Iowa Governor Terry Branstad today announced a major new bi-partisan campaign called America’s Renewable Future that will promote the Renewable Fuel Standard in the 2016 Iowa Presidential caucuses. “I’m very passionate about the Renewable Fuel Standard,” said Governor Branstad during a conference call to announce the effort. “It’s made a real difference for farm income and good jobs, reducing our …
Matt Blunt Delivers Message to NBB Attendees
It was good to see former Missouri Governor Matt Blunt on stage today at the National Biodiesel Conference. Matt accomplished great things for the industry during his time in office. He is now the President of the American Automotive Policy Council and lives in Virginia. By the way, he also has a small herd of beef cattle. Matt took the …
NBB Chairman’s Report
Steven Levy, Chair for the National Biodiesel Board took the stage this morning to provide an inspiring message to members who have been facing some serious odds in the last couple years. But he told everyone about how important it is to keep trying in order to obtain success using a quote from Thomas Edison. Across the biodiesel industry, we’re …
Legislative Discussion from NBB
Since we’ve had politics dominating the discussion since last night why not have a little bit more? National Biodiesel Conference attendees got a very good legislative update this morning from Anne Steckel, NBB, Vice President of Federal Affairs. Her session included a question and answer session with Byron Dorgan, a senior policy advisor, author, professor, and former Senator from North …
Joe Jobe Meets the Press
After this morning’s general session during the National Biodiesel Conference NBB CEO Joe Jobe met with the press. This gave reporters a chance to ask specific questions about not only his earlier speech but also more background and details on what is happening (or not happening) with the RFS and tax credits. I thought it was interesting that a point …
Fiery Biodiesel Industry Speech
Talking about how much the truth matters and calling for cooperation from the petroleum industry Joe Jobe, CEO, National Biodiesel Board, got attendees fired up this morning during his opening general session speech. He received a standing ovation at the end of the speech when he loudly proclaimed: 2015 is the year we get back to the future of this …
Ag Secretary Stresses Biofuels Support at AFBF
Real farmers from around the country had a chance to ask Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack questions during an informal town hall-style meeting at the American Farm Bureau convention this week in San Diego. The last question he took was from a South Dakota farmer who asked about continuation of strong biofuels policy in the United States. Vilsack detailed his continued …
Ethanol Report Looks at Year Ahead
Unfinished business and much of the same old attacks on the RFS are likely to dominate 2015 for the ethanol industry. In this edition of “The Ethanol Report,” Renewable Fuels Association president and CEO Bob Dinneen takes a look at what he expects to be some of the big issues for ethanol in the year ahead.
Sorghum for Cellulosic Ethanol Update
While corn stover might be the big talk recently in the cellulosic ethanol game, sorghum could emerge as an alternative to the feedstock for the advanced green fuel. During the recent American Seed Trade Association CSS 2014 and Seed Expo in Chicago, Leah Guffey caught up with Scott Staggenborg of Chromatin, a sorghum genetics company, and they talked about using …
Ethanol Report 2014 Year in Review
Every year is interesting for the ethanol industry and 2014 was no exception. Some of the highlights included record production and sales, healthy exports, and the commercial reality of cellulosic ethanol. The low point of the year was definitely the inability of the federal government to set volume obligations for 2014 under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), leaving the industry …