The state of Iowa continues its monopoly over ethanol plants today with the announcement that the Iowa Power Fund has awarded DuPont Danisco (DDCE) a $9 million grant to build a cellulosic ethanol plant in either Story or Webster County. The biorefinery will use corncobs, leaves and stalks to produce cellulosic ethanol. Interestingly, should the plant be sited in Emmetsburg, …
Ethanol Industry Responds to Corn Harvest Report
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) released its final report on the total 2010 corn crop and supply and well as its updated estimates of corn use. The total 2010 corn production was 12.45 billion bushels, the third largest crop in U.S. history. There were some unanticipated changes in the report as well. First, the corn yield was lower …
Iowa City Woman Wins $7,500 In Free Fuel & Food
An Iowa City woman received a very welcome early holiday gift – free food and fuel for a year from the Iowa Corn Growers Association. Katie Ortmann was the winner of the Iowa Corn Fed GameDay GiveAway campaign when her name was called during halftime of the Iowa State versus Iowa men’s basketball game held this past Friday, December 10, …
Ethanol Co-product Publication Update
A publication that provides information for users of the ethanol co-product distillers dried grains (DDGS) has been updated. A new edition of “Feeding Corn Milling Co-Products to Feedlot Cattle,” a popular publication that provides feedlot operators, animal nutritionists and others with the latest research and sound recommendations on feeding corn co-products like distillers grains to cattle, is now available from …
Biodiesel, Ethanol Priorities for New ASA President
The new American Soybean Association (ASA) president is making biodiesel and ethanol his priorities. And this article from Corn and Soybean Digest says that shouldn’t be too much of a surprise from Alan Kemper, a fifth generation corn, soybean and cattle farmer from Lafayette, Indiana and the first person to hold both the ASA presidency and that of the National …
RFA Calls on EPA to Update RFS2 ILUC Models
Earlier this month, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) made a positive step for ethanol by updating its indirect land use models in the Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS). This in effect, will reduce the ILUC penalties in half. Unfortunately, the new rule doesn’t take effect until mid-2011 although LCFS kicks in on January 1, 2011. In light of this …
Registration Open for Commodity Classic
Registration is now open for the 16th Annual Commodity Classic in Tampa, March 3-5. The annual event will be “smooth sailing” for soybean, corn, wheat and sorghum farmers and biofuels will be a big part of the event, as always. Growers who attend the 2011 Commodity Classic are sure to benefit from the value of attending a trade show with …
Project Liberty Featured on IPTV
As the corn harvest is winding down through the Midwest, Project Liberty is just ramping up on its collection of light corn stover and corn cobs. This fall is the first major cellulosic feedstock harvest for the biorefinery that is expected to be in full production sometime in the first half of 2012. Recently, Project Liberty was highlighted during “Market …
New USDA Reports Find Less Corn, More Ethanol
The latest reports from the U.S. Department of Agriculture are lowering the forecast for this year’s corn crop, but raising the expected use of corn for ethanol. Corn production is now forecast at 12.5 billion bushels, down 1 percent from the October forecast and down 4 percent from last year’s record production of 13.1 billion bushels. The reason for the …
Food Prices on the Rise – Biofuels Not to Blame
Is the food versus fuel debate finally subsiding? It has been hanging around since 2008 when the Grocery Manufactures of America launched a coordinated attack on the ethanol industry blaming them for the rising cost of food. It turned out that the greatest offender was actually rising oil prices which topped out over $150 per barrel. This week, the Wall …