The latest global supply/demand report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture increases the forecast for corn and soybean prices this year due in part to stronger demand for ethanol and biodiesel.
Tariff on Ethanol Imports Extended
Before adjourning Saturday, Congress approved legislation extending the 54-cent-per-gallon tariff on imported ethanol as part of the Omnibus Tax bill. The tariff was set to expire in October 2007 but will continue to be imposed until January 2009. The American Coalition for Ethanol praised the action to support domestic ethanol production. Brian Jennings, ACE Executive Vice President said, “We are …
Will We Have Enough Corn?
The Iowa Corn Growers/Corn Promotion Board has released a document addressing concerns about whether they will be able to produce enough corn to meet demand for ethanol. One of the issues they address is the price of corn, which this year is expected to average about $3 a bushel, the highest it has been since 1995. The corn growers point …
Iowa Corn Growers Prepared to Meet Demand
Iowa corn growers say they can meet the demand for both food and fuel. Grower leaders from the Iowa Corn Promotion Board and Iowa Corn Growers Association held a media teleconference Friday to answer concerns about corn prices and supplies and the increasing demand for corn to make ethanol. Bob Bowman, ICGA president, who farms in DeWitt, said the current …
MIT Yeast Could Speed Up Ethanol Production
Scientists with the Massachusettes Institute of Technology have engineered yeast that can improve the speed and efficiency of ethanol production. By manipulating the yeast genome, the researchers have engineered a new strain of yeast that can tolerate elevated levels of both ethanol and glucose, while producing ethanol faster than un-engineered yeast. The new strain produced 50 percent more ethanol during …
Corn Crop Seen as Main Source For Cellulosic Ethanol
Corn’s role in cellulosic ethanol appears solid. According to a story in Illinois Farm Bureau’s FarmWeek, the push to promote “cellulosic” biomass ethanol development generated some early sparring between corn growers and proponents of new “energy crops.” But experts at a recent Cellulosic Ethanol Summit in Washington, D.C., cited public-private efforts to generate cellulosic fuel from existing corn residues, potentially …
Senator Says Ethanol Use Needs to Grow
Senator Byron Dorgan (D-ND) told a recent ethanol summit in his state that with new ethanol plants coming on line at a rapid pace, the use of ethanol needs to grow or we could soon end up producing a surplus of ethanol. According to a story in the Farm & Ranch Guide by reporter Dale Hildebrant, Dorgan said, “Our future …
Science Foundation Advocates Grass for Gas
Diverse mixtures of native prairie plant species have emerged as a leader in the quest to identify the best source of biomass for producing sustainable, bio-based fuel to replace petroleum. A new study led by David Tilman, an ecologist at the University of Minnesota, shows that mixtures of native perennial grasses and other flowering plants provide more usable energy per …
New Iowa Ag Secretary Says Beef Industry Will Benefit From Ethanol
Iowa’s newly-elected Secretary of Agriculture says the ethanol industry can help the state regain its dominance in beef production. According to a story from the Brownfield Network, Bill Northey told members of the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association meeting Thursday that widespread availability of ethanol co-products like dry distillers’ grains could make Iowa the number one beef producing state again like it …