The National Association of Farm Broadcasting (NAFB) is holding its annual convention this week, and like everything else it is virtual. One of the newsmaker sessions on opening day of the convention focused on ethanol and biodiesel and “Agriculture’s Contributions to the Energy Market.” Carey Martin with Texas Farm Bureau Radio Network moderated the discussion with Tom Verry, Director of …
2021 National Ethanol Conference Shifts to Digital
The Renewable Fuels Association announced today that the 26th annual National Ethanol Conference to be held February 16-18, 2021 will now be an all virtual format. “As RFA prepares to enter its 40th year in operation in 2021, the upcoming NEC will hold special meaning for our organization and the entire industry,” said RFA President and CEO Geoff Cooper. “While …
Kansas Biofuels Head Offers Post Election Views
The president and CEO of Renew Kansas Biofuels Association gave his post-election analysis during the Agricultural Business Council of Kansas City’s November 12 webinar. Ron Seeber, who is also president and CEO for the Kansas Grain and Feed Association and Kansas Ag Retailers Association, summed up results for races on both the state and federal level. “Kansas is still very …
USDA Lowers Forecast for Corn and Soybeans
The November World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates from USDA show lower forecasts for domestic production of both corn and soybeans. This month’s 2020/21 U.S. corn outlook is for lower production, reduced feed and residual use, larger exports, and smaller ending stocks. Corn production is forecast at 14.507 billion bushels, down 215 million with a reduction in yield to 175.8 …
RFA Congratulates President-Elect Biden
The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) is congratulating President-Elect Joe Biden on his victory, as projected by the Associated Press and others. RFA President and CEO Geoff Cooper says they look forward to working with the Biden administration on issues important to the ethanol industry. “Mr. Biden made it clear as he was campaigning that he would put a stop to …
Ethanol Report 11-6-20
While some of the 2020 election results have yet to be decided, Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) president and CEO Geoff Cooper says the ethanol industry will be ready to work with whoever ultimately wins the White House. In this edition of the Ethanol Report podcast, Cooper discusses how ethanol has support from both candidates and bipartisan support in Congress, as …
EPA Delay on Waivers Comes as a Surprise
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler has confirmed that the agency will delay action on dozens of outstanding Small Refinery Exemption petitions until after the Supreme Court rules on an appeal from refining companies over EPA’s waiver policy. That means it would be December 14 before EPA would decide on whether to approve or reject the pending waiver requests. …
Syngenta’s Thatcher Provides Post-Election Insight
Mary Kay Thatcher, Senior Manager of Federal Government and Industry Relations for Syngenta, provided her perspective on the “churn of the election” during the company’s media summit this week. She does expect the presidential outcome to drag on for a while, but during her presentation, Thatcher used the assumption of a Biden presidency for her outlook. In the biofuels space, …
MN Governor’s Biofuels Council Recommends LCFS
The Minnesota Governor’s Council on Biofuels this week released its consensus report on the steps needed to grow Minnesota’s biofuels industry and get the state back on track to meet renewable energy goals, including a plan for the adoption of a Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS). In the report to Gov. Tim Walz, the council recommends “a low-carbon fuel standard …
RFA Comments on Colorado GHG Reduction Plan
In September, Colorado released a public comment draft of its Greenhouse Gas Pollution Reduction Roadmap which details proposed steps the state can take toward meeting the near-term goals of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) pollution 26% by 2025 and 50% by 2030 from 2005 levels. Noting that transportation is one of the largest sources of GHG pollution, the Colorado plan suggests: …