The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) has been on a roll lately with a series of timely topical posts on the E-xchange blog. Who Gets Your Food Dollar? Matt Hartwig writes about the latest report from USDA’s Economic Research Service on the farmers’ share of the food dollar, which is now estimated to be less than 12%. “So, if the farm …
New Blender Pump in York, NE
A new ethanol blender pump opened last week in York, Nebraska thanks to the efforts of the Nebraska Ethanol Board and the Nebraska Corn Board. “E85 is cleaner than gas, it’s produced here in Nebraska, and more and more cars can use it every year,” said Todd Sneller, Nebraska Ethanol Board Administrator. ”The addition of this new flex fuel dispenser …
Vilsack Named Biofool of the Year
Friends of the Earth (FOE) has named U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack the 2011 Biofool of the Year, the organization’s award that recognizes “leaders that promote dirty biofuels.” According to FOE, Vilsack received 2,424 votes of the more than 6,000 cast and they say he definitely deserves the honor. “With Secretary Vilsack at the helm, the USDA has doubled …
UNICA Expects Decline in Brazil Ethanol Exports
Ethanol exports from Brazil could drop by as much as 18% this season compared to last year, according to the Brazilian Sugarcane Industry Association (UNICA). UNICA is expecting a slight increase in ethanol production this year, however. “Ethanol production should reach 25.51 billion liters in the 2011/2012 season, a 0.52% increase compared to the last harvest, when the total reached …
Ag Secretary Promotes Biofuels for Jobs
U. S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack made a visit to St. Louis earlier this week where he was the keynote speaker at the St. Louis Agribusiness Club meeting. As part of his address, he noted the importance of biofuels production for rural economies. Vilsack noted that there are about 600,000 people in rural America who would describe themselves as …
RFA Analyzes USDA Report for Ethanol
The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) hosted a webinar this morning to discuss the new USDA Prospective Planting and Grain Stocks reports and what they indicate for America’s supply of corn and how demand from ethanol production might play into food pricing this year. Some of the main points made by RFA VP of Research and Analysis Geoff Cooper about the …
Corn Stocks are Down, Plantings Expected Higher
USDA expects more five percent more corn to be planted this year according to the Prospective Plantings report released this morning, but stocks are down 15% from last year at this time. Corn growers intend to plant 92.2 million acres of corn for all purposes this year, up 5 percent from last year and 7 percent higher than in 2009. …
Ethanol Group to Host Webinar on Plantings Report
The first big crop report of the season is due out on Thursday and the ethanol industry is ready to interpret what it means for them. Following the release of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s prospective plantings forecast in the morning, the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) will host a webinar to detail what the report means and how America’s supply …
Senate Ag Holds Hearing on High Gas Prices
How domestic fuel can fight higher gas prices was the focus of a hearing today before the Senate agriculture committee. “Fundamentals and Farming: Evaluating High Gas Prices and How New Rules and Innovative Farming Can Help” featured a panel that included POET CEO Jeff Broin who testified on how the industry needs market access to help alleviate high gas prices …
President Calls for Secure Energy Future
President Obama today released his administration’s Blueprint for A Secure Energy Future that outlines the comprehensive national energy policy. “In an economy that relies on oil, rising prices at the pump affect everybody – workers and farmers; truck drivers and restaurant owners,” said the president during a speech in Georgetown. “The only way for America’s energy supply to be truly …