The ethanol industry wasted no time fighting back today against another attack by the food industry to blame higher prices on ethanol production.
The newly-formed Growth Energy called on the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) to “discontinue its deceptive attacks on the government’s investment in ethanol and other renewable fuels.” Growth Energy held a press conference shortly after the group “Food Before Fuel,” which is back by GMA, held a press conference calling for an end to all ethanol “subsidies.”
Growth Energy members in turn pointed out that the food companies themselves have been the beneficiary of subsidies, such as the $55 billion being spent this year on federal food assistance programs. “The federal government has an important role in supporting programs that promote the common good,” said Dave Vander Griend, President & CEO of ICM, Inc. and board member of Growth Energy. “Whether by funding anti-poverty programs like food stamps or championing renewable energy that will jumpstart our green economy and create jobs, we believe that it is good public policy to make smart investments for our nation’s future.”
The “Food Before Fuel” group called the press conference today as the “30th anniversary of ethanol subsidies” and referred to ethanol as “30-year-old under employed child” living in our basement. During the Cellulosic Ethanol Summit in Florida, Renewable Fuels Association president Bob Dinneen said, “It’s a cute analogy but the problem is there’s somebody else living in that house and it’s the 120-year-old oil industry that continues to be subsidized,” as well as other energy industries. “There is not a single energy market today that is not heavily subsidized by the government because energy is so darn important to every nation’s economy.”
The National Corn Growers Association was outraged by the attack, which was focused only on corn ethanol. “These same ethanol critics are the ones who virtually promised to reduce food prices immediately, and have failed to do so, even though corn prices and energy prices are down by more than half in the last few weeks,” National Corn Growers Association president Bob Dickey said.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has reminded the petroleum industry that next year’s renewable fuel standard (RFS) is being stepped up, and the industry must be ready to comply.
Joe Jobe, the CEO of the National Biodiesel Board (NBB) applauded the EPA for their diligence to ensure that obligated parties would be required to use 500 million gallons of biomass-based diesel to meet these requirements. “Biodiesel is a proven alternative that is ready now; with the highest energy balance of any renewable fuel, its growing economic impact of creating new ‘green’ jobs and an alternative that brings the U.S. closer to energy independence, biodiesel is the logical renewable fuel to look towards in the future,” Jobe stated. “Not to mention its environmental impact is significantly lower than any other fuel on the marketplace today.” 
Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Charles Bronson believes that Florida can be a leader in the production of cellulosic ethanol. 
As a cattle rancher by background, Bronson says he disagrees with some of his friends in the cattle industry. “They think that corn production is all being used up in the fuel, but it’s not,” Bronson said. “We’re producing more corn today than ever before in the United States so there is still plenty of corn left for humans and animals.”
The third annual 
“We have an E10 standard by 2010,” said Susac. “Another initiative that we are very proud of is the Department of Agriculture’s Farm to Fuel to stimulate the agriculture community to grow our fuels, fuel out cars, enhance our economy and strengthen our energy security.”
The Governator wants his state to get more of its energy from renewable sources.
Algae-biodiesel production company Solazyme, Inc. will be featuring its SoladieselRD(TM), the world’s first algal-based renewable diesel, at a summit this week in California.
In this “Ethanol Report” podcast, Geoff Cooper of the 
The newly formed ethanol advocacy group, 
The new organization will be “working very closely together” with the