The National Biodiesel Conference & Expo opened today at the Fort Worth Convention Center with the theme of “Driven” to celebrate to 25th anniversary of the National Biodiesel Board. “For the visionaries who launched what would become the National Biodiesel Board in 1992, we want to say ‘thank you,’” said NBB CEO Donnell Rehagan. “We look forward to taking this …
Ethanol Report on 2017 Production
Ethanol production averaged over a million barrels per day (b/d) for 44 out of 52 weeks in 2017 which means another record year for the industry. And despite a very average growing season, corn yield for 2017 is estimated at a record high 176.6 bushels per acre, and production was only down four percent because farmers planted less acres. In …
National Biodiesel Conference to Celebrate 25 Years
The biodiesel industry is heading to Fort Worth January 22 – 25 for the silver anniversary of the National Biodiesel Conference & Expo. “Every conference we’ve sponsored has been an exciting event for our industry,” said National Biodiesel Board (NBB) CEO Donnell Rehagan. “But this one is obviously going to be special as we take the opportunity to not only …
Trump Puts Rural America in the Spotlight
President Trump’s address to the American Farm Bureau Federation 99th annual convention this week in Nashville definitely brought agriculture some positive publicity, mentioning the word farmers over 25 times in his speech, more than any of the previous three presidents in all of their official speeches combined. Granted, that is just a guess but I feel safe in saying that …
President Trump Addresses Record Farm Bureau Crowd
“Farm country is God’s country,” said President Donald J. Trump at the conclusion of his remarks to a record crowd at the American Farm Bureau Federation 99th annual convention in Nashville. “100 is so much cooler,” Trump said. “I’ll just have to come back again next year.” The president hit all the high notes to please the crowd that helped …
Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue at #AFBF18
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue set the stage for his boss and our president Donald J. Trump to address the largest general farm organization in the country Monday. Perdue highlighted accomplishments of the Trump Administration related to agriculture and discussed the importance of trade and NAFTA in particular to U.S. agriculture. “To get a deal, we need all sides …
Ethanol Report on RFS2 10th Anniversary
Ten years ago this month, just days before Christmas, President George W. Bush signed into law the Energy Independence and Security Act which greatly expanded the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) to include up to 36 billion gallons of biofuels by 2022. The expansion became known as RFS2, like the sequel to a big movie that had just been released two …
Iowa Corn Looks to Increase Corn Use in Plastics
The Iowa Corn Promotion Board is one step closer to expanding the corn market after receiving a new patent application on a proprietary production method using corn in the industrial manufacturing of monoethylene glycol (MEG). Most MEG is produced from fossil fuels, with the exception of some bio-MEG made from sugarcane ethanol and sourced from Brazil. Consumers are driving a …
Perdue Hopes For RFS Resolution
It’s been a long and busy year for Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue, but here at the end he is still short-staffed at USDA and could use some help from Santa to get the job done. “I had no idea we would be delayed like this and it’s unfortunate,” said Sec. Perdue in a recent interview with Iowa Agribusiness Network‘s …
Basse Bullish on Biofuels
Even if volume obligations for biofuels under the Renewable Fuel Standard are mostly stagnant or lower in 2018, agricultural economist Dan Basse of AgResource Company is bullish on growth in the sector next year. One reason is lower prices for corn, which is helping expand ethanol production plans. The other is the restriction of biodiesel imports from Argentina and Indonesia, …