It should be no surprise to anyone that the American ethanol industry produced a record amount of fuel ethanol in 2007. According to year-end figures released by the Energy Information Administration, U.S. ethanol production averaged 423,000 barrels per day, totaling 6.48 billion gallons for the year. That is an increase of 108,000 barrels per day over 2006. Ethanol demand, as …
Ethanol Baby
There were lots of babies at the 2008 Commodity Classic but this one really caught our attention. Her name is Danica – after Indy race car driver Danica Patrick – and her little onesie featured the IRL logo on the front and on back it said the “Smell of Ethanol.” How cute is that! Her parents were letting her pose …
John Deere Ethanol Risk Protection
John Deere Risk Protection has introduced the industry’s first-ever Ethanol Policy by providing coverage to corn producers who have delivery contracts for the purpose of ethanol production. The policy was officially introduced at the end of January and Deere has been talking with growers at events during the last month, including the Farm Machinery Show and last week’s Commodity Classic. …
Deere Running on Biofuels
John Deere sponsored one of the most popular and well attended Learning Center sessions at the 2008 Commodity Classic in Nashville this week. “Starch and Cellulose as Ethanol Feedstocks” discussed the importance of starch as today’s primary ethanol feedstock, harvesting challenges for increased corn yields as well as cellulose, and how to increase demand for biofuels. Don Borgman, director of …
Ag Secretary on RFS
Secretary of Agriculture Ed Schafer has only been on the job officially for about a month but he has been busy making the rounds of farm meetings. During his appearance at the 2008 Commodity Classic on Friday, Schafer expressed great optimism for agriculture – record prices, record farm income, record exports and the blending of energy and agriculture. During a …
Ethanol is a Classic Hit
You can’t turn a corner at the 2008 Commodity Classic trade show without seeing something about ethanol. A record crowd is attending the Classic this year – more than 4450 people and over 140 media are in Nashville and the corn-fed enthusiasm is driven in a large part by the ethanol buzz. Everybody who is anybody in the ethanol industry …
Biofuels Focus at Classic
The 2008 Commodity Classic is getting underway here in Nashville at the Opryland. Farm Bill and biofuels are the main topics of discussion at this meeting of corn, soybean and wheat growers. Today is mainly commodity group delegate meetings and tours for those not involved in the business sessions. Activities really get rolling Thursday afternoon with the opening of the …
Classic Commodity Conference
The 2008 Commodity Classic kicks off this week in Nashville at the Opryland. Biofuels will be in the spotlight throughout the conference and the yet-to-be-completed Farm Bill will likely be a major topic of conversation as new agriculture secretary Ed Schafer will address the crowd on Friday during the general session. Saturday night’s entertainment at the Grand Ole Opry featuring …
Outlook Puts Biofuels in Focus
Biofuels had a seat on the plenary panel entitled, “Getting It Right: Responding to Market Forces” at USDA’s 2008 Outlook Forum last week. Renewable Fuels Association President Bob Dinneen noted that while ethanol is “not a silver bullet” for all of America’s energy, economic and environmental issues, but “biofuels are absolutely a part of addressing each of them to some …
Pennsylvania Gets First Ethanol Plant
BioEnergy International was the first to break ground in Pennsylvania and construct an ethanol plant. Pennsylvania will be home to a new Bionol Clearfield biorefinery. BioEnergy International, LLC announces ground breaking for the Bionol Clearfield LLC, 100 mgpy corn ethanol biorefinery under construction in Clearfield, Pennsylvania. The corn and cellulosic pilot plants to be built in Clearfield are core to …