U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins will be in Iowa Monday, March 31, with a full schedule that includes a visit to an ethanol plant. Secretary Rollins will start the day with at Elite Octane in Atlantic, Iowa, where she will be joined by Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds, Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA), Reps. Zach Nunn and Mariannette Miller-Meeks, and Iowa …
Back to the Future with the RFS
For the first time in 20 years, the Senate has a strong ethanol champion as Majority Leader in Sen. John Thune (R-SD). The last time was another South Dakotan, Democrat Tom Daschle, who was instrumental in crafting the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). Jonathon Lehman, who has been the American Coalition for Ethanol lobbyist for many years, served as Counsel to …
ACE Members on Capitol Hill
Members of the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) are on Capitol Hill this week with a laundry list of topics to discuss with Congressional offices, but topping the list is year-round, nationwide E15. “It’s time to get this done, it’s overdue. We came so close last year. Let’s not let that momentum fall by the wayside,” said ACE CEO Brian …
Sen. Thune Calls for Farm Bill and Year-round E15
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) took to the floor yesterday to urge Congress to help farmers who are struggling. “Many commodity producers are bracing for the prospect of serious financial losses this year,” said Thune. “These challenges are real. That’s why last December, Congress approved relief funding for agriculture producers hit by economic headwinds, as well as those affected …
Ag and Biofuels Groups Seek Exemption to Shipping Rules
The United States Trade Representative‘s office is holding public hearings this week on proposed actions in the Section 301 investigation of China’s targeting of the maritime, logistics, and shipbuilding sectors for dominance that would result in new fees being imposed on Chinese vessels. The first hearing was held on Monday, March 24 and the second will be on Wednesday, March …
Supreme Court Hears Arguments in SRE Venue Case
The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments Tuesday in a case that will determine where challenges to small refinery exemptions (SREs) decisions under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) should be brought. The renewable fuels industry argued in favor of the petitioner, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the case versus Calumet Shreveport Refining, and other refineries. The Renewable Fuels Association …
Groups Provide Climate Smart Ag Comments
Biofuels groups submitted comments this week to USDA on its interim rule for climate-smart agriculture guidance to support the new 45Z tax credit for clean fuel producers. The Renewable Fuels Association emphasized the importance of policies that empower farmers while ensuring a robust and efficient renewable fuels market. RFA highlighted the benefits of a book-and-claim supply chain management system, which …
Ethanol Report on Industry Roots
The theme of the recent 30th National Ethanol Conference was Back to Our Roots and it was a celebration of how the industry started and how it’s going. One panel featured a walk down memory lane with some industry pioneers who talked about the early days and how the roots of the ethanol industry were firmly planted by farmers. Included …
Distillers Technology Council Rebrands
Distillers Grain Technology Council has dropped the grain in the name for greater inclusion of producers to continue to deliver on its mission to increase awareness of the value of distillers products. The Distillers Technology Council (DTC) is the new name for the non-profit organization which serves the fuel ethanol industry, the beverage alcohol industry, the livestock industry, and other …
EPA Releases Final Rule for E15 Waiver Delay for SD and OH
The Environmental Protection Agency has released the final rule to extend the date for Ohio and nine counties in South Dakota for year-round E15. In response to a request from the Governors of Ohio and South Dakota, EPA renewed the extension of the effective date of the removal of the 1-psi volatility waiver because the agency “finds that there would …