U.S. Representatives Darin LaHood (IL-18) and Adrian Smith (NE-03) spearheaded a bipartisan letter urging U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Robert Lighthizer to prioritize Brazilian trade barriers to U.S. ethanol during ongoing US-Brazil trade negotiations. Reps. LaHood and Smith both serve on the House Ways and Means Committee, and Rep. LaHood is co-chair of the U.S.-Brazil Caucus. The letter calls for a …
Virtual ACE Conference Offers Full Agenda
The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) 33rd annual conference offers attendees this year a virtual agenda on the most pressing issues facing the ethanol industry on the afternoon of September 16 from the comfort of your own home or office. The event agenda complements the broader content attendees will receive having dual access to the Fuel Ethanol Workshop & Expo …
Sen. Ernst Urges President to Stop Gap Year Waivers
During a briefing on storm damage in Iowa Tuesday, President Donald Trump heard from Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) about issues facing the ethanol industry, particularly the threat of the Environmental Protection Agency granting retroactive small refinery exemptions for previous years. “Our farmers would love to know that with these gap year waivers that the oil refineries are submitting to the …
RFA Welcomes President Trump to Ethanol Country
When President Trump visited Mankato, Minnesota yesterday he was welcomed by a full-page ad in the Mankato Free Press along with a banner on the front page of the local newspaper with the message “Mr. President, welcome to ethanol country. We need your support.” The front-page banner and full-page ad were sponsored by the Renewable Fuels Association to remind the …
Groups Say Proposed Rule Would Penalize Ethanol Blends
The Urban Air Initiative (UAI), a coalition of state corn grower organizations, and the American Coalition for Ethanol, and the Clean Fuels Development Coalition filed comments last week opposing a proposed EPA rule they say would penalize ethanol for its lower carbon profile. In a notice of proposed rulemaking, EPA is proposing to penalize the current Tier 3 test fuel …
Ethanol Report 8-14-20
In this episode of The Ethanol Report, we cover a number of different topics on the ethanol front. First, we head to South Dakota for the 80th Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, where the Renewable Fuels Association once again provided free fuel and ethanol education for bikers, with the new addition of ethanol-based hand sanitizer as a giveaway. RFA’s Robert White, former …
Young Minnesota Farmers Promote Ethanol at Sturgis
Austin and Evan Ludowese from south central Minnesota have been proud to help promote the good news about ethanol at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally since 2015. Austin, who was an intern with the Renewable Fuels Association in 2015, says a lot has changed since then. “I think you have more people who understand what ethanol is and are more willing …
EPA Reviewing RFS Gap Year Waiver Requests
During a visit to Wisconsin this week, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Andrew Wheeler was once again questioned about the status of so-called “gap year” waiver requests from refineries asking for relief from their Renewable Fuel Standard obligations from previous years. Because the petitions go back as much as eight years, Wheeler said he is not sure how long it will …
President Considering Reciprocal Tariffs on Brazil Ethanol
President Donald Trump was asked about efforts to lower or eliminate Brazil’s tariffs on U.S. ethanol during a press conference this week. “I think that as far as Brazil is concerned, if they do tariffs, we have to have an equalization of tariffs,” President Trump responded. “It’s called reciprocal tariffs and you may be seeing something on that very soon.” …
Ethanol Hand Sanitizer in Big Demand at Sturgis
The atmosphere is a little different this year for the 2020 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally at the Buffalo Chip Campground, but ethanol is still in big demand – especially hand sanitizer. Former Renewable Fuels Association Chairman Mick Henderson with Commonwealth Agri-Energy in Kentucky says the hand sanitizer gives them a whole new discussion point with motorcycle riders as they fill up …