A new year has dawned and with it new opportunities for the ethanol industry. In this Ethanol Report, Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) president and CEO Bob Dinneen discusses some of the upcoming events in 2016, including the 21st National Ethanol Conference in New Orleans February 15-17, and comments on whether there may yet be a legal challenge by the industry …
Carson Supports RFS through 2022
During a recent campaign stop in Iowa Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson said the promise of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) needs to be kept through 2022. “(A)s far as the Renewable Fuel Standard is concerned, there were certain promises that were made that extend out until 2022. And many people, you know, invested a lot of time, energy and …
Ethanol Report Looks at 2015 in Review
2015 was another year of highs and lows for the ethanol industry. Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) president and CEO Bob Dinneen says many of the positives, such as record production and increased exports, were offset by negatives like tighter margins and trade barriers. In this Ethanol Report, Dinneen takes a look back at some of the good news and bad …
Huckabee Talks Energy During Debate
The CNN Republican Presidential Candidates debate from Las Vegas this week was focused entirely on national security issues, but the word biofuels was actually uttered by one of the candidates who put forth the idea of using energy as a weapon. “We ought to be challenging not only Russia, but the Iranians and the Saudis, on the point of energy,” …
Ethanol in Ag Economic Outlook
At the ASTA CSS 2015 and Seed Expo last week, AgResource Company president Dan Basse presented his economic outlook for agriculture during the opening general session for the fifth year in a row, and once more biofuels figured into the picture. Basse talked about a “world awash in grain” with record global wheat and soybean crops and second largest corn …
Why Energy & Ag Businesses Need Crisis Plans
A recent ZimmComm poll asked the question, Does your agribusiness/operation have a crisis communications plan?” and I was surprised and honestly a bit disturbed as a former public relations person, that so many respondents didn’t believe a crisis communications plan was necessary. And this in light of the rise in undercover videos, avian flu outbreaks, meatless Mondays, (cow farts causing) …
Cruz Talks Ethanol at Iowa Event
Republican presidential candidate Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas has gotten a sudden bump in the polls, showing him now leading front runner Donald Trump among committed Iowa caucus goers. On Friday, Trump criticized Cruz’s lack of support for ethanol, but on December 5 the senator appeared at the FreedomWorks Rising Tide Summit in Cedar Rapids and spoke very favorably about …
Trump Hits Cruz on Ethanol
During an appearance at the Iowa State Fairgrounds on Friday, Republican presidential front runner Donald Trump talked about his support for ethanol and how his primary rival in the state, Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, supports oil. “Where are the ethanol people?” Trump asked the crowd, which cheered in return. “I was here a month ago, I met with them …
#Biodiesel Board Outlines Positives in #RFS Rule
The National Biodiesel Board (NBB) held a press call today to explain why they are so pleased with the final rule on volume obligations for biodiesel under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). First of all, NBB CEO Joe Jobe says the rule shows steady growth for biomass-based diesel from 2012 through 2017. “It grows the program from a billion gallons …
Growth Energy Reacts Positively to #RFS Final Rules
Growth Energy reacted positively today after the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released the final Renewable Volume Obligations (RVOs) under the 2014, 2015 and 2015 Renewable Fuel Standard (#RFS). While the volumes were higher than in the proposed rules, on behalf of its members, Tom Buis, co-chairman, said that their members are pleased to see the #EPA moving the renewable fuels …