A Reuters report about EPA exempting one of the country’s largest oil refiners from complying with the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) touched off a backlash from farm groups and ethanol organizations Tuesday. The National Farmers Union (NFU) was first to respond to the report that Texas-based Andeavor received small refiner economic hardship waivers for three of its 10 refineries that …
NCGA President Working Hard for Ethanol in DC
National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) president Kevin Skunes has probably spent more time in Washington DC over the past month or so than on his farm in North Dakota working hard to protect the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) and the important market of ethanol for corn growers. Last week, Skunes joined the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) in visits to …
ND Farm Couple Makes ACE Fly-in a Priority
Husband and wife farmers Mike and Pam Clemens from North Dakota spent last week in Washington DC with the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) meeting with lawmakers on Capitol Hill. Mike says ethanol is very important to their family farm in the tiny town of Wimbledon. “It really has changed over the last 20 years when we used to grow …
Ethanol Interests Shout Opposition to RIN Price Cap
As concerns began to grow late last week that the Trump Administration was leaning toward a cap on prices for Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs) to appease oil refinery interests, biofuel interests went into high gear to get the word out about how that action would devastate the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). A White House meeting was reportedly set for today …
New Bill Takes Aim at Ethanol and Biodiesel
Legislation to change or repeal the Renewable Fuel Standard usually targets conventional ethanol, but companion bills introduced in Congress this week hit soy biodiesel as well. Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) and Senator Tom Udall (D-N.M.) introduced the GREENER Fuels Act (Growing Renewable Energy through Existing and New Environmentally Responsible Fuels Act). The legislation is backed by former Rep. Henry Waxman, …
Ethanol Production Going Strong
For the first month of 2018, the amount of corn used to make ethanol in the U.S. was down two percent from December 2017 but up one percent from January 2017, according to the latest USDA Grain Crushings and Co-Products Production report. Corn use for fuel alcohol totaled 476 million bushels in January 2018 with dry milling fuel production and …
Study Shows Impact of RIN Price Cap on Corn Prices
A new analysis from the Center for Agricultural and Rural Development (CARD) at Iowa State University shows that any action to artificially cap Renewable Identification Number (RIN) prices in exchange for a waiver allowing year-round sale of E15 would result in reduced ethanol consumption, a drop in corn prices, and an effective cut of 5% to the Renewable Fuel Standard …
Enogen® Premiums Will Top $100 Million in 2018
For the past five years, Enogen® corn enzyme technology has given farmers the opportunity to be enzyme suppliers for participating ethanol plants and earn a per-bushel premium, and by the end of this year, Syngenta expects total premiums paid to Enogen corn growers to top $100 million. Syngenta made that announcement at the Commodity Classic last week. Chris Tingle, head …
Perdue Answers RINs Question During Town Hall
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue held a town hall on the main stage in the Commodity Classic Trade Show Thursday and answered some questions from a few of the hundreds of farmers who gathered to watch and listen. Former National Corn Growers Association president Pam Johnson of Iowa wanted to know specifically if the secretary supported a cap on …
Northey Confirmed But No White House Deal on RFS
Bill Northey is at last free to take the job at USDA that he was nominated for almost six months ago after Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) lifted his hold on the nomination and allowed the confirmation Tuesday. The Senate confirmed Northey on a voice vote to become USDA’s undersecretary for farm production and conservation as Sens. Cruz, Pat Toomey (R-PA), …