Farm and biofuel organizations are rejecting the Environmental Protection Agency‘s excuses for failure to comply with a 2017 court order invalidated the agency’s improper waiver of 500 million gallons for 2016. The coalition, which includes the Renewable Fuels Association, Growth Energy, National Biodiesel Board, American Coalition for Ethanol, National Corn Growers Association, National Farmers Union, and National Sorghum Producers, this …
RFA Celebrating Four Decades in 2021
The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) is celebrating its 40th anniversary of biofuels policy leadership all year in 2021. RFA was created in 1981 by a small group of innovative farmers and business leaders with the ambitious goal of growing production and demand for ethanol, a relatively unknown renewable fuel that was cleaner-burning, homegrown, and environmentally friendly. Four decades later, the …
COVID Relief Bill Passes with Aid for Biofuels Producers
Agricultural and biofuels groups as well as farm state lawmakers are pleased that the new COVID relief package passed by Congress last night includes help for producers excluded from previous aid legislation. Sen. John Thune (R-SD) says relief includes the Paycheck Protection Program for Producers Act. “The bill also includes funding to allow the Department of Agriculture to provide additional …
COVID Deal Includes Previously Excluded Biofuels
House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson (D-MN) says the latest COVID relief deal moving through Congress this week has new provisions to provide help for food and agriculture sectors impacted by the pandemic restrictions, including biofuels. In addition to a 15 percent increase in benefits for recipients of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) for six months, Peterson pointed specifically …
USDA Offers More Biofuels Infrastructure Grants
The U.S Department of Agriculture has announced another round of funding for its successful Higher Blends Infrastructure Incentive Program, or HBIIP. Approximately $22 million is being made available for retailers to add higher ethanol blends like E15 and E85. The application window will be open for 30 days starting December 21 and ending January 19. Ethanol organizations are offering help …
DOJ Opposes Supreme Court Review of RFS Waivers Decision
The Department of Justice has recommended against a Supreme Court review of the Tenth Circuit Court’s ruling earlier this year that invalidated several small refinery exemptions issued by EPA under the Renewable Fuel Standard. The DOJ filed its response Wednesday to a petition submitted in September by oil refineries HollyFrontier Corporation and CVR Energy asking the Supreme Court to review …
Renewable Energy Group Announces Changes
Renewable Energy Group, Inc. this week announced organizational changes in its senior leadership team intended to “accelerate the company’s performance as a leader in a rapidly growing industry.” Chad Stone will move from the Chief Financial Officer position into a newly created role of Senior Vice President, Commercial Performance, overseeing the company’s planning, scheduling and optimization functions to drive commercial …
Farm & Biofuel Groups Ask Court to Enforce EPA Ruling
Farm and biofuels leaders say it’s way past time for EPA to act on a court order from 2017 and they are going back to the court to make it happen. A coalition of biofuels and agricultural trade groups filed a motion in the U.S. Court of Appeals in the District of Columbia Monday asking the court to enforce its …
Kansas Biofuels Head Offers Post Election Views
The president and CEO of Renew Kansas Biofuels Association gave his post-election analysis during the Agricultural Business Council of Kansas City’s November 12 webinar. Ron Seeber, who is also president and CEO for the Kansas Grain and Feed Association and Kansas Ag Retailers Association, summed up results for races on both the state and federal level. “Kansas is still very …
Syngenta’s Thatcher Provides Post-Election Insight
Mary Kay Thatcher, Senior Manager of Federal Government and Industry Relations for Syngenta, provided her perspective on the “churn of the election” during the company’s media summit this week. She does expect the presidential outcome to drag on for a while, but during her presentation, Thatcher used the assumption of a Biden presidency for her outlook. In the biofuels space, …