AFBF Celebrates Centennial

January 13, 2019

American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) President Zippy Duvall officially opened the organization’s 100th annual convention in New Orleans Sunday before approximately 7,000 farmers and ranchers from across the nation.

Duvall outlined a few of the organization’s many historic accomplishments since 1919, such as leading the way on the nation’s first farm bill in the 1930s and helping develop the Food for Peace Program in the 1950s. As AFBF heads toward a new century of service to America’s farm and ranch families, Duvall said the organization will continue to be guided by the honorable principle that “farmers want to feed people.”

“Farm Bureau members throughout our history, and still today, have always answered the call to feed, fuel and defend our nation. I am grateful for this wonderful organization,” Duvall said. “Its founding 100 years ago was truly a breakthrough in American history. The founding fathers and mothers of our nation and of Farm Bureau were guided by a divine hand, a hand that still guides us today.”

On Monday, President Donald Trump will address the Farm Bureau meeting for the second year in a row during the closing general session.

Listen to Duvall’s address here:
AFBF19 President Zippy Duvall address to members

2019 AFBF Annual Convention photo album

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Iowa Breaks Ethanol Production Record

Cindy Zimmerman January 10, 2019

Iowa ethanol plants had another record-breaking year in 2018, producing 4.35 billion gallons, up from 4.2 billion gallons in 2017.

Iowa Renewable Fuels Association Executive Director Monte Shaw said the increased production is due largely to record exports and despite this success, producers suffered from lower margins.

“This record production is a testament to the resilience of Iowa’s ethanol producers,” Shaw said. “This past year, they were hit with demand-destroying small-refinery exemptions and a closed Chinese market. The resulting low or in some cases negative margins made 2018 a tough year for ethanol producers and our corn suppliers. Iowa ethanol producers have weathered the storm fairly well given the reports of idled and even shuttered plants in other states.”

Shaw said action is needed to return profitability to the industry by growing markets abroad and at home.

“We hope that 2019 can get ethanol demand out of neutral and growing again with a properly enforced RFS, year-round E15, and the reopening of the China market,” he said. “Much depends on the actions of the Trump Administration and the EPA. It is within their power to set us on the course for not only record ethanol production, but restored prosperity in rural America.”

Iowa’s production is approximately 27 percent of total U.S. ethanol production for 2018.

Ethanol, Ethanol News, Iowa RFA

Slow Start for 2019 Ethanol Production

Cindy Zimmerman January 10, 2019

According to the latest Energy Information Administration data analyzed by the Renewable Fuels Association, ethanol production declined the first week of the new year to the smallest volume in 37 weeks at an average of 1.000 million barrels per day (b/d)—or 42.00 million gallons daily. The four-week average for ethanol production settled lower at 1.025 million b/d for an annualized rate of 15.71 billion gallons.

For the last week of 2018, ending on December 28, ethanol production was the lowest volume in 11 weeks at an average of 1.011 million barrels per day (b/d)—or 42.46 million gallons daily. The four-week average for ethanol production softened at 1.036 million b/d for an annualized rate of 15.88 billion gallons.

Of course, both of those weeks included holidays when production is normally lower.

Ethanol, Ethanol News, RFA

IRFA Welcomes New Policy Director

Cindy Zimmerman January 9, 2019

The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA) is pleased to welcome Nathan Hohnstein as its new Policy Director to oversee state policy, support IRFA’s political and PAC programs, and work on state and federal regulatory affairs.

Hohnstein most recently worked as a policy adviser for Governor Kim Reynolds. Prior to that he worked for former Governor Terry Branstad on boards & commissions along with work on multiple political campaigns. He is originally from Cedar Falls and graduated from the University of Northern Iowa with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science. Currently, Hohnstein is attending Drake University part-time for his Master’s in Public Administration.

Ethanol, Ethanol News, Iowa RFA

DigestData Launched for Bio-based Start-ups

January 3, 2019

The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) has joined with Biofuels Digest to create and launch DigestData, an online database to help facilitate networking and the transfer of information between interested parties working in the bio-based industry. NCGA’s sponsorship provides DigestData users with free access to search research and pilot scale facilities along with facility details such as certifications, available equipment, and primary contact information.

