One year after President Trump visited Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy (SIRE) to celebrate allowing E15 to be sold in the summer months, the ethanol industry is facing its toughest year ever, despite the fact that sales of E15 have indeed increased significantly. In this edition of the Ethanol Report podcast, we take a look back at President Trump’s visit and …
President Trump at Iowa Ethanol Plant – One Year Later
It was one year ago today that President Donald Trump made a victorious visit to Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy (SIRE) ethanol plant in Council Bluffs, Iowa, to celebrate regulatory changes that would finally allow year-round retail sales of 15% ethanol (E15). At the event, the President also heard from farmers and ethanol industry leaders about the devastating impact of RFS …
Export Exchange 2020 Postponed to 2021
The biennial Export Exchange is being postponed until 2021. The Exchange is co-sponsored by the Renewable Fuels Association, U.S. Grains Council, and Growth Energy and held every other year to bring together buyers and sellers of U.S. coarse grains and co-products, including the distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS). The three organizations issued a joint statement on the postponement. “As …
Missouri Corn Providing More Dollars For Ethanol Infrastructure
The Missouri Corn Merchandising Council (MCMC), in conjunction with recently announced federal and state programs, has announced it will provide matching funds to increase the availability of higher ethanol blends in the state. To qualify, fuel retailers must first be approved for the USDA Rural Development’s Higher Blends Infrastructure Incentive Program (HBIIP), followed by approval of the MASBDA BIP program. …
Farm & Biofuel Groups Challenge Retroactive RFS Waivers
Nine leading biofuel and farm organizations sent a letter to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler Tuesday asking him for answers on what is seen as a new effort to undermine the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). During a Senate hearing last month, administration officials confirmed their consideration of retroactive small refinery exemptions (SREs) covering previous years. The “gap-filings” are …
Farm Journal Hosting Ethanol Future Webinar
Farm Journal will be hosting a panel of industry experts June 11 for a live Farm Country Update webinar discussion about the current state and future of America’s ethanol industry. AgriTalk host Chip Flory will moderate the discussion with Dan Basse, AgResource Company; Doug Berven, POET; and Renewable Fuels Association president and CEO Geoff Cooper. Click here to register for …
Members of Congress Defend RFS
A bipartisan list of Congressional representatives sent a letter to President Trump today in support of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). “We urge you to stand with our farmers and rural economies during this challenging time and deny any request for blanket statewide or nationwide waivers from the 2020 RFS blending requirements under the Clean Air Act,” the letter from …
Iowa Legislature Reauthorizes Biofuel Tax Differentials
The Iowa legislature this week reauthorized the Iowa biofuel tax differentials, helping boost biofuel demand and lower fuel prices, according to the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association. Senate File 2403, which unanimously passed both chambers, extends and modernizes fuel tax differentials for E15 and higher ethanol blends and B11 and higher biodiesel blends, which are set to expire on June 30, …
A Year’s Worth of Growth in E15
A year ago, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, at the direction of President Donald Trump, issued a final rule allowing retailers to sell 15% ethanol (E15) gas year-round in all parts of the country. That action created an increase in sales of E15 to more than 450 million gallons in 2019. Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) economist Scott Richman says the …
ACE Meeting Plans Change Due to COVID
As the coronavirus pandemic has had a devastating economic impact on the ethanol industry, meetings have also been changing to hopefully give more producers the ability to attend. The American Coalition for Ethanol‘s Annual Conference will now be held in conjunction with the 2020 International Fuel Ethanol Workshop (FEW) & Expo in Omaha, Nebraska, on August 25. FEW had already …