Trade was probably the top topic at NAFB Trade Talk last week and the U.S. Grains Council was more than ready to talk about it. Darren Armstrong, a North Carolina farmer who is currently serving as chairman of the council, discussed the need for Congress to ratify USMCA, the new agreement with Japan, potential for ethanol in China, and some …
Rough Times for Biodiesel Industry
It’s been a tough year for the biodiesel industry with ten biodiesel plants that have closed or cut back production, impacting jobs across the country, and ultimately the agricultural producers. “It’s just one more hit to soybean farmers too, right now,” said National Biodiesel Board (NBB) Director of Communications Kaleb Little during an interview at the National Association of Farm …
ACE Shares Ethanol News With Farm Broadcasters
American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) CEO Brian Jennings did a lot of interviews with farm broadcasters around the country last week about the importance of ethanol supporters making comments on the EPA’s proposed supplemental rule to the RFS. “It’s critically important to farmers, to ethanol producers, to shareholders in ethanol plants, that for 2020, 15 billion gallons in the statute …
Sec. Perdue Comments on Ethanol and SREs
During a visit to the National Association of Farm Broadcasting (NAFB) annual convention on Friday, Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue was asked about EPA’s supplemental proposal to account for small refinery exemptions and to address the concerns of the industry that it is insufficient. “I want to put it really simple,” said Perdue. “The president expects, I expect, and we …
Ethanol Report from #NAFB19
The Renewable Fuels Association was pleased to be able to once again be a part of the National Association of Farm Broadcasting (NAFB) annual convention in Kansas City this past week. RFA President and CEO Geoff Cooper and Vice President of Industry Relations Robert White were interviewed by dozens of farm broadcast reporters from around the country about the latest …
Report Shows Importance of Biodiesel Tax Credit
The National Biodiesel Board (NBB) today released a new report on the “Importance of the Biodiesel Tax Credit” that highlights how uncertainty regarding extension of the biodiesel tax credit significantly increases business risks for biodiesel producers. The report was written by John Urbanchuk, managing partner of ABF Economics. “The current uncertainty surrounding reinstatement and retroactivity of the tax credit is …
Rough Year for Pacific Ethanol Starting to Improve
Pacific Ethanol, Inc. reported its financial results for the year so far last Friday and top executives expressed optimism for the future after a rough year. “Positive ethanol production margins in the current market are supporting our efforts to conclude several strategic initiatives to strengthen our balance sheet and position the company to benefit from increased demand for low carbon, …
Flex Fuel Jeep Wrangler Debuts in Vegas
The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) and Kenny Hauk of Hauk Designs unveiled a new project at the 2019 SEMA Show in Las Vegas this week that highlights the benefits of higher ethanol blends in high performance vehicles – a Flex Fuel Jeep Wrangler with more than 1,000 horsepower using a high-octane, low-carbon fuel containing up to 85 percent ethanol (E85). …
Groups Ask President Trump to Uphold Biofuels Promise
A broad coalition of biofuel and farm advocates today sent a letter to the White House calling on President Trump to uphold his commitment to accurately account for refinery waivers and support the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). The letter was signed by 60 organizations, including ethanol, biodiesel, corn and soybean groups on the state and national level. “Mr. President, we …
RFA Backs Up Claims of Waiver Damage to Ethanol Demand
As Mark Twain once said, “Facts are stubborn things, but statistics are pliable.” During last week’s House Energy & Commerce Committee subcommittee hearing on the impact of small refinery exemptions, Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Geoff Cooper and American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers President and CEO Chet Thompson sparred over the interpretation of recent Energy Information Association (EIA) data …