Commodity Classic is the annual meeting that attracts more than 7,000 corn, soybean, wheat and sorghum farmers, but it’s also a great place to find biodiesel and ethanol producers. Joe Jobe, CEO of the National Biodiesel Board (NBB) says they make sure to connect with their allies from the commodity groups, especially those soybean growers. “Biodiesel is made from a …
Student Talks Biodiesel By-Product at Conference
The cutting edge of innovation was certainly on display at the recent National Biodiesel Conference & Expo in San Diego. Among the many innovations was a University of Kansas graduate student, who, with a little financial assistance from the folks at the Kansas Soybean Commission (KSC), talked about a new use for the biodiesel by-product, glycerin. Derek Pickett … was …
Canadian Biodiesel Maker Gets BQ-9000 Designation
Canada’s largest biodiesel producer has gained an important quality status. This news release from Great Lakes Biodiesel Inc. says the company received BQ-9000 Producer status, the highest level of industry recognized quality assurance, from the National Biodiesel Accreditation Commission (NBAC). “Achieving BQ-9000 Producer status is just one of many goals we achieved in an effort to continuously provide our customers …
Senators Introduce Bill to Reinstate Biodiesel Tax Incentive
Senators Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Charles Grassley (R-IA) have introduced a bill to extend the expired biodiesel tax incentive for three years. The bill, S. 2021, would extend the tax incentive until 2017. In response to the bill’s introduction, the National Biodiesel Board (NBB) called on Congress to move swiftly on the tax legislation. “On behalf of biodiesel producers across …
Future Scientists Voice Biodiesel Support in RFS
The future of science is voicing its support for the future of biodiesel. This National Biodiesel Board (NBB) news release says the four student leaders of NBB’s Next Generation Scientists for Biodiesel (NGSB) made sure to get in their comments into the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) during its recently completed Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) comment period. “We see your support …
Young Scientist’s Share Passion for Biodiesel
Students from across the country took advantage of this year’s National Biodiesel Conference and presented their research to gain feed back and awareness of the biodiesel industry. This opportunity also allowed them to network with fellow researchers and learn more about the biodiesel community. Chuck met up with three of the young people and they shared what sparked their interest …
Biodiesel Foundation’s Never Ending Support
It is easy to say that many of the promotional opportunities we see from the biodiesel industry wouldn’t be possible without the Biodiesel Foundation. During the 2014 National Biodiesel Conference the foundation was hard at work to raise money in order to increase awareness. Beth Calabotta, Vice President of the Biodiesel Foundation, shared with Chuck in an interview that their …
Farm Polices Impact on Precision Ag
Member of the National Corn Growers Association Board and director of Western Iowa Energy, LLC, Kevin Ross, chatted with Chuck after the opening session at the 2014 National Biodiesel Conference. They discuss farm policy and how precision agriculture technology has impacted his farming operation where he raises cattle and grows corn and soybeans. Kevin shared that if we don’t move …
Growing Use of Technology for Growers
Commodity groups across the country also took interest in the happenings at the recent National Biodiesel Conference. Frank Legner, Legner Farms is a member of the Illinois Soybean Association and attended the conference to relay the update on biodiesel to growers in Illinois. He talks about how he uses precision agriculture on his farm where they grow 50/50 soybeans and …
Biodiesel Record Prompts Call to Reverse RFS Cuts
American biodiesel producers set a record with nearly 1.8 billion gallons produced in 2013. While the record is nice, it’s also a cruel, ironic reminder that the same government office reporting this milestone, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), is also trying to lower the amount of biodiesel to be mixed into the Nation’s fuel supply down to just 1.28 billion …