Renewable Fuels Association president and CEO Geoff Cooper penned a letter to President Donald Trump yesterday on the anniversary of his appearance at an Iowa ethanol plant calling on him to reject attempts to grant the oil industry more waivers from renewable fuel obligations. “One year ago today, you visited Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy in Council Bluffs to join us …
COVID Cuts Revenue Prospects for Corn Crop
A new analysis from the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) is projecting a drastic drop in 2020 revenues as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic with impacts persisting into 2021. NCGA President Kevin Ross says the latest analysis projects a $59 per acre average revenue decline for the 2019 corn crop and an $89 per acre average revenue decline for …
Ethanol Report 6-11-20
One year after President Trump visited Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy (SIRE) to celebrate allowing E15 to be sold in the summer months, the ethanol industry is facing its toughest year ever, despite the fact that sales of E15 have indeed increased significantly. In this edition of the Ethanol Report podcast, we take a look back at President Trump’s visit and …
President Trump at Iowa Ethanol Plant – One Year Later
It was one year ago today that President Donald Trump made a victorious visit to Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy (SIRE) ethanol plant in Council Bluffs, Iowa, to celebrate regulatory changes that would finally allow year-round retail sales of 15% ethanol (E15). At the event, the President also heard from farmers and ethanol industry leaders about the devastating impact of RFS …
A Year’s Worth of Growth in E15
A year ago, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, at the direction of President Donald Trump, issued a final rule allowing retailers to sell 15% ethanol (E15) gas year-round in all parts of the country. That action created an increase in sales of E15 to more than 450 million gallons in 2019. Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) economist Scott Richman says the …
ACE Meeting Plans Change Due to COVID
As the coronavirus pandemic has had a devastating economic impact on the ethanol industry, meetings have also been changing to hopefully give more producers the ability to attend. The American Coalition for Ethanol‘s Annual Conference will now be held in conjunction with the 2020 International Fuel Ethanol Workshop (FEW) & Expo in Omaha, Nebraska, on August 25. FEW had already …
Ethanol Report 5-29-20
As America gets moving again, ethanol is ready to fuel summer adventures. Ethanol production is slowly climbing back up after hitting historic lows due to coronavirus restrictions keeping people from traveling. Now that people are getting back on the road and in the water, Renewable Fuels Association Vice President of Industry Affairs Robert White talks about some of their summertime …
Ethanol and Oil State Senators Compete for EPA Help
During a hearing last week before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler was pushed by senators on both sides of the Renewable Fuel Standard for a commitment to helping them. Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY), who spearheaded a letter to Wheeler from oil state senators, expressed his dissatisfaction with the 10th circuit court decision regarding small …
RFA CEO Says Worst May be Over for Ethanol Industry
The COVID-19 pandemic has continued to have a devastating impact on the U.S. ethanol industry, slashing production by half and leading to the idling of scores of plants across rural America. However, the industry may be finally turning the corner, according to Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) President and CEO Geoff Cooper. “We are starting to see some ethanol plants come …
Ethanol Report 4-30-20
Ethanol producers are literally in the battle of their lives for the survival of the industry, as losses continue to mount from restrictions on travel put in place due to COVID-19. The latest production data analyzed by the Renewable Fuels Association for the week ending April 24, ethanol production dropped another 4.6%, or 26,000 barrels per day (b/d), to 537,000 …