The newly updated EPA Small Refinery Exemptions dashboard has revealed that 52 new petitions have been received from small refineries seeking retroactive exemptions from their Renewable Fuel Standard requirements in prior years dating back to 2011. According to the Renewable Fuels Association, refiners are filing these “gap year” waiver petitions as a way around the recent Tenth Circuit Court decision …
Bill Would Push Biofuels Innovation
Sen. John Thune (R-SD) has introduced legislation, together with Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), to approve some advanced biofuel pathways under the Renewable Fuel Standard, which have been delayed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Under the legislation, EPA would also be required to render a decision within 90 days on any registration application that has been pending for at least …
COVID Cuts Revenue Prospects for Corn Crop
A new analysis from the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) is projecting a drastic drop in 2020 revenues as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic with impacts persisting into 2021. NCGA President Kevin Ross says the latest analysis projects a $59 per acre average revenue decline for the 2019 corn crop and an $89 per acre average revenue decline for …
Missouri Corn Providing More Dollars For Ethanol Infrastructure
The Missouri Corn Merchandising Council (MCMC), in conjunction with recently announced federal and state programs, has announced it will provide matching funds to increase the availability of higher ethanol blends in the state. To qualify, fuel retailers must first be approved for the USDA Rural Development’s Higher Blends Infrastructure Incentive Program (HBIIP), followed by approval of the MASBDA BIP program. …
Farm & Biofuel Groups Challenge Retroactive RFS Waivers
Nine leading biofuel and farm organizations sent a letter to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler Tuesday asking him for answers on what is seen as a new effort to undermine the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). During a Senate hearing last month, administration officials confirmed their consideration of retroactive small refinery exemptions (SREs) covering previous years. The “gap-filings” are …
June is Renewable Fuels Month in Nebraska
Renewable Fuels Month in Nebraska is normally held in May as a kick-off to the summer driving season. However, due to COVID-19 concerns, Renewable Fuels Month was postponed and is now being celebrated this month. To help promote locally-produced biofuels, such as ethanol and biodiesel, Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts recently declared June as Renewable Fuels Month. Since 2006, the acting …
USDA Report Calls for Increased Ethanol Output
The May World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimate out from USDA this week is forecasting record high production and domestic use, greater exports, and larger ending stocks for corn. The corn crop is projected at a record 16.0 billion bushels, up from last year on increased area and a return to trend yield. The yield projection of 178.5 bushels per …
Ag and Biofuel Groups Ask Congress for COVID-19 Relief
America’s top biofuel and farm advocates are calling on Congress to ensure the next round of COVID-19 relief includes U.S. ethanol and biodiesel production. A joint letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell was signed by the Renewable Fuels Association, Growth Energy, the National Biodiesel Board, the American Farm Bureau Federation, the National Corn Growers …
Analysis Shows U.S. Agriculture Reducing Emissions
American agriculture is more environmentally sustainably than ever. A new analysis of updated data from both USDA and EPA shows U.S. farmers and ranchers continue to reduce per-unit greenhouse gas emissions. All told, the U.S. agricultural sector accounts for less than 10% of total U.S. emissions. That’s less than the emissions from the transportation, electricity generation and industrial sectors. Globally, …
President Trump Says Help for Farmers Coming Soon
During the daily White House Coronavirus Task Force briefing on Thursday, President Donald Trump said help for hurting farmers is coming soon. “We have money going out to our farmers in the pretty near future,” said President Trump. “The farmers got hurt very badly by all of this. People are eating less from the standpoint that there’s no restaurants that …