“The goal was to bring more visibility to these facilities and projects in the United States,” said Feed, Food and Industrial Action Team Chair Dan Wesely. “We want companies to recognize the number of facilities that are located right here in the Midwest, close to the untapped potential that corn can provide as a feedstock. DigestData provides a service that NCGA believes will help facilitate networking and communication across the bio-based materials industry.”

DigestData includes a messaging platform, allowing outreach to occur directly between interested parties within the online platform. The database will continue to evolve as new facilities and projects are added, or existing entries are updated in real-time at the request of their respective owners. There’s also a search by keyword function to help users quickly find information of interest.

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Record Breaking Year for Iowa Biodiesel

Cindy Zimmerman January 3, 2019

After a slight decrease in 2017, Iowa’s 12 biodiesel plants rebounded in 2018, producing a record 365 million gallons of biodiesel, according to the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA).

IRFA Executive Director Monte Shaw said the increased production was largely due to the plummeting level of biodiesel imports following a verdict against Argentina and Indonesia for illegally subsidizing imports to the U.S.

“In previous years American biodiesel producers struggled to compete against unfairly subsidized and dumped imports,” Shaw said. “This record-breaking year of production proves that when the playing field is level, U.S. biodiesel producers can successfully fulfill domestic demand.”

Iowa biodiesel production is expected to make up nearly 20 percent of total U.S. production for 2018. Shaw emphasized that the state could do even more if the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) level for biodiesel was set to at least mirror projected U.S. biodiesel consumption and not undermined by small-refinery exemptions.

Soybean oil was the primary feedstock for biodiesel production in Iowa, increasing its market share over 2017 to more than 80 percent while animal fat usage declined from 11 percent to less than five percent. Corn oil continued to make up about 10 percent of feedstock. Used cooking oil (UCO) saw a marginal increase to about four percent.

Biodiesel, Iowa RFA

Start the New Year off Right with Ethanol Safety

Cindy Zimmerman January 3, 2019

The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) and TRANSCAER® are getting the new year off on the right foot by offering plenty of opportunities for ethanol safety training.

RFA/TRANSCAER® are hosting four ethanol safety webinars in 2019, beginning on Jan. 15, followed by March 19, July 2, and Aug. 13. All webinars are from 11am CT-1pm CT. They are free to attend, but are limited to the first 100 attendees per webinar. Certificates of attendance will be awarded following the completion of the safety seminar.

The “Train the Trainer” webinars are funded through a Federal Railroad Administration/TRANSCAER® grant. A single webinar can train a group of individuals, who can then turn around and pass that information forward, equipping entire communities with the knowledge necessary to respond to any potential ethanol-related emergency.

Led by national hazardous materials trainer Joel Hendelman, the webinars are open to all professional individuals above the technical level of training who are interested in learning how to teach ethanol emergency response. These professional individuals must also have an awareness level of hazardous material storage, handing and emergency response.

In addition, RFA/TRANSCAER® will host several ethanol safety seminars in Vermont and Mississippi this month.

These seminars are designed for individuals who respond to ethanol-related emergencies, as well as those who work at fixed-facilities and transport fuel. They focus on numerous important areas of ethanol safety, including an introduction to ethanol and ethanol-blended fuels, chemical and physical characteristics of ethanol and hydrocarbon fuels, transportation and transfer, storage and dispensing locations, firefighting foam principles, general health and safety considerations and storage and pre-planning considerations.

Click here to learn more from RFA.

Ethanol, Ethanol News, RFA, safety

Ethanol Report for the New Year

Cindy Zimmerman January 2, 2019

Will 2019 be a happy new year for the ethanol industry?

In this first Ethanol Report podcast for 2019, Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) president and CEO Geoff Cooper comments on some of the challenges and opportunities for the industry in 2019, including getting year-round E15 approved before summer, and dealing with the continuing consequences of the small refinery waivers.

RFA’s annual National Ethanol Conference is coming up next month in Orlando and Cooper urges everyone in the industry to attend.