Ag Secretary Calls Census Numbers “Wake Up Call”

Cindy Zimmerman

USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) on Tuesday released results of the 2022 Census of Agriculture, which includes more than 6 million data points about America’s farms and ranches and the people who operate them down to the county level. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack joined NASS Administrator Hubert Hamer and USDA Under Secretary for Research, Education, and Economic Chavonda …

Audio, aviation biofuels, Farming, SAF, USDA

Secretary Vilsack to Speak at National Ethanol Conference

Cindy Zimmerman

The Renewable Fuels Association is proud to announce that USDA Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack will speak at the 2024 National Ethanol Conference in San Diego. Sec. Vilsack will speak to nearly 1,000 conference attendees Tuesday morning, Feb. 20. “We are truly honored to have Secretary Vilsack joining us at this year’s conference, and we look forward to hearing his perspective …

Ethanol, Ethanol News, National Ethanol Conference, Renewable Fuels Association, RFA, USDA

Biofuels Industry Mourns Loss of Bill Northey

Cindy Zimmerman

The tributes began pouring in as soon as the shock wore off Monday when the news broke that former Iowa Agriculture Secretary and USDA Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation Bill Northey had died at the age of 64. The Agribusiness Association of Iowa (AAI) where Northey served as CEO shared the news of his passing. “The state of …

Audio, biofuels, Ethanol, Ethanol News, obituaries, USDA

Nebraska Retailers Urged to Apply for HBIIP Grants

Cindy Zimmerman

Nebraska is one of 22 states that recently received a portion of $19 million awarded recently by USDA under the Higher Blend Infrastructure Incentive Program (HBIIP) with 16 retail locations receiving grants. The Nebraska Ethanol Board is urging retailers across the state to take advantage of the program during the current signup period. Launched in July 2023 with a $450 …

E15, E85, Ethanol, Ethanol News, USDA

LanzaJet Opens First Ethanol to SAF Plant

Cindy Zimmerman

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 …

Audio, aviation biofuels, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Renewable Fuels Association, RFA, SAF, USDA

WASDE Calls for Record Corn Production

Cindy Zimmerman

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 …

Biodiesel, biofuels, biojet fuel, corn, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Soybeans, USDA

USDA Announces Grants for Biofuels Infrastructure

Cindy Zimmerman

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 …

Biodiesel, biofuels, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Iowa RFA, USDA

Vilsack to Address Iowa RFA Summit

Cindy Zimmerman

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 …

Biodiesel, biofuels, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Iowa RFA, USDA

Biden Team Hitting the Rural Road

Cindy Zimmerman

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 …

advanced biofuels, Audio, Climate Change, Ethanol, Ethanol News, USDA

USDA Adjusts Corn and Soybean Yields in New Report

Cindy Zimmerman

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. …

corn, Ethanol, Soybeans, USDA