During the opening session of the 28th Annual International Fuel Ethanol Workshop, Bob Dinneen, President & CEO, Renewable Fuels Association, addressed producers. Bob highlighted the challenges facing the ethanol industry in the near future and also the importance of maximizing demands. Sporting a “Don’t Mess with the RFS,” button Bob stressed the importance of RFS and what he is doing in Washington, D.C. to keep it in place.
“There are marketplace challenges because margins are tight right now but those are temporary and this is a commodity market selling into a commodity market so that doubles the challenges today. But with the crop that is expected I think most of the people around this room are fairly optimistic that we will get through those.”
“You got to have a button, that’s what makes a campaign, but it also reflects the seriousness with which we take this. RFS has been a tremendous success. When the first Renewable Fuels Standard was enacted in 2005 we were 60% dependent on foreign oil and liquid transportation fuels and today we are 45% dependent. That is a consequence of the growth in ethanol, a result of Renewable Fuels Association and because the people in this room who produce ethanol day in and day out have been successful.”
Listen to my interview with Bob here: Interview with Bob Dinneen
Listen to Bob’s complete keynote address here: Bob Dinneen's Keynote Address