The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced that it expects to make a final determination in mid-2010 regarding whether to increase the allowable ethanol content in fuel. The agency responded in a letter sent today to Growth Energy, the association that requested a waiver that would allow for the use of up to 15 percent of ethanol in gasoline. …
Ethanol Industry Waiting on EPA Decision
December 1 is the deadline for the Environmental Protection Agency to issue a decision on the waiver to allow up to 15 percent ethanol in regular gasoline and the industry is anxiously awaiting a positive outcome. The waiver request was submitted by Growth Energy and an alliance of ethanol producer organizations and companies in early March and by law EPA …
Iowa Corn Indy Renewed for 2010
The Iowa Corn Indy 250 presented by Pioneer will return once again to the Iowa Speedway in 2010. The Iowa Corn Growers Association, the Iowa Corn Promotion Board and Pioneer have renewed their sponsorship for the 4th Annual race, to be held on June 20, 2010. There were concerns that the race started specifically to highlight the United States ethanol …
Brazil Renews Tax Break for FFVs
“We want the automobile industry in Brazil to consolidate and to bring new environmental technologies to the country” Mantega told reporters at a news conference in Brasilia. The government will lose an estimated 1.3 billion reais ($751 million) in revenue as a result of the measure. But taking into account potentially higher car sales, saved jobs, and unemployment benefits not …
An Inside View of the Brazilian Ethanol Industry
Oi from Brasil! I have spent the last three days learning about the ethanol industry in Brazil. I have been traveling with a group of 20 international journalists in the State of Sao Paulo, where 60 percent of the country’s sugarcane is grown and consequently where the majority of the ethanol is produced. I’ll be writing a series of posts …
Thanksgiving Tweets for Farmers
Food, feed, fiber and fuel – American farmers do it all and today is a day to give a Thanksgiving tweet for all they do. On Twitter, many agriculture advocates are taking part in tweeting the hashtag #thankafarmer today from 10 am to 12 pm CST. Twitter users are also expressing their gratitude with a #thankafarmer twibbon. The twitter efforts …
Farm Bureau Pleased with Climate Bill Delay
The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) is pleased with a decision by Senate leadership last week to delay consideration of climate change legislation until the spring of 2010. During a recent interview before the delay was announced, AFBF president Bob Stallman said the agricultural organization opposed the climate change bill that was passed by the House, despite provisions included that …
More Sorghum Going to Ethanol
Corn may have competition for ethanol use from less expensive sorghum. According to a survey by the United Sorghum Checkoff Program (USCP), 29 percent of the grain sorghum grown in the United States this year will be used to produce ethanol – a total of nearly 137 million bushels. “In the past year, the price differential has greatly benefited the …