U.S. Grains Council (USGC) Director in Mexico Ryan LeGrand has been named as its next president and chief executive officer, effective next month. LeGrand joined the organization in Mexico in 2015 and has served as the director of the Council’s Mexico City office since 2016. In this capacity, he has overseen the expansion of the Council’s programming in that country …
Groups Urge EPA to Drop RIN Reform and Get E15 Done
Biofuel stakeholders want EPA to get rid of the excess baggage and get E15 to the finish line before summer driving season starts. The comment period on EPA’s proposed rule “Modifications to Fuel Regulations to Provide Flexibility for E15; Modifications to RFS RIN Market Regulations” ended Monday with major organizations sending in theirs at the end of the day. The …
RFA Submits Comments on E15/RIN Reform Proposal
The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) submitted comments on deadline day Monday for EPA’s proposal allowing 15 percent ethanol blends (E15) to take advantage of the 1-psi Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP) waiver that currently applies to E10 during the summer months. RFA President and CEO Geoff Cooper says the organization “strongly supports” the proposed regulatory fix would allow year-round sales of …
Wisconsin’s Ace Ethanol Installs Whitefox ICE System
Ace Ethanol in Stanley, Wisconsin has become the fifth plant to install a Whitefox ICE system at Ace Ethanol’s plant in Stanley, Wisconsin. One-third of all Wisconsin ethanol plants now have a Whitefox ICE system installed, according to Whitefox Technologies Limited. Wisconsin is home to nine ethanol plants and is the ninth largest ethanol producing state in the country. Neal …
RFA Joins Field to Market
The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) has become the first biofuels organization to join Field to Market: The Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture, a leading multi-stakeholder initiative working to unite the agricultural supply chain in defining, measuring and advancing the sustainability of food, fiber and fuel production in the United States. As an active member of Field to Market, RFA will collaborate …
Iowa Funds Another Year of Blender Pump Program
The Iowa legislature has funded another year of the Iowa Renewable Fuels Infrastructure Program (RFIP). Commonly referred to as the state’s blender pump program, RFIP provides cost-share grants to Iowa retailers wishing to upgrade fueling infrastructure to offer E15, E85 and/or biodiesel blends. The program has led to millions of dollars of private economic investment and hundreds of new stations …
Ethanol Report on EPA Proposals and Deadlines
The EPA proposal to allow year-round sales of E15, as well as reform the market for Renewable Identification Numbers (RINS), was just announced March 12 – but the accelerated timeline for the rule means the comment period will be over on Monday April 29. In this edition of “The Ethanol Report,” Renewable Fuels Association Senior Strategic Advisor Bob Dinneen talks …
Passing of Dale Tolifson
Minnesota farmer and Chippewa Valley Ethanol Company (CVEC) board member Dale Tolifson passed away April 23. He was 73 years old. Tolifson was a founding member of CVEC and had served on the board since 1996. He was chairman of the board from 1997 until 2009. Dale also served on the board of directors for Minnesota Corn Growers and the …
NFU Concerned E15 Waiver Will Impact Higher Blends
National Farmers Union (NFU) is concerned EPA’s proposed rule allowing year-round use of E15 gasoline will make it harder for retailers to sell higher level blends of ethanol. In a letter to EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler, NFU President Roger Johnson urged EPA to rewrite a provision contained within the rule that could amount to a cap on ethanol. It is …
Iowa Says No to More SREs
Iowa Agriculture Secretary Mike Naig and Iowa Renewable Fuels Association Executive Director Monte Shaw held a press conference Wednesday to discuss how EPA granting more pending small-refinery exemptions (SRE) would irreversibly undermine the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). Speaking at Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy near Council Bluffs, Shaw pointed out that in recent weeks refineries could have complied with their obligation …