Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack expressed his personal strong support and gratitude for the ethanol industry during an address at the National Ethanol Conference on Friday. “We owe ethanol producers in this country a debt of gratitude because we’re paying less at the pump because of what you do,” Vilsack said, noting that prices are about $1 less than they would …
Biofuels in Focus at First Farm Bill Hearing
The importance of biofuels to rural development was a focus of the first Farm Bill hearing by the Senate Committee on Agriculture this week. “In the last Farm Bill, this Committee wisely focused on energy policy,” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack told the panel. “Renewable energy – including biofuels, biomass, wind and solar – are an important source of jobs and …
USDA Funds Two Renewable Energy Programs
Two key programs that will encourage the use of renewable biomass and production of advanced biofuels is available through the FY 2012 USDA budget, according to the Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. About $25 million will be made available through each program. First, the Repowering Assistance Program provides approximately $25 million in funding to biorefineries that have been in existence on …
USDA Invites Applications for Energy Projects
The USDA is seeking applications to provide assistance for ag producers and rural small businesses to complete a variety of energy efficiency and renewable energy projects. “Renewable energy development presents an enormous economic opportunity for rural America,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “This funding will assist rural farmers, ranchers and business owners to build renewable energy projects, providing opportunities for …
USDA Accepting REAP Fund Apps for Blender Pumps
Blender pumps give consumers flexibility and choice of ethanol blends when they are fueling up. Now, the USDA is accepting applications for REAP funds that can be used by retailers who want to install more blender pumps. This is the second year that blender pumps have been authorized as part of the REAP program. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced in …
USDA Approves Support for Oregon Cellulosic Plant
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has approved a conditional commitment of $232.5 million to build a cellulosic ethanol plant in Boardman, Oregon. The commitment was made to ZeaChem Boardman Biorefinery, LLC (ZBB) through the Biorefinery Assistance Program. ZBB plans to operate a 25 million gallon per year biorefinery to be constructed on an industrial site in northeast Oregon, along the …
Ag Secretary to Speak at Ethanol Conference
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack will be a headline speaker on Friday, February 24th, at the 17th annual National Ethanol Conference, which is being held February 22-24 at the Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center in Orlando. During his tenure, Secretary Vilsack has been a champion for all domestic renewable fuels, including ethanol. Secretary Vilsack has led the charge to modernize …
USDA Announces Support for Advanced Biofuel Plant
An advanced biofuels project in Iowa is being offered support from the federal government for a plant to make fuel from waste material. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has approved a conditional commitment for a $25 million guaranteed loan under the Biorefinery Assistance Program for Fiberight to build a biorefinery in Blairstown, Iowa. The loan will be used to construct …
USDA Launches Clean Energy Website
The U.S. Department of Agriculture this week launched a new energy website to provide quick access to the agency’s energy efficiency and renewable energy data. The website, usda.gov/energy, provides access to all USDA energy resources, including: agricultural, forestry, economic, and social data. This is done in part through a set of new complementary web-based tools: the USDA Renewable Energy Investment …
USDA and Airline Companies to Discuss Aviation Biofuels
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack is hosting a media roundtable with aviation business leaders today to discuss the important role of American-produced biofuels in the civilian aircraft and airline industry, and in the military. Participants in the discussion with Vilsack will include John Tracy with The Boeing Company and Billy Glover of Boeing Commercial Airplanes; Alex Marren with United Continental Holdings …