LanzaJet made history this week opening the world’s first ethanol to sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production facility in Soperton, Georgia. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack joined LanzaJet at Wednesday’s event. “As we transition to SAF, this will not only create new climate smart commodity markets for American producers, but it will also help American companies such as LanzaJet corner the market …
WASDE Calls for Record Corn Production
The U.S. Department of Agriculture dropped its latest World Agricultural Supply Demand Estimate report on Friday, calling for record U.S. corn production in 2023-2024. The corn outlook also calls for more corn to be used for ethanol, increased feed and residual use, and higher ending stocks. Corn production is estimated at a record 15.3 billion bushels, up 108 million as …
USDA Announces Grants for Biofuels Infrastructure
During an address at the Iowa Renewable Fuels Summit Thursday, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack announced the awarding of $19 million in grants to increase the availability of domestic biofuels at gas stations in 22 states. The awards are being made through the Higher Blends Infrastructure Incentive Program (HBIIP) with funding from Inflation Reduction Act. Some of examples of the …
Vilsack to Address Iowa RFA Summit
Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack will address the 2024 Iowa Renewable Fuels Summit this month and during the event will receive IRFA’s highest award. “The IRFA Board is very excited that Secretary Vilsack can join the Summit,” said Iowa Renewable Fuels Association Marketing Director Lisa Coffelt. “As a state legislator, governor and now USDA secretary, Tom Vilsack has been an …
Biden Team Hitting the Rural Road
President Joe Biden and Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack will travel to Northfield, Minnesota today to visit Dutch Creek Farms and highlight the administration’s investments in rural America and efforts to support local farmers and communities. During the visit, President Biden will announce over $5 billion in new investments from his Investing in America agenda – including the Bipartisan Infrastructure …
USDA Adjusts Corn and Soybean Yields in New Report
USDA’s first survey-based forecasts for the season slightly lowered yields for corn and soybeans compared to projections last month. In the August Crop Production report released Friday, USDA puts corn production for 2023/24 at 15.1 billion bushels, down 209 million from the July projection, but ten percent more than 2022 which would be the second highest on record behind 2016/17. …
USDA Announces Biofuels Infrastructure Funding
USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced plans to invest up to $500 million from President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act to increase the availability of domestic biofuels and give Americans additional cleaner fuel options at the pump. Joined by Minnesota Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith, Vilsack announced the first awardees of 59 infrastructure projects that will receive a total of …
Ethanol Part of USDA Trade Mission to Japan
USDA Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Alexis Taylor led a trade mission to Japan this week with representatives from 11 state departments of agriculture, numerous farm organizations, and 40 agribusinesses looking to connect with future business partners in Japan. “As one of the largest world economies, Japan is one of the top and most reliable trading partners …
USDA Under Secretary Stresses Support for Ethanol
USDA Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation Robert Bonnie spent an hour with members of the American Coalition for Ethanol last week, answering questions on various topics and stressing the administration’s support for biofuels. “I hope you know this administration has a strong commitment to ethanol,” Bonnie began. “There’s a lot of alignment between things that can be good …
USDA Reports Higher Corn and Soybean Acres Expected
The 2023 Prospective Plantings report finds farmers expect to plant more corn and soybeans this year than last year. According to USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), producers surveyed across the United States intend to plant 92.0 million acres of corn in 2023, up 4% from last year, and 87.5 million acres of soybeans this year, up slightly from last …