At a hearing in Michigan on Friday, representatives from the National Biodiesel Board (NBB) and its member companies weighed in on the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposal related to sales of 15 percent ethanol fuel (E15) and changes to the Renewable Identification Number (RIN) compliance system. Biodiesel interests also commented on the need to stop granting Small Refinery Exemptions (SREs). …
Ethanol Producers United in Comments to EPA
Four ethanol producers representing plants in four different states made “substantially similar” points at hearing Friday on proposed regulatory changes related to retail sales of 15% ethanol blended fuel (E15) and the renewable identification number (RIN) compliance system Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) program. Substantially similar, otherwise known as “sub-sim”, is a term used in the EPA proposal relating to the …
EPA Hearing Witnesses Stress Problem of SREs
Small refinery exemptions were not the topic of an EPA hearing Friday in Michigan, but many witnesses used precious seconds of their allotted three minutes to comment on how they are impacting an already stressed ethanol industry. “While RFS small refinery exemptions (SREs) are not the explicit subject of this rulemaking or today’s hearing, we feel compelled to remind EPA …
USDA Monitoring Nebraska Ethanol Issues
Under Secretary of Agriculture for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Greg Ibach is in Nebraska this week surveying weather-related damage and talking with affected farmers and ranchers. The impact of the flooding on ethanol production was brought up during a Facebook Live roundtable with Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts on Monday. “We are aware at USDA that many of the railroad lines …
Ethanol Report on Fueling Knowledge
Spring is here at last and after a rough winter in most of the country there are lots of people ready to hit the road and enjoy some warmer weather activities, like motorcycle riding and fishing, for example. In this episode of the Ethanol Report, Renewable Fuels Association Vice President of Industry Relations Robert White talks about some of the …
ZimmCast 611 – National Ag Day
This week’s program focuses on National Ag Day activities in our nation’s Capitol. In the program you’ll hear from Senator Pat Roberts who made remarks during the Celebration of American Agriculture reception. I also interviewed Isabella Chism, American Farm Bureau Federation, who is the Chair for National Ag Day. Next up is USDA Deputy Secretary, Steve Censky, who spoke prior …
Another Successful Agri-Pulse Summit
The 2019 Agri-Pulse Ag and Food Policy Summit was another success for the best farm policy news team in the free world. The event at the National Press Club featured an all-star line up that started with USDA Chief Economist Rob Johannson, and ended with Under Secretary of Agriculture for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Ted McKinney, with Under Secretary …
RFA Addresses Current Ethanol Issues
There’s been a lot going on in the world of ethanol recently – EPA just released its E15 RVP/RIN reform proposal, EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler is expected to announce pending petitions for more small refiner exemptions, and EIA just released final 2018 data confirming ethanol demand destruction – just to mention a few. The Renewable Fuels Association held a media …
Happy National Ag Day!
President Donald J. Trump has proclaimed today as National Ag Day, the third year that the administration has publicly recognized National Ag Day as a salute to the contributions of America’s farmers, ranchers and agribusinesses. USDA officials and the chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee joined members of the agricultural community gathered in Washington DC yesterday evening to kick off …
Ethanol Groups Pleased with EPA Rule Release
Ethanol groups are pleased EPA has finally released a proposed rule that would allow sales of 15% ethanol fuel year round, but with just 80 days to go until the start of the summer driving season, getting it done in time would be a record-breaking feat, especially since it is tied to controversial reforms for the Renewable Identification Number (RIN) …