This Memorial Day weekend many motorists may be wistfully remembering the days of $2 a gallon gasoline as prices at the pump may hit $4 average nationwide by the holiday. The American Automobile Association (AAA) predicts that nearly 32 million drivers will hit the road for the long holiday weekend. However, the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) says there is some …
Defending the Renewable Fuels Standard
Higher food prices have led to increasing calls for changes in the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS) that was implemented as part the Energy bill just signed into law last December, which calls for 36 billion gallons of annual renewable fuel use by 2022. In this DomesticFuel Cast, we hear from several of the witnesses who testified in support of the …
Cellulosic Ethanol Focus at Hearing
A South Dakota lawmaker is urging Congress to allow cellulosic ethanol derived from woody biomass on federal lands to count towards the Renewable Fuels Standard. Current law prevents biofuels made from biomass that originates on public lands or any biomass from private land that is not ‘planted’ and ‘actively managed’ from being counted toward the RFS. During a hearing this …
Report on Role of Ethanol in Food Prices
The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) held a press conference last week at the National Press Club in Washington DC to counter claims that ethanol production is causing higher food prices. RFA’s “Ethanol Report” podcast features comments from the four agriculture and ethanol industry leaders who participated in the press conference. Featured are former Agriculture Secretary John Block, National Corn Growers …
Ethanol Standard Debated as Oil Prices Rise
As the House Subcommittee on Energy and Air Quality heard testimony regarding the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS) on Tuesday, oil hit yet another record high of $122 a barrel. Renewable Fuels Association president Bob Dinneen reminded the committee of that several times during the hearing, having to correct his own pre-prepared remarks. “Mr. Chairman, the RFS made sense when you …
Opposition to Ethanol Waiver Demand
Two dozen Republican Senators, including presidential candidate John McCain, are urging the Environmental Protection Agency to waive the Renewable Fuels Standard they just passed as part of the energy bill in December in an effort to cut food prices. Other senators disagree. Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Tom Harkin of Iowa says the request would cut short the promise of biofuels …
Former Ag Secretary Defends Ethanol
Former Secretary of Agriculture John Block can look at the food versus fuel issue from a number of angles. He ran the U.S. Department of Agriculture under President Reagen from 1981-1986. He was executive vice president of the Food Marketing Institute, which represents food retailers and wholesalers. He serves on the board of Friends of the World Food Program, a …
Food Price Increase Facts – Updated
Updated with recorded video Hello from Washington, DC and the National Association of Farm Broadcasting annual Washington Watch program. I’m covering their conference on our sister site, AgWired. Today at 1pm eastern time, I’ll be attending a press conference at the National Press Club being hosted by the Renewable Fuels Association. In attendance will be: The Honorable John Block, former …
Groundbreaking on Oil from Ethanol
VeraSun Energy broke ground on a new facility last week that will tap into ethanol for oil. VeraSun’s patent-pending Oil Extraction process is designed to yield 7-8 million gallons of corn oil annually from 390,000 tons of distillers grains currently produced at VeraSun’s ethanol production facility in Aurora, S.D. The corn oil will then be made available for sale into …
Ethanol Podcast on Efficiency and Food Prices
The latest “Ethanol Report” podcast from the Renewable Fuels Association features comments from RFA President Bob Dinneen on the new report from Argonne National Laboratory about the increased efficiency of U.S. ethanol plants, as well as how higher oil prices are the real cause of food price inflation. You can subscribe to “The Ethanol Report” by following this link. Or …