There were lots of babies at the 2008 Commodity Classic but this one really caught our attention. Her name is Danica – after Indy race car driver Danica Patrick – and her little onesie featured the IRL logo on the front and on back it said the “Smell of Ethanol.” How cute is that! Her parents were letting her pose …
John Deere Ethanol Risk Protection
John Deere Risk Protection has introduced the industry’s first-ever Ethanol Policy by providing coverage to corn producers who have delivery contracts for the purpose of ethanol production. The policy was officially introduced at the end of January and Deere has been talking with growers at events during the last month, including the Farm Machinery Show and last week’s Commodity Classic. …
Deere Running on Biofuels
John Deere sponsored one of the most popular and well attended Learning Center sessions at the 2008 Commodity Classic in Nashville this week. “Starch and Cellulose as Ethanol Feedstocks” discussed the importance of starch as today’s primary ethanol feedstock, harvesting challenges for increased corn yields as well as cellulose, and how to increase demand for biofuels. Don Borgman, director of …
Chevron, Weyerhaeuser Team Up for Biofuels
Oil giant Chevron and timber giant Weyerhaeuser are teaming up to make biofuels. This story in the Seattle Times says the new company formed from the partnership, Catchlight Energy, will be looking to get the green fuel from cellulose and lignin: Catchlight will initially have offices at Weyerhaeuser’s Federal Way headquarters and at Chevron’s San Ramon, Ca. homebase. Chevron executive …
Ohio Becoming Mecca for Green Collar Jobs
A new report says Ohio could be home to 174,000 advanced, renewable energy jobs by 2030. The report by the American Solar Energy Society, funded by the non-profit Ohio Business Development Coalition, says the Buckeye State is pioneering efforts to increase the number of skilled professionals in the renewable energy field: According to the Ohio Business Development Coalition (OBDC), the …
Ag Secretary on RFS
Secretary of Agriculture Ed Schafer has only been on the job officially for about a month but he has been busy making the rounds of farm meetings. During his appearance at the 2008 Commodity Classic on Friday, Schafer expressed great optimism for agriculture – record prices, record farm income, record exports and the blending of energy and agriculture. During a …
Ethanol is a Classic Hit
You can’t turn a corner at the 2008 Commodity Classic trade show without seeing something about ethanol. A record crowd is attending the Classic this year – more than 4450 people and over 140 media are in Nashville and the corn-fed enthusiasm is driven in a large part by the ethanol buzz. Everybody who is anybody in the ethanol industry …
Introducing Ethanol Retailer Magazine
The Ethanol Promotion and Information Council is now in the publishing business after announcing the introduction of “Ethanol Retailer” magazine this week. Robert White, Publisher, is pictured (center) during a panel he participated in on E85 during the National Ethanol Conference. I interviewed Robert about the new venture and the panel he was on. Ethanol Retailer is the only magazine …
House Approves $18 billion in Taxes on Big Oil to Help Renewables
The U.S House today approved $18 billion in new taxes on the oil companies that will fund incentives for renewable energy. Bloomberg.com reports that the vote comes as crude oil prices topped $100 a barrel and will send the bill to the Senate, where similar measures have faced stiff opposition in the past: The $18.1 billion measure, versions of which …
Biofuels Focus at Classic
The 2008 Commodity Classic is getting underway here in Nashville at the Opryland. Farm Bill and biofuels are the main topics of discussion at this meeting of corn, soybean and wheat growers. Today is mainly commodity group delegate meetings and tours for those not involved in the business sessions. Activities really get rolling Thursday afternoon with the opening of the …