USDA Official Will Tour Iowa Biofuels Industry

Cindy Zimmerman

USDA Deputy Secretary Dr. Kathleen Merrigan will get some first hand knowledge of Iowa’s ethanol industry during a tour scheduled for October 20. During her visit, Dr. Merrigan will learn about ethanol production, utilization of co-products and biodiesel research. Merrigan will first visit Lincolnway Energy, a 50-million gallon per year ethanol plant with a corn oil extraction process. Next, she …

Biodiesel, Distillers Grains, Ethanol, Ethanol News, USDA

USDA Loan to Help Green Rebuilding Greensburg, KS

John Davis

Greensburg, Kansas, literally destroyed by a tornado in May, 2007, is getting some help from the government to have a green energy source supply the power for the town as it continues to rebuild. The USDA has announced a $17.4 million loan to Greensburg Wind Farm, LLC, to provide financing for the 10 wind turbine project that will supply power …

USDA, Wind

Officials to Tour Dairy Bioenergy Operation

Cindy Zimmerman

Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, White House Council on Environmental Quality Chair Nancy Sutley, and Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle will tour Crave Brothers Farm and Dairy Operation in Waterloo, Wisconsin Friday to see bioenergy in action. Crave Brothers is an example of a successful modern dairy, using green energy sources to power the farm, cheese factory and 120 area homes. …

bioenergy, USDA

Biomass Feedstocks Research

Cindy Zimmerman

USDA’s Agricultural Research Service is studying the use of plant residues for biofuels. At the University of Minnesota-Morris Biomass Gasification Facility, for example, gasification researcher Jim Barbour and ARS soil scientist Jane Johnson (pictured) are evaluating potential biomass feedstocks, including pressed corn stover. The Agricultural Research Service has scientists in 18 states involved in the Renewable Energy Assessment Project (REAP) …

biomass, Cellulosic, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Research, USDA

Ethanol Report on USDA Crop Forecast

Cindy Zimmerman

This edition of “The Ethanol Report” features comments from Geoff Cooper with the Renewable Fuels Association on today’s increased corn crop forecast from USDA, how it disputes the indirect land use change theory and food versus fuel debate. Cooper also comments on the importance of ethanol to our national security as we remember the anniversary of the 9-11 terrorist attacks …

Audio, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Ethanol Report, Indirect Land Use, RFA, USDA

More Corn for Ethanol

Cindy Zimmerman

The U.S. Department of Agriculture increased the forecast for the nation’s corn crop by two percent in the September crop production report out Friday morning. The forecast is now an even 13 billion bushels, just 100 million bushels short of the 2007 record crop. The soybean crop, already expected to be the biggest ever, was boosted another one percent in …

corn, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Farming, USDA

Missouri Facility Gets First Biomass Assistance Payment

John Davis

A Missouri plant that turns agricultural waste products into fuel pellets is the first to receive a payment from the USDA’s Farm Service Agency’s new Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP). This USDA press release says the Show Me Energy Cooperative of Missouri conversion facility will get the funds aimed at paying producers for biomass materials for collection, harvest, storage and …

biomass, USDA

USDA Highlights Missouri Biomass Plant

Cindy Zimmerman

The Obama administration’s Rural Tour last week highlighted the Show Me Energy Cooperative in Missouri as an example of how crop residue can be used to create energy. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack says the biomass facility is taking wood, corn stalks and other crop residue and converting it into pellets that can be used to produce energy or a substitute …

biomass, corn, Energy, USDA

Winners of $6.3 Million for Biofuels Research Selected

Joanna Schroeder

And the money keeps a coming. U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu today announced the joint selection of awards of up to $6.3 million towards fundamental genomics-enabled research leading to the improved use of plant feedstocks or biofuel production. The seven projects announced came after the end  of the green jobs …

biofuels, Ethanol News, USDA