AgResource Company president Dan Basse looked at the year in review for grain markets and gave his outlook for the future at the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) CSS 2013 and Seed Expo last week in Chicago. That included a pretty sobering outlook for corn and ethanol. First off, Basse said he expects North America to be “energy self-sufficient by …
Tips from Patriot’s Dave Gerhart on Improving Efficiency
When you want to learn about ethanol, you go to an industry veteran and I did just that when I spoke with Patriot Renewable Fuels Plant Manager Dave Gerhart who began his career in the early 80s at is what is now known as Nebraska-based Chief Ethanol Fuels. At the time, they were the largest dry mill ethanol plant in …
Abundant Corn Harvest Increases Ethanol Production
According to a recent Today in Energy published by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), expectations of a record corn harvest in 2013 have helped lower corn prices and improve ethanol production margins. This has also increased ethanol production and supply. It was just last year that the 2012 corn harvest faced some of the most severe and far-reaching drought …
Anti Corn Ethanol Legislation Sparks Outrage
Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Tom Coburn (R-OK) have introduced legislation to curb corn-ethanol use and production. The Corn Ethanol Mandate Elimination Act of 2013 eliminates the corn ethanol mandate within the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), an energy policy that mandates the use of 36 billion gallons of biofuel in America’s fuel supply by 2022. “I am pleased to join …
USDA Increases Corn Use for Ethanol
Despite the Environmental Protection Agency proposal to lower corn ethanol volume obligations for 2014 under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), USDA’s December supply/demand report is predicting a 50 million bushel increase in corn use for ethanol next year. Ending stocks are now expected to total 1.792 billion bushels, down 5 percent from last month’s estimate. The new report also calls …
Big Turnout Expected for EPA RFS Hearing
A huge turnout is expected Thursday at a public hearing on the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed Renewable Fuel Standard volume obligations for 2014. Literally busloads of stakeholders, both opposed to and in favor of cutting the requirements, are attending the hearing at the Hyatt in Crystal City, Virginia. Iowa Governor Terry Branstad will be attending with several Iowa livestock producers, …
RFS Proposal Could Devastate Rural Economy
Representatives from state government, the agriculture community, and the ethanol industry all say the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed 2014 Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) biofuels requirements would have a negative impact on agriculture and rural economies. During a telephone press discussion today about the proposal, Iowa Governor Terry Branstad said he was proud of his state’s leadership in biofuels production and …
Farmers Head to Washington in Defense of the RFS
Farmers from around the country are heading to Washington, D.C. today in defense of the RFS (Renewable Fuel Standard). Hundreds of biofuel and agricultural supporters are descending on DC in for the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) hearing on the 2014 RFS proposed rules that across the board lower the renewable fuel volumes for next year. The National Corn Growers Association …
Ethanol-Fueled NASCAR Welcomed Back to St. Louis
NASCAR racing, fueled by ethanol, is being welcomed back to the St. Louis area. The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) says NASCAR returns to Gateway Motorsports Park with the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series on June 14, 2014. National Corn Growers Association President Martin Barbre joined track owner Curtis Francois, NASCAR VP of Racing Operations Jim Cassidy, and American Ethanol …
Patriot to Build Biodiesel Production Facility
Patriot Holdings, LLC has announced that Patriot’s Board of Directors approved the formation of a new subsidiary (Patriot Fuels, Biodiesel, LLC) to build a five million gallon biodiesel production facility adjacent to the Patriot Renewable Fuels, LLC (“PRF”) ethanol plant in Annawan, Illinois. The plant will utilize corn oil extracted from the 40 million bushels of corn that PRF processes …