Consumers, farmers and agribusiness people are all offering up suggestions on ways to create renewable energy as part of the 2008 Farm Bill. USDA Under Secretary for Rural Development Thomas Dorr, who held a public meeting last week to work on implementing renewable energy programs authorized under the farm bill, says the rapid commercialization of renewable energy is a high …
Brazil May Challenge Ethanol Tariff
Brazil is considering a World Trade Organization challenge over the United States ethanol import tariff. Brazil’s Foreign Minister Celso Amorim told reporters in Rio de Janeiro on Tuesday that they have “a very strong case and there is a good chance” that they will challenge the 54 cent per gallon tariff on Brazilian ethanol. The tariff was extended through 2010 …
Ag Secretary Defends Ethanol in WSJ
The Wall Street Journal published a letter to the editor this week from U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Ed Schafer that defends ethanol and the nation’s biofuels policies. Schafer wrote the letter mainly in response to an op-ed by Texas Governor Rick Perry that appeared in the paper after EPA’s recent decision to deny his request to waive the Renewable Fuels …
USDA Announces Renewable Energy Grants
USDA announced Wednesday that 639 individuals and businesses in 43 states and the Virgin Islands have been selected to receive $35 million in grants and loan guarantees for renewable energy systems or to improve energy efficiency in farm and business operations. USDA Undersecretary for Rural Development Tom Dorr announced the funding at the 2008 Farm Progress Show in Iowa on …
US and China to Study Sorghum for Ethanol
As athletes were racing for the gold in Beijing last week, representatives from the United States and China were in Texas teaming up in the race to develop new feedstocks for ethanol. The U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Ministry of Science and Technology of the People’s Republic of China signed an agreement to collaborate on biofuels research during the …
Ethanol Fuels Debate in Nebraska
Candidates for an open U.S. Senate seat in Nebraska faced off at the state fair in Lincoln this weekend and ethanol was a topic of debate. Republican Mike Johanns, Democrat Scott Kleeb and Green Party candidate Steve Larrick all discussed the important issues of energy, climate change and renewable fuels – although most of the sparks flew between Johanns and …
Ethanol Hearing in Nebraska
Senator Ben Nelson (D-NE) brought the Senate Agriculture Committee to the heartland Monday to get to the heart of the food vs. fuel debate. The hearing was the culmination of a statewide energy tour Nelson kicked off last week that also included stops at an E85 fuel station in Omaha and an ethanol plant in Hastings. During the hearing held …
Nebraska Governor Urges Ethanol Unity
Nebraska Governor Dave Heineman is calling on the agriculture industry to stick together on the issue of ethanol. As keynote speaker at the 21st Ethanol Conference and Trade Show in Omaha Wednesday, Gov. Heineman noted that Nebraska is a large livestock producing state, as well as the nation’s number two ethanol producing state. “Corn-based ethanol is going to be around …
USDA Increases Corn Crop and Ethanol Use
Ideal summer growing conditions have helped the U.S. corn crop bounce back from flood damage, according to the latest report from USDA. The August crop production forecast is now 12.3 billion bushels, nearly five percent higher than predicted last month. It is still down 6 percent from last year’s record, but up 17 percent from 2006. The big story in …