A bipartisan group of lawmakers in both the House and Senate this week introduced legislation to extend the biodiesel tax incentive for three years. The Biodiesel Tax Incentive Reform and Extension Act would extend the $1 per gallon tax credit from 2012 through 2014 and would reform the biodiesel tax incentive from a blenders excise tax credit to a production …
Study Underway to Make Plastics From Soy Oil
University of Minnesota researchers are developing degradable plastics from soybean oil. These bioplastics could become a replacement for those made with petroleum and natural gas. Marc Hillmyer, Distinguished McKnight University Professor of chemistry and Director of the Center for Sustainable Polymers, believes that to wean the country from all things fossil fuels, including chemicals and plastics, alternatives based on renewable …
ADM Acquires Missouri Biodiesel Plant
Agribusiness giant Archer Daniels Midland is acquiring Prairie Pride’s soybean crushing and biodiesel facility in Deerfield, Mo., a biodiesel plant idled since early 2010. This ADM press release says the company will form a partnership with Prairie Pride on the biodiesel side of the house. “The acquisition of Prairie Pride’s soybean facility and partnership for the biodiesel business were attractive …
Study: Biodiesel Helps Soybean & Livestock Farmers
A study funded by the United Soybean Board (USB) and soybean checkoff shows shows that biodiesel is a big boost for soybean growers, as well as helping poultry and livestock farmers. This news release from the USB says that, over the past five years, biodiesel added 27 cents a bushel to the price of soybeans, giving American soybean farmers another …
US Oilseed Growers Protest EU Biofuel Requirement
Oilseed growers, led by the American Soybean Association (ASA), have raised concerns with U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack and U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Ron Kirk over the European Union’s (EU) Renewable Energy Directive (RED), particularly the part that is keeping American soybeans out of Europe for biofuel production. The ASA is asking to meet with Vilsack’s and …
Enzyme Helps Argentine Soybean Plant’s Oil Production
The world’s largest soybean processing plant, which produces biodiesel, soybean oil and meal, is using an enzyme that is helping increase edible oil production. This press release from Verenium Corporation says that Argentina’s Terminal 6 is using Verenium’s Purifine enzymatic degumming process at its Puerto General San Martin facility. Not only does the process increase oil yields, but it also …
Soybeans Gain from Biodiesel Incentive Renewal
The main feedstock for biodiesel in the U.S., not surprisingly, has gotten a boost from the renewal of the federal $1-a-gallon biodiesel tax incentive. The Inside Futures website says contracts for January soybeans have hit a new high for the year at nearly $14 a bushel … and could go over that mark: The soy complex has been led by …
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 …
Soybean Growers Fly-in for Biodiesel
In an effort to convey the urgent need for Congress to extend the biodiesel tax incentive, American Soybean Association (ASA) farmer-leaders are participating in a biodiesel fly-in today to meet with members of Congress in Washington, D.C. Participating from ASA are grower-leaders Joe Steiner of Ohio, Bob Henry of Kansas and Darryl Brinkmann of Illinois. These ASA leaders are joining …
Biodiesel Board Offers Scholarship to Feb. Conference
They say education is expensive (but ignorance is even more so!), so our friends at the National Biodiesel Board are offering a scholarship to their upcoming conference to better educate students about the importance of biodiesel. One fortunate student scientist with an interest in biodiesel will get a full-ride scholarship to the biggest biodiesel event of the year – the …