Secretary of Agriculture Ed Schafer has only been on the job officially for about a month but he has been busy making the rounds of farm meetings. During his appearance at the 2008 Commodity Classic on Friday, Schafer expressed great optimism for agriculture – record prices, record farm income, record exports and the blending of energy and agriculture. During a …
Ethanol is a Classic Hit
You can’t turn a corner at the 2008 Commodity Classic trade show without seeing something about ethanol. A record crowd is attending the Classic this year – more than 4450 people and over 140 media are in Nashville and the corn-fed enthusiasm is driven in a large part by the ethanol buzz. Everybody who is anybody in the ethanol industry …
Introducing Ethanol Retailer Magazine
The Ethanol Promotion and Information Council is now in the publishing business after announcing the introduction of “Ethanol Retailer” magazine this week. Robert White, Publisher, is pictured (center) during a panel he participated in on E85 during the National Ethanol Conference. I interviewed Robert about the new venture and the panel he was on. Ethanol Retailer is the only magazine …
House Approves $18 billion in Taxes on Big Oil to Help Renewables
The U.S House today approved $18 billion in new taxes on the oil companies that will fund incentives for renewable energy. Bloomberg.com reports that the vote comes as crude oil prices topped $100 a barrel and will send the bill to the Senate, where similar measures have faced stiff opposition in the past: The $18.1 billion measure, versions of which …
Biofuels Focus at Classic
The 2008 Commodity Classic is getting underway here in Nashville at the Opryland. Farm Bill and biofuels are the main topics of discussion at this meeting of corn, soybean and wheat growers. Today is mainly commodity group delegate meetings and tours for those not involved in the business sessions. Activities really get rolling Thursday afternoon with the opening of the …
Getting More Washington Perspective
Our Undersecretary for Rural Development, Tom Dorr, was first up on the program here this morning at the National Ethanol Conference to speak about the farm bill and focus on renewable fuel policies and provisions. He says the ethanol industry is going through some growing pains, or put another way, transitional challenges. He’s convinced these will be overcome. Like many …
California Working on Biofuel Access
While California leads the nation in alternative fuel stations, pumps offering E85 ethanol and biodiesel are still extremely rare. In fact, this Los Angeles Times story posted on Checkbiotech.org says that out of the 835 alternative fuel stations, 379 offer electricity, 215 pump liquefied petroleum gas, and 174 dispense compressed natural gas… with just a handful offering biodiesel or E85. …
London Biofuels Conference Set
Government to Greenpeace will be taking part in the Biofuels Conference at the end of April in London, England. The one-day conference is scheduled for April 29th and is being billed as the “must attend” event of 2008: Moderated by Sarah Montague of Radio 4, this high quality debate will outline the challenges of biofuel production and highlight possible future …
Shannon Brown Performs at National Ethanol Conference
The National Ethanol Conference got a little bit country and a little bit rock and roll tonight and a whole lot of corn fed. I don’t know about you but I love being corn fed and I love Shannon Brown’s song. I got to meet her this afternoon here at the National Ethanol Conference and she and her band performed …
Andy Karsner Speech
Bob Dinneen, RFA President, isn’t the only one to preach a powerful sermon here at the National Ethanol Conference. I was very surprised and pleased to hear Andy Karsner, Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy, U.S. Department of Energy, speak at today’s luncheon. He gave a very passionate speech that you would really enjoy listening to. That’s why …