It was already a given that energy issues would dominate the writing of the 2007 Farm Bill, but even more support for domestic fuels like ethanol and biodiesel is expected now that the House and Senate Agriculture committees will be run by corn belt Democrats. Forbes reports that with Rep. Collin Peterson of Minnesota and Sen. Tom Harkin of Iowa …
Biodiesel Board Chairman Re-elected
For a third year, the biodiesel industry has chosen farmer-leader Darryl Brinkmann to lead the National Biodiesel Board. A soybean grower from Carlyle, Ill., Brinkmann has the charge of leading the organization as chairman during yet another year of intense growth and change for the alternative fuel. Brinkmann has served as a board member for the nonprofit trade association since …
Case IH Supports Biodiesel
Case IH is the latest equipment manufacturer to announce support for B20, a blend of 20 percent biodiesel and 80 percent diesel. The company has announced that customers can use B20 in most Case IH engines and B5 (5 percent biodiesel) in all Case IH engines. In addition, Case IH uses biodiesel blends as the factory fill in most cases. …
Brazil Opens First Ethanol-Biodiesel Plant
Reuters reports on a first for Brazil’s biofuels industry: President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva showcased Brazil’s prowess in the alternative fuels industry on Tuesday when he inaugurated Barralcool, the first integrated biofuels plant that will produce cane-based ethanol and biodiesel from oilseeds. Brazil, with its huge agricultural potential, has for decades had the world’s most advanced biofuels market. After …
Study Finds Biotech Will Meet Food and Fuel Demands
A National Center for Food and Agricultural Policy study suggests that biotechnology plays a vital role in meeting the increased demand for corn production for food, feed and fuel. According to the study, U.S. farmers gained an additional 8.3 billion pounds of yield last year due to biotech crops, including an extra 7.6 billion pounds of corn production, a 29 …
25 x ’25 Could Help Rural Economy
The alliance known as 25X’25 has just completed a study that outlines the positive impact producing 25 percent of the nation’s energy supply from renewable sources by 2025 could have on rural America. According to J. Read Smith, co-chair of the 25x’25 Project Steering Committee, “Not only would reaching the goal drastically reduce our dependence on foreign energy sources, it …
Biodiesel Boost For Economy
The National Biodiesel Board this week released a new economic study that shows “how biodiesel plants are a boon to the U.S. economy as they sprout up across the nation.” According to the study: America’s biodiesel industry will add $24 billion to the U.S. economy between 2005 and 2015, assuming biodiesel growth reaches 650 million gallons of annual production by …
Talking Biofuels in Kansas City
Cindy and I are attending the National Association of Farm Broadcasters Convention in Kansas City this week. It follows the National Agri-Marketing Association’s Agribusiness Forum. I’m sure we’ll have several posts for you over the next few days that will include interviews with some people we hope you’ll find interesting. For example, at yesterday’s Forum session one of the presenters …
Domestic Fuels Go Hollywood
Ethanol and biodiesel took center stage in Hollywood over the weekend with the World Premiere of the award-winning “Freedom Fuels,” directed and produced by Martin O’Brien. The picture debuted on November 11 at the “Third Annual Artivist Film Festival and Awards” in Hollywood. “Freedom Fuels” received an award for best short in the Environmental Preservation category. According to the filmaker’s …