With the slogan “Fueling America, Feeding the World,”LifeLine Foods is opening a new generation ethanol plant in St. Joseph, Missouri that could eventually put to rest the whole “food versus fuel” issue. This episode of “Fill up, Feel Good” features comments from LifeLine Foods CEO Bill Becker, ICM Inc. President Dave VanderGriend and National Corn Growers Association president and one …
Producing Food AND Fuel
The newest ethanol facility to mark its grand opening is uniquely designed to maximize efficiency and produce both food and fuel from the same corn kernel. LifeLine Foods of St. Joseph, Missouri held a ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house for the public on Friday with about 1,000 people attending. Actual ethanol production is expected to begin at the facility next …
Todd Larson Loves Promoting EPIC and Ethanol
One of the relatively newer members of the staff of the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council is Todd Larson. Todd is pictured here to the right. He’s in their booth at the ACE Convention talking with members and prospective members of EPIC. That’s what Todd does – membership development. I thought it would be good to get a perspective on …
Brian Jennings – State of Ethanol and ACE
The executive vice president of the American Coalition for Ethanol is Brian Jennings. He gave the state of the industry and organization speech. I interviewed Brian this morning to find out what he thinks about how things are going in the ethanol industry and especially from the ACE perspective. He says the industry has reached a “pivotal point” in its …
Congressman Peterson Explains Research Funding Decisions in House Farm Bill
The Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee is Collin Peterson who represents Minnesota’s 7th Congressional District. He took the stage here today at the ACE Convention. During his remarks he mentioned that the House farm bill had less money allocated for renewable fuels research than some wanted, including the USDA. I got to speak with him afterward and asked him …
Governor Pawlenty’s Vision For the Future
Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty just finished speaking here at the ACE Convention. He outlined his vision for the future of ethanol in his state. First he applauds ACE on its 20 years as an organization promoting ethanol started by farmers and producers who had courage and vision. He then talks about his plan to have all the gas sold in …
Fill Up, Feel Good in Florida
Florida stands ready to fill up and feel good as it endeavors to become a leader in both the production and consumption of biofuels, including ethanol. This edition of “Fill up, Feel Good” discusses the “Florida Needs Ethanol” campaign being conducted by the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council and features comments made by Florida Governor Charlie Crist, Florida Commissioner of …
Down at the Circle K
At the recent Farm to Fuel Summit in Florida, the state’s chief financial officer told the crowd that biofuels have made it into the mainstream. CFO Alex Sink related a story of how she had gone into her local Circle K convenience store that morning for coffee and newspapers on the way to the conference and the clerk at the …
The Future of Biofuels
A middle school student from Merritt Island was in the spotlight at the 2007 Florida Farm to Fuel Summit last week in St. Petersburg for her work in making biofuels. Yep, you read that right. Erin McCaskey, 12, attends Thomas Jefferson Middle School and her seventh grade science project last year was making biodiesel from a variety of sources. “I …
Looking for Crops to Make Fuel
The main focus of the Florida Farm to Fuel Summit in St. Petersburg last week was getting biofuels production going in the Sunshine State. President/CEO Alan Banks of Losonoco, Inc, the company building Florida’s first ethanol plant in Bartow, says he wants to talk to citrus people about alternative crops for empty acreage and citrus by-products that can be used …