Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins has taken a much more visible role in the new Trump Administration than previous agriculture secretaries, appearing three times this month already on Fox News, most recently this past Sunday. In a wide-ranging interview with Shannon Bream, Rollins talked about a number of issues, from tariffs and trade to the price of eggs, and spent …
Ag Secretary Gets Earful About E15
Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins heard a lot about the ethanol industry’s need for year-round, nationwide E15 during her trip to Iowa yesterday, starting with her visit to the Elite Octane ethanol facility in Atlantic, Iowa. “We’re very bullish for the next three years with President Trump leading the way. The seeds of policy change to drive profitability for our …
USDA Secretary Announces HBIIP Funding in Iowa
Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins visited an Iowa ethanol plant Monday to announce USDA will release obligated funding under the Higher Blends Infrastructure Incentive Program (HBIIP) for 543 projects totaling $537 million in 29 states. That funding had been included in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). Secretary Rollins made the announcement at Elite Octane in Atlantic, Iowa, along with an …
Secretary Rollins to Visit Ethanol Plant
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins will be in Iowa Monday, March 31, with a full schedule that includes a visit to an ethanol plant. Secretary Rollins will start the day with at Elite Octane in Atlantic, Iowa, where she will be joined by Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds, Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA), Reps. Zach Nunn and Mariannette Miller-Meeks, and Iowa …
Groups Provide Climate Smart Ag Comments
Biofuels groups submitted comments this week to USDA on its interim rule for climate-smart agriculture guidance to support the new 45Z tax credit for clean fuel producers. The Renewable Fuels Association emphasized the importance of policies that empower farmers while ensuring a robust and efficient renewable fuels market. RFA highlighted the benefits of a book-and-claim supply chain management system, which …
Sec. Rollins Applauded for E15 Support
New U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins received a standing ovation from thousands of farmers across the country Sunday as she made an appearance at the Commodity Classic in Denver on the Trade Show Main Stage. Rollins brought a message from President Trump. “He wants all of you to know that he hears you. He knows that times have been …
Ag Secretary Nominee Faces Questions on Biofuels Support
President Donald Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Agriculture faced questions about her support of biofuels during her Senate confirmation hearing on Thursday. Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) challenged Rollins’ previous support of policy against biofuels when she was CEO of the Texas Public Policy Foundation from 2003-2018. “To be clear, coming from Texas, I was a massive defender of fossil fuels …
Groups React to Climate Smart Ag Rule and GREET Model
Biofuel organizations welcomed the release Wednesday of USDA’s interim rule on Technical Guidelines for Climate-Smart Agriculture Crops Used as Biofuel Feedstocks, in addition to a beta version Feedstock Carbon Intensity Calculator, and the Department of Energy release of the 45ZCF-GREET model The rule establishes guidelines for quantifying, reporting, and verifying the greenhouse gas emissions associated with the production of corn, …
Sec. Vilsack Bids Farewell with Climate-Smart Agriculture Rule
Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack held his last official press conference of his tenure at USDA on Wednesday, announcing the publication of an interim rule on Technical Guidelines for Climate-Smart Agriculture Crops Used as Biofuel Feedstocks. The interim rule establishes guidelines for quantifying, reporting, and verifying the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with the production of biofuel feedstock commodity crops …
USDA Awards Another $60 Million in HBIIP Grants
On Friday, USDA announced nearly $60 million in grants awarded through Higher Blends Infrastructure Incentive Program (HBIIP) to expand access to domestic biofuels in 24 states. The states included are: Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas and Wisconsin. Among …