Fuels Association president Bob Dinneen. …
ACE Urges #Ethanol Advocates to Call for Support
Over the past few weeks President-Elect Donald Trump has been announcing his nominations for Cabinet positions including Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt to lead the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). While Trump was supportive of biofuels during his campaign, notes Brian Jennings, executive vice president for the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE), Pruitt has been vocal in his opposition to clean …