Brazil will allow another 150 million liters of U.S. ethanol imports into the country each year before charging a 20% import tariff, increasing the tariff rate quota (TRQ) to 750 million from 600 million liters per year, but U.S. trade and ethanol organizations are unimpressed. Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Geoff Cooper says maintaining any protectionist trade barrier represents …
US and Japan Shake on Trade Deal
During the G-7 summit in France Sunday, President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe shook hands on a deal “in principle” that involves agricultural products. “(We) have excess corn in various parts of our country, with our farmers, because China did not do what they said they were going to do,” said President Trump. “And Prime Minister Abe, …
ACE Honors Randy Ives with Merle Anderson Award
The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) presented its highest award to Randy Ives, U.S. Grains Council (USGC) delegate and a key figure in the development of distiller’s dried grain with solubles (DDGS) and ethanol market development programs. The Merle Anderson Award, named after the founder of ACE, is given to individuals who display unmatched dedication and support to the organization …
RFA Urges Australia to Choose Ethanol Over Petroleum Reserve
The head of the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) sent a letter to Australia’s energy minister last week encouraging them to strongly consider U.S. ethanol imports as a cleaner, more affordable alternative to purchasing oil from the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve. The letter, from RFA President and CEO Geoff Cooper, cited news reports of Australia’s request for access to the U.S. …
Ethanol is Number One Priority for Grains Council
Ethanol is the number one priority for the U.S. Grains Council today, according to USGC CEO Ryan LeGrand, who spoke at the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) conference last week in Omaha. “There’s nothing more important to us right now than ethanol,” said LeGrand. The council has seven priority markets, with Mexico being one of the most significant. While the …
Japan Receives First Shipment of ETBE from U.S. Ethanol
The U.S. Grains Council reports a new milestone in the effort to develop new export markets for U.S. ethanol with the first shipment of ethyl tert-butyl ether (ETBE) made with U.S. corn-based ethanol arriving in Japan. The sale of ETBE, a gasoline component, was made following a policy change by the Japanese government recognizing the positive greenhouse gas (GHG) benefits. …
NBB Challenges Argentina Biodiesel Duty Rate Change
The National Biodiesel Board‘s (NBB) Fair Trade Coalition is criticizing a preliminary decision from the Department of Commerce in a “changed circumstances” review of countervailing duties on biodiesel imports from Argentina. According to NBB, the department determined that “Argentina’s recent changes to its export tax regime eliminated certain government subsidies provided to Argentina’s biodiesel producers” which, if finalized, would reduce …
Global Ethanol Summit Announced
Three global ethanol export organizations are teaming up this year to host the first-ever Global Ethanol Summit (GES), scheduled for Oct. 13-15, 2019, in Washington, D.C. The U.S. Grains Council (USGC), Growth Energy and the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) are working together with the goal of engaging a broad array of global ethanol leaders about the benefits of expanding global …
President Trump Celebrates Ethanol With Farmers
President Donald J. Trump brought a hopeful message to farmers in the Midwest on Tuesday with an appearance at Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy ethanol plant to celebrate year round sales of E15. Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) introduced the president, and Trump in turn brought Iowa farmer and National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) first vice president Kevin Ross up to the …
ACE Returns to Tijuana for Ethanol Forum
American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) Senior Vice President Ron Lamberty continued his ethanol retailer education tour of Mexico last week with an encore appearance in Tijuana, the western-most city in Mexico and largest city of Baja California State. This trip marks Lamberty’s fourth time to the country this year to speak at ethanol technical information forums for Mexican petroleum equipment …