The National Ethanol Conference concluded this week with the always popular panel of international industry organization leaders. Bliss Baker with the Global Renewable Fuels Alliance moderated the discussion which included Emmanuel Desplechin, ePURE; Jim Grey, Renewable Industries Canada; Elizabeth Farina, Brazilian Sugarcane Industry Association (UNICA); and Bob Dinneen, Renewable Fuels Association. As always, Dinneen used the panel to publicly address …
State of Ethanol Industry Address Facebook Live
The annual “State of the Ethanol Industry” address by Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) president and CEO Bob Dinneen is coming up this morning at 8:15 am central time live from the 23rd National Ethanol Conference in San Antonio, Texas. The live feed will be on the AgWired Facebook page. We have been doing a live video stream of this address …
RFA CEO Blasts Sen. Cruz in Texas
The National Ethanol Conference is being held in San Antonio, Texas this week, so to start the meeting on a high note, Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Bob Dinneen had a scathing editorial published in the local paper challenging Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) to stop scapegoating the RFS. “He is holding it [vote for Bill Northey’s appointment to Under …
Growth Energy Presents Industry Awards
Growth Energy presented the 2018 America’s Fuel Award to Joel Hirschboeck, general manager of fuel marketing and procurement at Kwik Trip, Inc. The award, which is the organization’s highest honor, was presented at last week’s ninth annual Executive Leadership Conference (ELC). The America’s Fuel Award is presented every year to an individual who has gone above and beyond the call …
Partial Win for Biodiesel in Budget Deal
Grateful but disappointed is how the National Biodiesel Board (NBB) describes the industry feeling after the two-year budget deal passed by Congress last week included a retroactive extension of the biodiesel tax credit for 2017, but not 2018. “The industry is grateful to our champions for their tireless efforts to ensure that all of our members’ transactions in 2017 will …
Manito Transit Acquires Lobdell Transportation
Manito Transit of Bloomington, Illinois has acquired the assets of Lobdell Transportation, Inc., a family-owned trucking company based in Lena, Illinois. The acquisition comes with 21 tractor units, 22 fuel tankers, and eight pressure vessels capable of hauling propane and anhydrous ammonia, as well as a two-bay maintenance shop. Manito Transit now operates 120 trucks, serving customers in 13 states. …
NCERC Technician Awarded NEC Scholarship
A former steel mill worker pursuing a degree while working full-time in the U.S. ethanol industry is this year’s student scholarship winner to attend the Renewable Fuels Association’s National Ethanol Conference next week in San Antonio. Christopher Wense is a full time Ethanol Plant Operations Technician at the National Corn-to-Ethanol Research Center (NCERC) at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and is …
Growth Energy Holds 9th Annual Leadership Conference
Growth Energy is holding its ninth annual Executive Leadership Conference (ELC) this week in Boca Raton, Florida with more than 300 ethanol leaders and supporters in attendance. CEO Emily Skor kicked off the event with her report to the membership. “This past year, we saw what can be accomplished when we refuse to let others steer the debate away from …
Iowa RFA Sends Message to EPA Administrator
The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA) has a message for EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt to answer the question of how to reduce RIN prices associated with the Renewable Fuel Standard – grant E15 the same RVP treatment as all other ethanol-blended fuels. On January 30th, while Administrator Pruitt was testifying before the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, Iowa …
Senators Speak Out to Approve Northey Nomination
After nearly four months of having the nomination of Iowa’s Bill Northey to the U.S. Department of Agriculture held up by Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX), Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) brought it up on the Senate floor Wednesday and called on other colleagues to back him up. Northey was nominated to be USDA Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation in …