Two Republican senators voiced concerns Wednesday about a potential U.S.-Brazil ethanol accord.
Iowa Senator Charles Grassley says he welcomes the President’s efforts to increase ethanol consumption through a partnership with Brazil because “God only made so much oil.” However, he said “We want to welcome it from a standpoint that United States taxpayers are not subsidizing competition,” which he says would happen if the tariff on Brazilian ethanol imports were eliminated.
South Dakota Republican John Thune argues that elimination of the tariff is counter-productive to the intention of developing a strong domestic ethanol industry. “This is something that is very good for American agricultural producers,” he said. “So it doesn’t make sense for us to be trying to develop that industry elsewhere around the world nor to make us dependent on a foreign source of energy when the whole purpose is to become less dependent on foreign sources of energy.”
Ethanol industry leader 
RFA President Bob Dinneen issued the following 
Osborn says the first race of the season is the 
Osborn says the alternative portion is the fact that his VW runs on diesel… an alternative to the racing petrol most other racers use. And he says since it does run on diesel, there is always the possibility of another alternative… biodiesel… could make it into his racer. “The performance issues with diesel and biodiesel are sonmething at their infancies in the United States, and something we’d like to puruse.”
While he likes to grab the checkered flag, Osborn says his racing has a bigger purpose. Chili Pepper Racing has been racing for charities for years. Now, he races for a more personal purpose. Last year, he lost his eight-week-old infant son to cancer. “Over the winter, we took some of this pain we had were feeling and tried to turn it into some positive energy and formed the Austin Hatcher Foundation for Pediatric Cancer.” Osborn says they’ll race this season in “Hatch’s” name.
The plant will produce up to five megawatts of electricity and will run on biodiesel from a 
Imperium Renewables has announced it has achieved a BQ-9000 certification for its Seattle-based refineries. 
To anyone concerned about high grain prices, the impact of biofuels on the livestock industry, or whether we will have enough corn to meet all needs, Dean Kleckner has just one message: “Let the market sort it out.”
According to 
The Renewable Fuels Association and the Energy Information Administration announced today that production of ethanol in 2006 reached 4.86 billion gallons… up 24.3% percent from 2005. Likewise, demand for ethanol is up by a third during the same time period.
“America’s ethanol industry is clearly stepping up to fulfill increased ethanol demand and help address the need to reduce America’s dependence on foreign oil,” said RFA President Bob Dinneen. “The nearly 25 percent increase in ethanol production over last year is consistent with the type of growth our industry has experienced in recent years and this growth will continue. The bottom line is America’s ethanol industry is up to the challenges that lie before us.”