A Texas corn grower says the “feed versus fuel” debate is based in fallacy. Texas Corn Producers Board member Wesley Spurlock of Stratford has been speaking to groups across the Midwest explaining how U.S. corn farmers continue to grow a crop abundant enough to meet all growing demands and he has gained attention from industry publications looking to find the …
Corn Growers Pleased with Ruling on California LCFS
Corn growers are pleased with the ruling last week by a Federal District Court judge in Fresno, California that the state’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) violates the Commerce Clause of the U.S. Constitution and is therefore unconstitutional. The ruling is in response to a suit filed in December 2009 by the Renewable Fuels Association and Growth Energy asserting that …
Poll Shows Agriculture Support for Ethanol
A significant majority believe that ethanol production is a good thing. In answer to this past week’s ZimmPoll question, “Is Ethanol production good for ALL of Agriculture?” 64% said yes and 36% said no. That still shows a large group who aren’t on board the ethanol bandwagon. If you’re in the “no” group let us know why by posting a …
Nebraska Ethanol Producer to Buy Grain Elevator
The grain business subsidiary of Green Plains Renewable Energy (GPRE) is acquiring the grain elevator assets of a company in St. Edward, Nebraska. JW Grain holds 1.9 million bushels of state-licensed grain storage and is located approximately 40 miles from the GPRE’s Central City, Nebraska ethanol production facility. “We continue to seek out opportunities to expand our agribusiness segment that …
Grains Council Promotes DDGS in China
The U.S. Grains Council recently held workshops in Guangzhou and Qingdao to promote the ethanol co-product distillers grains (DDGS) in China. “The day-long sessions were designed to provide an exchange of comprehensive DDGS market information, including discussions and analysis of the value of U.S. DDGS,” said Alvaro Cordero, USGC manager of DDGS. Cordero says they had 200 to 250 people, …
Ethanol and the Corn Supply-Demand Picture
According to USDA, global corn production for 2011/12 is projected at a new record high of 867.5 million tons, despite a smaller crop here in the U.S. The latest World Agricultural Supply Demand report estimates the U.S. crop was down 3.5 million tons this year compared to last year, but foreign corn production is expected to be 43.4 million tons …
American Ethanol Celebrates Great First Year
The partnership between NASCAR and ethanol is officially one year old and it has been a great year for racing on the renewable fuel. It was one year ago last week at the NASCAR Champions Week in Las Vegas that American Ethanol was announced, a partnership that includes Growth Energy and the National Corn Growers Association. Throughout the 2011 NASCAR …
POET Ramps Up Production of Corn Oil for Biodiesel
By the end of 2011, POET will be producing enough corn oil as feedstock for 12 million gallons of biodiesel per year. POET has been selling Voilà corn oil for biodiesel and feed markets since January. With its patent-pending technology expanding to a total of six plants, POET has increased its capacity. POET Biorefining in Hudson, South Dakota, was the …
Corn Grower’s Viewpoint on VEETC – It’s Over
National Corn Growers Association president Garry Niemeyer, a farmer from Illinois, penned an editorial this week in an effort to let those still complaining about the Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit (VEETC) know that the game is over. Read that commentary below. Back in August, the Green Scissors Project identified ways the federal government could shave $380 billion from the …
Iowa Corn Caucus Grades Candidates on Energy
The Iowa Corn Caucus released its report card for presidential candidates today, giving grades for different policy areas related to agriculture, including energy and biofuels, and an overall grade for each candidate. The highest overall grade went to Newt Gingrich, who scored straight As on every single policy issue. Second in the class was Rick Santorum, who received straight As …