Bob Dinneen, president and CEO of the Renewable Fuels Association gave a legislative update during the 8th Annual Iowa Renewable Fuels Summit and spoke of the efforts of Big Oil to quash the renewable fuel industry. The Summit took place on the last day of the EPA comment period for the 2014 proposed Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) and Dinneen told …
EPA’s 2014 RFS Proposal Defies Statute
The Iowa Office of the Attorney General has reviewed the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposed 2014 Renewable Volume Obligations as part of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) and concluded that the EPA must return to the forward course the legislation intended. “It’s clear that Congress intended to establish the RFS to foster increased production of renewable fuels, and waiving the …
Biodiesel’s Role in Bio-based Products
Director of bio-based products for the United Soybean Board (USB), Michael Erker, was one of the many attendees of the 2014 National Biodiesel Conference. He works with many bio-based products including biodiesel. He gives insights into what bio-based products that contain biodiesel include and shares how involved USB is in funding biodiesel research. “When we talk about bio-based products made …
Biodiesel Foundation’s Never Ending Support
It is easy to say that many of the promotional opportunities we see from the biodiesel industry wouldn’t be possible without the Biodiesel Foundation. During the 2014 National Biodiesel Conference the foundation was hard at work to raise money in order to increase awareness. Beth Calabotta, Vice President of the Biodiesel Foundation, shared with Chuck in an interview that their …
Farm Polices Impact on Precision Ag
Member of the National Corn Growers Association Board and director of Western Iowa Energy, LLC, Kevin Ross, chatted with Chuck after the opening session at the 2014 National Biodiesel Conference. They discuss farm policy and how precision agriculture technology has impacted his farming operation where he raises cattle and grows corn and soybeans. Kevin shared that if we don’t move …
IRFA Attendees Roar in Support of Biofuels
More than 600 people turned out for the 8th Annual Iowa Renewable Fuels Summit including hundreds of consumers from around Iowa who wanted to learn more about renewable fuels. Speaking with Monte Shaw, executive director of the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (Iowa RFA), the largest state organization in the U.S. focused on biofuels, noted that there were some consumer driven …
Growing Use of Technology for Growers
Commodity groups across the country also took interest in the happenings at the recent National Biodiesel Conference. Frank Legner, Legner Farms is a member of the Illinois Soybean Association and attended the conference to relay the update on biodiesel to growers in Illinois. He talks about how he uses precision agriculture on his farm where they grow 50/50 soybeans and …
Gas Hole’s Impact on the Industry
When Jeremy Wagner and Scott Roberts made the movie Gas Hole a couple of years ago, they had no idea the impact it would have. During the recent 2014 National Biodiesel Conference & Expo the co-directors/producers presented to attendees, showed an extended excerpt from the movie and did a little Q & A. Chuck caught up with the team and …
Mike Haas Receives Eye on Biodiesel Pioneer Award
Receiving an Eye on Biodiesel Pioneer Award for lifetime achievement serving the biodiesel industry at the convention was Mike Haas, of USDA’s Agricultural Research Service. Haas has been a Lead Scientist and Research Biochemist with the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service since 1981. He has been a huge supporter of the biodiesel industry and currently leads a project investigating the production …
Len Hering Receives Eye on Biodiesel Award
Len Hering, a retired Rear Admiral from the U.S. Navy, gave an absolutely wonderful speech during the closing general session of the conference. You might want to share a link to it (listen below) with your friends and family and perhaps even the EPA! In addition he received an NBB Eye on Biodiesel Inspiration Award. Len is also the Executive …