Responding to plans by livestock and poultry groups to seek a waiver of the Renewable Fuel Standard, the head of the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) expects the request to be denied. “Given the flexibilities inherent to the RFS, and the fact that waiving the program would not result in any meaningful impacts on corn prices, we fully expect Administrator Jackson …
Livestock and Poultry Groups Seek RFS Waiver
Livestock and poultry producers are filing a petition with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) seeking a waiver from the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) in light of the current drought situation likely to cause feed shortages. “I and NCBA support American ethanol,” said National Cattlemen’s Beef Association president J.D. Alexander of Nebraska. “I’m not asking for a handout. I’m asking for …
Retrofit Kits Available to Pump Higher Ethanol Blends
Gilbarco Veeder-Root this week announced E25 Field Retrofit Kits are now available for the entire line of the company’s Encore® dispensers. Retailers interested in offering E15 fuel or any other blend up to E25 will be required to prove E25 fuel compatibility and Underwriters Laboratory (UL) approval in order to maintain the unit’s listing. Encore E25 kits provide Gilbarco’s partners …
New Investments to Drive Biofuels Innovations
The U.S. Departments of Agriculture (USDA) and Energy Wednesday announced a $41 million investment in 13 projects designed to drive more efficient biofuels production and feedstock improvements. “If we want to develop affordable alternatives for oil and gasoline that will help reduce our dependence on foreign oil, we need investments like these projects to spur innovation in bioenergy,” said Agriculture …
Battle Over RFS Heats Up With Drought
With 78 percent of the corn crop suffering from drought, livestock and poultry groups are renewing calls for changing the ethanol requirements in the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS2). During a press conference today sponsored by livestock and poultry interests, Cong. Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) said he has introduced two bills – one to eliminate the RFS and one to reform it. …
Ag Secretary Says RFS Okay with Ethanol Stocks
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack held a sobering press briefing Wednesday after meeting with President Obama about the impact of the nation’s drought on agricultural production. Vilsack says the drought is “most serious situation we’ve had in 25 years” with 61% of the land mass of the United States is currently characterized as being impacted. About one third of the counties …
Can Ethanol Meet RFS Demand with Lower Corn Crop?
USDA already cut the corn crop forecast by 12% but as conditions continue to worsen, concerns are being raised about whether the ethanol industry will be able to meet demand under the Renewable Fuels Standard with a drastically reduced crop. Renewable Fuels Association VP of Research and Analysis Geoff Cooper tackled that question in a white paper posted on the …
Operation Free Campaign Supports Navy Biofuels
A new campaign by a nationwide coalition of military veterans is targeting members of Congress who are opposed to increasing the use of biofuels in the military. The Operation Free campaign has released a new television advertisement entitled “Trust,” featuring Marine Corps veteran Chris Marzoni who served in Iraq as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. In the spot, Marzoni says …
South Dakota to Award Blender Pump Grants
The South Dakota Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED) is now accepting applications for nearly $1 million in funding for the Ethanol Infrastructure Grant Program in the 2013 fiscal year. The program was created last year to help station owners defray the cost of installation of ethanol blender pumps, which offer consumers a greater variety of fuel choices, including non-ethanol …
Ethanol Output and Exports Drop
U.S. ethanol production is the lowest its been in nearly two years, and exports are continuing to drop. According to the latest Energy Information Administration data, ethanol production averaged 821,000 barrels, or just under 34.5 million gallons, per day the week ending July 6. That is down 36,000 barrels per day from the week before and is the lowest weekly …