A Minnesota biodiesel facility is getting a $25 million USDA Rural Development loan that will help the refinery expand the number of feedstocks it is able to turn into the green fuel… including the by-product of another green fuel: USDA Rural Development is providing SoyMor Biodiesel a $25 million guaranteed loan to purchase equipment that will enable SoyMor to convert …
USDA Meets Obama Biofuels Objective
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack says USDA has met President Obama’s 30-day directive to expedite and increase the production of biofuels. “Further developing the biofuels industry helps create jobs and stimulates rural economies, an important part of getting our economy back on track,” Vilsack announced. “President Obama and I are committed to advancing clean and renewable energy as it creates jobs …
More Corn for Ethanol and Exports
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is expecting more corn to be made into ethanol and exported overseas this year, but less to be fed to livestock. According to the May World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates released on Tuesday morning, total U.S. corn use for 2009/10 is projected to be three percent higher than the current year with higher expected …
Renewable Energy in First 100 Days Progress Report
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack counted progress toward energy independence among the Obama administration’s first 100 days accomplishments. During a meeting in Washington DC with agricultural journalists this week, Vilsack said implementing the 2008 Farm Bill was his number one priority when he took the office of secretary. “The president gave me an instruction when he hired me to continue …
Biodiesel Fueling Growth in Industrial Oils & Fats
The amount of industrial fats and oils in the U.S. has grown by nearly one-fourth over the past couple of years, fueled mostly by the growth in popularity of biodiesel. This story in ICIS Chemical Business says the US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Economic Research Service (ERS) reports fats and oils used for industrial applications in the U.S. rose last …
USDA Sees No Change in Corn Use for Ethanol
The April World Supply and Demand report out today from USDA lowers ending stocks for corn, but keeps corn use for ethanol the same. Corn ending stocks were cut by 40 million bushels “as higher expected feed and residual use more than offsets a reduction in food, seed and industrial use.” Food, seed, and industrial use was lowered 10 million …
USDA Increases Corn for Ethanol Use
The newest supply demand report out from the US Department of Agriculture today increases estimates of corn for ethanol usage. According to the report, “U.S. corn ending stocks for 2008/09 are projected 50 million bushels lower this month as higher ethanol use more than offsets a reduction in exports. Corn use for ethanol is projected 100 million bushels higher on …
Ag Secretary Focused on 12-13 Percent Ethanol Blend
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack would love to see the ethanol blend rate increased to 15 percent, but right now he would be happy with 12-13 percent. “Our view is that we can get to 12 to 13 percent by just simply understanding that it’s significantly not much different than 10 percent, it’s an insignificant difference, and under the rules and …
Ag Secretary Endorses Ethanol Blend Increase
In remarks to farmers meeting in Arlington, Virginia on Monday, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack endorsed a request to the Environmental Protection Agency for an increase in the ethanol blend rate up to 15 percent. “We can move fairly quickly to move that rate up from 10 percent to maybe 12 or 13 percent in the interim and then take …
USDA Support for Renewable Energy
The U.S. Department of Agriculture will be providing loan guarantees to help the ethanol industry, according to Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. At last week’s USDA Outlook Conference, Vilsack said the USDA “has a responsibility for keeping an eye on that industry” to maintain an infrastructure to produce the next generation of biofuels. Vilsack also says USDA is working with …