Minnesota ethanol is on the agenda for Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns this week. Johanns will hold a roundtable with area agriculture and agribusiness leaders in Mankato, Minnesota on Thursday morning, according to a press advisory. Then he will tour the Northstar Ethanol plant in Lake Crystal, Minnesota in the afternoon. That’s all I know about it, but I would assume …
Working Together Could Reduce Petroleum Dependence
Florida’s governor is calling on Latin American countries to increase ethanol production for themselves and the United States. According to this article from the Bradenton Herald, Governor Jeb Bush made his pitch during the Second Annual Miami Latin America Conference, calling the proposal a “win-win for Florida and the region.” Bush says that increasing Florida and the nation’s reliance on …
Ag Day Remarks On Ethanol
The chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee had lots of good things to say about ethanol yesterday at the kickoff luncheon for National Ag Day in Washington D.C. Senator Saxby Chambliss, a Georgia Republican, said that ethanol production holds promise even in areas outside the Corn Belt. “We may not be able to grow the corn in the abundance that …
Energy Secretary Speaks in KC
Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman spoke to the Kansas City Chamber of Commerce today. According to this KC AP article, Bodman echoed the adminstration theme that we need to make ethanol from other sources besides corn. Bodman said the ethanol industry now consumes roughly 14 percent of the country’s corn crop. The crop’s regular purpose as human and animal feed will …
Johanns at Energy Summit in DC
With a goal of providing 25 percent of the nation’s energy supply from renewable resources by 2025, the Ag Energy Work Group held it’s second National Ag and Forestry Renewabe Energy Summit, in Washington, DC this week. I apologize for having been remiss in doing posts about this group’s activities, especially since good friend Sara Wyant sent us some info …
Secretary Johanns Meets With EPIC
I’m sure that Tom was just standing around his booth (EPIC) at Commodity Classic and looks up and lo and behold, there’s the U. S. Secretary of Agriculture stopping by for a visit. I hope he took a spin in the ethanol car simulator.
Pawlenty of Renewable Fuel In MN
Minnesota Governor, Tim Pawlenty, spoke to a crowd here at Commodity Classic in Anaheim on Friday. I think some of the folks here would like to see him run for President. He gave a great talk about how his state has led the way in the development of renewable fuels and challenged other states to follow their lead in what he called the “Energy Revolution.”
Governors Want More E85 Vehicles
The Governor’s Ethanol Coalition met this week in Washington, DC and passed a resolution urging major auto makers to make more flex-fuel vehicles that can run on 85 percent ethanol.
Duties Call
Demand for ethanol is up and it is becoming evident that domestic production will not be able to supply it all. So, the possibility of lifting the current import duty on ethanol, particularly from Brazil, is being raised in Washington.
Cutting Fertilizer Use Goal of New Energy Estimator
USDA has released it’s new Energy Estimator for Nitrogen to help farmers and ranchers identify potential nitrogen cost savings associated with major crops and commercial nitrogen fertilizer applications.