An article in the Houston Chronicle this week traces Texas Governor Rick Perry’s request for a waiver of the Renewable Fuels Standard back to a March 25 meeting with Lonnie “Bo” Pilgrim, owner of Pilgrim’s Pride, the country’s largest chicken producer. According to the article, Pilgrim gave $100,000 to the Republican Governors Association chaired by Perry shortly after that meeting. …
USDA Report Good News for Ethanol
The USDA Planted Acreage report out Monday was good news, although it does not yet reflect the damage from Midwest flooding. Corn planted area is reported to be 1.31 million acres more than was estimated in the March intentions report at 87.3 million acres, down just 7 percent from last year. That is the second highest since 1946, behind last …
New EPIC Board Member Calls for a Cohesive Ethanol Industry
Another representative of Fagen Incorporated has joined the ranks in the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council. Matt Sederstrom of Platinum Ethanol is a new board member, elected at EPIC’s first annual meeting earlier this month. Matt says he hopes to drive a solid cohesiveness in the ethanol industry, bringing more members and industry partners together for a common cause. “Now …
EPIC Board Embraces Veteran Experience with Ethanol
Gary Pestorious (pictured speaking with EPIC founder Ron Fagen) isn’t new to ethanol nor to the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council. Gary was elected for another term as an EPIC board member at the organization’s first annual meeting. As a two year veteran with EPIC, one thing Gary stresses is EPIC’s role in the ethanol industry. He says EPIC is …
Biodiesel, Ethanol, Wind Part of ND Energy Future
A North Dakota commission is recommending that ethanol, biodiesel and wind play a larger role in that state’s energy future. The Dickinson (ND) Press reports that the state’s EmPower Commission has issued 10 major goals with renewable fuels at the forefront. Here are some of the goals: *Support the nation’s 25X25 Initiative to derive at least 25 percent of all …
Louisiana Law Promotes Non-Corn Ethanol
Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal this week signed into law the Advanced Biofuel Industry Development Initiative, the most comprehensive and far-reaching state legislation in the nation enacted to develop a statewide advanced biofuel industry. Louisiana is the first state to enact alternative transportation fuel legislation that includes a variable blending pump pilot program and a hydrous ethanol pilot program. The legislation …
New EPIC Board Member Man of Many Hats
One of the newest board members of the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council is a man of many hats. Ray Defenbaugh is the CEO of Big River Resources, a company that’s based in Southeast Iowa. The company already operates a one 100 million gallon ethanol plant and another is under construction. But, Ray doesn’t just know ethanol production. He’s also …
World Ethanol, Biodiesel Production Doubling by 2030
The amount of biofuels being produced in the world will double between 2010 and 2030… and that represents a significant increase from previous U.S. government estimates of how much ethanol and biodiesel will be produced in the future. This story from Reuters says a report from the U.S. Energy Information Administration says biofuels will be “an increasingly important source” of …