Corn and soybean prices have gone to record levels as producers struggle to keep up with food and biofuel demands. Bloomberg.com says a new U.S. government report prompted traders to push soybean prices to a record of about $13 a bushel while corn prices hit an 11-year high of $4.95 a bushel: The world soybean harvest will fall 6.5 percent …
Panda Puts Ethanol in Texas
Texans in Sherman County can expect a new ethanol refinery. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has given Panda Ethanol the okay for an air permit for the company’s plans to build a 115 million gallon-per-year ethanol refinery. Panda says the refinery will be fueled by biomass. The facility will be designed to annually refine an estimated 38 million bushels …
Rose Bowl Fans Learn About Renewable Fuel
The Illinois Corn Growers made some in-game statements during the Rose Bowl. Too bad the local team didn’t win. This graphic is an example of the messages they used for this promotional opportunity. The game on the field may not have yielded the desired results that the University of Illinois football program had hoped for on Tuesday, but Illinois did …
Corn Myths Exposed
As part of its campaign to educate consumers and the news media, the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) has developed a one-page document responding to the top 10 myths about corn production and ethanol production. The document addresses such myths as: Ethanol is bad for your car’s engine, ethanol is not energy efficient, corn and ethanol production waste water, increased …
Corn Commentary Videos
I don’t think I’ve had a chance to bring your attention to a series of video interviews I did recently at the National Association of Farm Broadcasting Convention. They have all been featured on Corn Commentary, the blog of the National Corn Growers Association that we created for them and help manage. In this one I interview NCGA CEO Rick …
Illinois Corn Growers Honor Ethanol Promoters
Tom Slunecka, former executive director of the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council (EPIC) is the recipient of the Illinois Corn Growers Association’s 2007 Ethanol Innovation Award. “It is no secret ethanol production is growing at a record pace, but equally important is the significant increase in public use and acceptance of e10 and e85. Part of what is driving this …
Renewing Cheese Water for Renewable Fuels
A Wisconsin entrepreneur says producers don´t have to rely on corn, or even cellulosic waste, to create ethanol. Joe Van Groll, Owner of Grand Meadow Energy, LLC, says he can create ethanol from cheese water waste. Joe says this new method for creating ethanol is a great alternative. He points out that the ethanol industry is the target of negative …
Growing E85 in Kansas
Good news if you’re a fuel retailer in Kansas. The state offers a 40 percent tax credit to retailers who invest in E85 fuel. Couple that with the 30 percent tax credit the federal government offers, and fuel retailers in Kansas can take advantage of a 70 percent return on their E85 investments. That’s one of the key points Sue …
Combining Corn Cobs
Ethanol producer POET is working with several leading agricultural equipment manufactures to refine methods for harvesting, storing and transporting corn cobs for commercial cellulosic ethanol production. Among them is John Deere, according to public relations manager Barry Nelson, pictured here with POET CEO Jeff Broin. “On behalf of John Deere, we’re very interested in the new technologies that will be …
Corn Powered Museum Exhibit
The Indiana State Museum will have a new exhibit in 2009 titled, “Corn: Powering the World.” The exhibit will showcase all things corn — demonstrating how this versatile crop feeds and fuels the world’s population. Opening at the Indianapolis museum in August 2009, the exhibit will continue through January 2010 before traveling to other venues nationwide. Visitors will be able …