Representatives from corn growers, the oil industry, advanced ethanol and the investment community addressed the future of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) during the 18th National Ethanol Conference. The panel moderated by Geoff Cooper with the Renewable Fuels Association included National Corn Growers Association CEO Rick Tolman, John Reese with Shell Oil Products, Advanced Ethanol Council executive director Brooke Coleman, …
POET Biorefining-Macon Suspends Production Due to Drought
POET Biorefining – Macon is temporarily suspending plant operations effective Feb. 1 due primarily to a lack of available local corn caused in part by last summer’s drought. All of the plant’s 44 team members will remain employed at their current hours. Many will assist in installation of the approximately $14.5 million in upgrades to the plant that will occur …
Ethanol By-Product Officially Non-Hazardous
The ethanol by-product and livestock feed known as distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) is now officially recognized as a non-hazardous cargo by the International Maritime Organization (IMO). The official IMO classification became final and mandatory under the code of the International Maritime Organization on Jan. 1, 2013, after action by the U.S. Grains Council on behalf of its member …
Corn, Ethanol Industries Drive Rural Economy
According to a new study released by the Missouri Corn Growers Association (MCGA), the state’s corn and ethanol industries are adding to the state’s bottom line. The study, conducted by the University of Missouri Commercial Agriculture Program, reported that the corn and ethanol industries injected $12 billion into Missouri’s economy from 2000 to 2011. Each year, the state’s ethanol industry …
Give the Gift of Time This Holiday
Beginning to panic because you haven’t even begun your holiday shopping? Here is a just in time unique idea – give the gift of time with a corn and bamboo watch. I own one and I recommend it. Sprout Watches manufactures a line of eco-friendly watches that contain corn resin and bamboo. The watches come in multiple colors, but I …
World Corn Supply and Demand
USDA’s World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimate (WASDE) out this week left corn stocks unchanged but lowered the season average price estimate by 20 cents to $7.40 per bushel. USDA maintained corn ending stocks in the U.S. for the marketing year at a tight 647 million bushels, which is about three weeks worth of supply. Globally, USDA slightly lowered the …
Just the Ethanol Facts
The National Corn Growers Association has created a simple website that offers just the facts about ethanol. The website EthanolFacts.com offers information about E15, food versus fuel, energy security, jobs in rural America and more. There is a lot of discussion about ethanol these days, and plenty of need for a look at the facts. That’s why the National Corn …
National Corn Growers Join Urban Air Initiative
Since their stock and trade is the biggest feedstock for ethanol production, it only seems natural that the National Corn Growers Association has joined the Urban Air Initiative, an organization that promotes the human health and environmental benefits of ethanol. The group is a coalition that supports government standards to lower harmful automobile emissions. “Joining UAI will benefit corn farmers …
Bonanza BioEnergy Embraces Enogen
Another U.S. ethanol plant has signed on to use the Enogen trait technology developed by Syngenta North America – Bonanza BioEnergy of Garden City, Kansas. According to Syngenta, Enogen allows corn to express a robust form of alpha amylase enzyme, eliminating the need to use liquid alpha amylase enzymes during dry grind ethanol production. The company also says their trait …
Using White Rot Fungus for Corn Stover Ethanol
There’s new scientific evidence that a certain fungus could help speed up the production of ethanol from corn stover. A study on using the fungus to break down the tough cellulose and related material in this so-called “corn stover” to free up sugars for ethanol fermentation appears in the journal Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research “Treating corn stover with the …