The Renewable Fuels Association has unveiled a new and improved Ethanol Emergency Response website, where emergency responders can easily access the various types of training resources offered. The new website was created under a grant received from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration through TRANSCAER, an outreach program focused on assisting communities and training emergency …
Ethanol Industry Relieved Rail Strike Averted
Since more than 70 percent of the ethanol produced in the United States is transported by rail across the lower 48 states as well as into Canada and Mexico, the industry breathed a collective sigh of relief Friday as President Biden signed legislation passed by Congress to avert a major national rail strike. Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Geoff Cooper …
Biofuel Groups Urge Congress to Avoid Rail Strike
The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) joined nearly 200 organizations representing agricultural, food and renewable fuels industries last week in a letter urging Congress to act quickly to prevent a rail strike and service shutdown on November 19, the deadline for unions and railroads to finalize an agreement. “A strike or lockout combined with existing challenges in the rail system, at …
Michigan Soybean Launches Advanced Biofuels Coalition
The Michigan Soybean Committee has announced the formation of the Michigan Advanced Biofuels Coalition (MiABC) to promote the use of advanced biofuels, including biodiesel, renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). “MiABC provides education, technical expertise and other resources to help public and private fleets take full advantage of the many benefits of advanced biofuels,” says Janna Fritz, chief executive …
RFA Says More is Needed to Address Rail Challenges
The Renewable Fuels Association supports regulatory changes proposed by the Surface Transportation Board to deal with rail service emergencies but says more work is needed to resolve the current failures of the system, which have had costly impacts on the U.S. ethanol industry and its customers. RFA submitted comments this week to STB regarding Revisions to Regulations for Expedited Relief …
Rail Disruptions Impacting Ag and Biofuels
The Surface Transportation Board (STB) heard about how agricultural and biofuels producers are being impacted by rail service challenges during a two-day hearing this week. USDA Deputy Secretary Dr. Jewel Bronaugh told the board how rail disruptions are impacting farmers, ranchers and consumers. “Elevators are full and therefore cannot purchase more grain from farmers, and livestock operations are unable to …
Flooding Takes Bite Out of Ethanol Production
Repair crews are working around the clock to get roads and railways impacted by flooding in the Midwest back in service, while the latest weekly ethanol supply and demand numbers show production down due to the disaster. According to the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA), ethanol production for the week ended March 22 fell 29,000 barrels per day (b/d), or 2.9%, …
USDA Monitoring Nebraska Ethanol Issues
Under Secretary of Agriculture for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Greg Ibach is in Nebraska this week surveying weather-related damage and talking with affected farmers and ranchers. The impact of the flooding on ethanol production was brought up during a Facebook Live roundtable with Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts on Monday. “We are aware at USDA that many of the railroad lines …
Flooding Impacts Rail Service in the Midwest
Extensive flooding in the Midwest has caused damage to railroad infrastructure and additional flooding is expected now along the Mississippi River, resulting in widespread service disruptions in the Iowa-Kansas-Missouri-Nebraska area. The Federal Railroad Administration has declared an “emergency event” related to railroad operations as the National Weather Service has documented historic flooding throughout the region with rivers rising to recored …
Targray Opens European Biodiesel Trading Desk in Geneva
Biodiesel marketer Targray has announced the opening of its EU biodiesel trading desk in Geneva, Switzerland as part of a broader investment plan to meet demand for low-carbon fuels in the EU. Targray’s EU biofuels business will be led by biodiesel trader Vincent Cariou. Prior to joining the company in 2019, Vincent worked for nearly 10 years at agricultural commodities …