We know that OPEC has had a monopoly control over the price of oil on the world market and we hope that the increase of more environmentally friendly biofuels will force that to change. However, David Zilberman, University of California, Berkeley, has created a model to measure how much impact we’re having. I spoke to David here at the Farm …
Corn Growers Establish Climate Task Force
The National Corn Growers Association Ethanol Committee has established a task force of corn farmers to focus on climate issues, such as land use change, greenhouse gas emissions, cap-and-trade policies, carbon sequestration and low carbon fuel standards. The team includes farmers from Illinois, Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska and Ohio. “There is a wealth of information and research on climate change that …
Corn Ethanol Remains Industry Building Block
As the ethanol industry seeks a waiver to allow the use of up to 15 percent ethanol in gasoline, corn-based ethanol remains the basic building block for increased use of the product nationwide. “We have to build the cellulosic industry on the foundation of corn-based ethanol,” Growth Energy co-chairman Wesley Clark told reporters during an appearance at the National Press …
USDA Increases Corn for Ethanol Use
The newest supply demand report out from the US Department of Agriculture today increases estimates of corn for ethanol usage. According to the report, “U.S. corn ending stocks for 2008/09 are projected 50 million bushels lower this month as higher ethanol use more than offsets a reduction in exports. Corn use for ethanol is projected 100 million bushels higher on …
MOR Offers More for Ethanol Producers
An Illinois-based technology services company recently unveiled a new set of “2nd Generation” technologies aimed at increasing the sustainability and profitability of corn-based ethanol plants. According to MOR Technology, the MOR-Frac Plus+ Milling System in combination with their supercritical CO2 corn oil extraction technology can help plants “increase and diversify revenues by producing premium, value-added food-grade products, while also decreasing …
Biofuels Focus at Commodity Conference
National commodity organizations representing growers of corn, soybeans, wheat and sorghum gathered together for the first time as one group last week in Grapevine, Texas at the annual Commodity Classic. Corn and soybean growers have been together as one for the past 14 years, wheat joined the group last year, and sorghum made four this year. Renewable fuels were a …
More Sorghum Projected for Ethanol Use
USDA’s World Agricultural Supply Demand report for February projects more sorghum to be used for ethanol. According to the report, sorghum food, seed, and industrial use is projected 40 million bushels higher based on indications of increased sorghum use by ethanol plants in the Southern and Central Plains. The report also noted that ethanol blender and producer margins have recently …
Ethanol Ten Year Projections
USDA’s Economic Research Service last week released its latest long term forecasts for the food and agricultural sector. For ethanol, USDA projects increases in corn-based ethanol production to slow over the next few years, but ethanol demand is expected to remain high and affect the production, use, and prices of farm commodities throughout the sector. According to the report, “continued …
Corn Growers Defend Ethanol Against Attacks
The nation’s corn growers called comments made Wednesday by a coalition of radical environmental groups “just another attempt to prevent the ethanol industry from decreasing the United States’ dependence on foreign oil.” “These environmental groups are stirring up fear for the American public at a time when Americans are already struggling due to the faltering world economy, job losses and …