The new chairperson of the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) has only been CEO of Guardian Energy Management since 2016, but Jeanne McCaherty has become an industry leader in that very short time. In addition to serving on the board for RFA, she also serves on the Board of Directors for the Renewable Product Marketing Group and the Minnesota Biofuels Association. …
USDA Announces New Biofuels Infrastructure Grants
USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue was in Albert Lea, Minnesota on Thursday to announce $22 million out of the up to $100 million in grants available to increase American ethanol and biodiesel sales under the Higher Blends Infrastructure Incentive Program (HBIIP) to recipients in 14 states. The initial $22 million in HBIIP investments are projected to increase ethanol demand by nearly …
Ethanol Exports Rise in August
U.S. ethanol exports were 35% higher in August, rising to 100.7 million gallons (mg), the largest volume since March, according to Renewable Fuels Association Senior Analyst Ann Lewis. Shipments across the border to Canada accelerated 20% to a three-year high of 36.0 mg, equivalent to 36% of total U.S. ethanol exports, while sales to India declined by 20% to 10.5 …
RFA Elects First Woman Chairperson
Jeanne McCaherty, CEO of Guardian Energy Management LLC, was elected chairperson of the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) this week, becoming the first female chair in the organization’s history, and first among any national ethanol trade association. The election occurred at RFA’s annual membership meeting, held virtually this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As CEO of Guardian Energy Management, McCaherty, …
Ethanol Remains Top Priority with New NCGA President
It’s a new year for the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) with new president John Linder of Edison, Ohio who took over the post on October 1. Linder, along with his brother, Mike, and wife, Cheryl, run a fifth-generation farm raising corn, soybeans, soft red winter wheat and soybeans for seed in central Ohio. In addition to traditional row crop …
Ethanol Production and Stocks Hit Low Levels
The latest Energy Information Administration data analyzed by the Renewable Fuels Association shows a significant drop in ethanol production and stocks for the week ending September 25. According RFA, ethanol production scaled back by 2.8%, or 25,000 barrels per day (b/d), to 881,000 b/d—equivalent to 37.00 million gallons daily and the smallest output in fifteen weeks. The four-week average ethanol …
RFA Pleased with Progress on COVID Relief
The House of Representatives passed another COVID economic relief package last week which provides for $2.2 trillion in coronavirus relief and includes an important provision to help renewable fuel producers impacted by the pandemic. The package includes the Renewable Fuel Reimbursement Program provision which, if passed into law, would provide a 45-cent-per-gallon payment for qualified fuel produced by eligible producers …
Ethanol Report 9-30-20
The coalition of farm and ethanol groups behind the case against Small Refinery Exemptions under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) that was decided in January is still waiting for EPA to implement the court decision after eight months. Meanwhile, ethanol producers and farmers are still waiting on the administration to make good on promises made a year ago. And at …
Ethanol Again Fuels Crappie Masters National Champion
The Crappie Masters National Tournament Trail Championship was held this past weekend near Monroe, Louisiana where more than one hundred teams competed in the two-day tournament. Eric Cagle was crowned the National Champion for his haul of fourteen fish weighing a total of 28.81 pounds. For his efforts, Cagle took home a grand prize of $30,000, along with a $2,000 …
Study Pegs Ethanol Industry COVID Impact at $8 Million
A new study published in the Journal of Agricultural & Food Industrial Organization finds that ethanol producers will experience roughly $8 billion in losses this year due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on world fuel markets. The study, conducted by agricultural economists from the University of Florida and Arizona State University, estimates ethanol producer losses due to COVID-19 …