Growth Energy Hires New Communications VP

Cindy Zimmerman

Jennifer Morris has joined Growth Energy as new Vice President of Communications and Public Affairs. Morris previously served as Senior Vice President of Corporate and Public Affairs at Edelman.

“One of our main directives at Growth Energy is to effectively communicate that success story – whether it be to policymakers, consumers, members, or other industry stakeholders – in a way that truly moves the needle for biofuels. Jennifer’s diverse mix of experience and expertise is just what we need to be the tip of the spear in communicating ethanol’s value to a wide range of key audiences,” said Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor.

Prior to Edelman, Morris was the Head of Global Public Affairs and Financial Literacy for Visa, Inc., and has previous communications experience on Capitol Hill. She holds an undergraduate degree from Tulane University and a Masters of Public Administration from the American University School of Public Affairs.

biofuels, communications, Ethanol, Growth Energy

American Drivers Surpass 5 Billion Miles on E15

Cindy Zimmerman

In the midst of Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP) restrictions on the sale E15 fuel across most of the country, American drivers have still driven another billion miles on 15 percent ethanol fuel in the past two months, for a total of 5 billion miles on E15, according to Growth Energy. The latest milestone was reached as consumers only have access to E15 in Reformulated Gasoline (RFG) markets or if they drive flex fuel vehicles.

“When we give consumers a better option at the pump, they choose E15 again and again,” said Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor. “That’s why Americans have surpassed more than 5 billion miles on E15, which provides unrivaled value for their engines, the environment, and their wallets.”

Working hand-in-hand with Prime the Pump, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping build the infrastructure and distribution of higher biofuel blends, Growth Energy has doubled the number of E15 stations four years in a row to include 1,400 stations across 30 states. In addition to the stores currently selling E15, Growth Energy and Prime the Pump have secured commitments for more than 2,800 retail sites that will offer E15 by 2021, generating approximately 350 million new ethanol gallons annually.

It was the first week in May that Growth Energy announced the four billion gallon milestone.

E15, Ethanol, Growth Energy

Registration Open for Export Exchange 2018

Cindy Zimmerman

Registration is now open for Export Exchange 2018, Oct. 22-24 in Minneapolis.

The U.S. Grains Council (USGC), the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA), and Growth Energy are encouraging U.S. suppliers of coarse grains and co-products, industry representatives and members of the grain trade to plan on attending this biennial event which connects them with international grain buyers.

The Exhange is expected to bring together 200 international buyers and end-users of coarse grains and co-products, including distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS), with approximately 300 U.S. suppliers and agribusiness representatives.

In addition to networking opportunities, the conference will have general sessions, which will address critical issues facing U.S. agricultural exports, offering the customers and sellers in attendance an increased awareness of the benefits of U.S. coarse grains and co-products, including DDGS.

Following Export Exchange 2016, buyers and end-users reported sales of approximately 2.6 million metric tons of grains and co-products worth $460 million traded either at the conference or immediately before or after.

Registration is available online and members of USGC, RFA, and Growth Energy members are eligible for discounted pricing.

Distillers Grains, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Events, Export Exchange, Exports, Grains, Growth Energy, RFA, USGC

Scott Pruitt Resigns From EPA

chuck zimmerman

Well, here’s news that probably won’t upset too many people I know. I’m actually amazed that this didn’t happen much sooner. Of course this had to happen during a pretty much vacation week for the ZimmComm Team and many, many other folks.

Here’s some industry reaction on the announcement. I think you can sum it up that everyone is pretty happy about it.

President Trump’s Tweet announcing his acceptance of Pruitt’s resignation

National Corn Growers Association (NCGA)
Quote from Kevin Skunes, president and North Dakota Farmer:
“It’s no secret corn farmers have been frustrated with Scott Pruitt’s ongoing actions over the past year that have seriously undermined the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS).

Growth Energy
Quote from Emily Skor, CEO:
“Administrator Pruitt’s tenure as administrator of the EPA put a heavy strain on this administration’s relationship with supporters, farmers, and biofuel producers across the heartland.

Renewable Fuels Association
Quote from Bob Dinneen, CEO:
“For the past year, Scott Pruitt had been waging war against the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), the biofuels industry, and the millions of farmers and rural Americans who helped Donald Trump get elected.

National Biodiesel Board
Kurt Kovarik, Vice President of Federal Affairs:
“The EPA plays an important role in implementing policies that have a great impact on our industry. For that reason, we look forward to working with Mr. Wheeler and hope he will act more in line with President Trump’s support for America’s farmers, biofuels producers and the Renewable Fuel Standard.”

AgWired Animal, AgWired Energy, AgWired Precision, Biodiesel, biofuels, EPA, Ethanol, Government

Commodity Classic Releases 2019 Schedule

Less than eight months to go ’til Commodity Classic 2019 – time to start getting prepared!

The tentative schedule for the show to be held February 28 through March 2 in Orlando, has been released and includes extended trade show hours, a full slate of educational sessions, and the Main Stage on the trade show floor returns with presentations from agribusiness leaders, well-known ag personalities and other speakers.

Established in 1996, Commodity Classic is presented by the American Soybean Association, National Corn Growers Association, National Association of Wheat Growers, National Sorghum Producers and the Association of Equipment Manufacturers.

Ag group, AgWired Energy, AgWired Precision, Commodity Classic

Upcoming Ethanol Plant Educational Opportunities

Cindy Zimmerman

Enrollment is now open for the 2018 Alcohol School, September 9-17 in Montreal. Now in its 37th year, The Alcohol School has a tradition of educating fuel ethanol and distilled beverage producers in the science of alcohol production. This week-long program has become the industry’s premier educational event, covering a variety of timely industry topics.

The Process Safety Boot Camp will be held August 7-9 at Novozymes Inc. in Blair, Nebraska. The three-day course looks at the OSHA PSM Regulations and EPA Prevention Program process safety regulation requirements. The course should be taken by new and experienced ethanol plant front-line engineers responsible for design, maintenance, manufacturing or supervision as managers and engineers involved in regulatory compliance. Find out more from the Nebraska Ethanol Board.

Education, Ethanol, Ethanol News

God Bless America and the American Farmer

Food for thought this Independence Day from former Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack:

“America has to understand and appreciate what it has in agriculture.

American consumers walk out of the grocery store with still more money in their pocket and their paychecks and their incomes than virtually anybody else in the world.

That creates great flexibility in our economy directly connected to American agriculture.

It also provides the opportunity for every single one of us who are not farmers to be able to choose alternative opportunities for ourselves and our families.

We have transferred the responsibility of feeding our families to a relatively small percentage of our population called the American farmer.”

AgWired Animal, AgWired Energy, AgWired Precision, Farming, ZimmComm Announcement

Happy Independence from High Gas Prices

Cindy Zimmerman

A record number of Americans are traveling this week for the July 4th holiday and as we celebrate our nation’s independence, we can also celebrate our independence from high gas prices thanks to ethanol.

According to AAA, a record 39.7 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more by automobile for Independence Day, five percent more than a year ago. Those drivers will be paying at least 12 percent less for gasoline—or $0.26 per gallon—thanks to ethanol, according to a new analysis by the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA). In fact, ethanol is expected to reduce household spending on gasoline by $37 billion this year, or $292 per household.

The analysis also shows that if E15 were available nationwide in place of E10, consumers would be saving even more money. The wholesale savings currently attributable to E15 is $0.32 per gallon, or 15 percent lower than E0 gasoline.

“As a record number of travelers hit the roads this holiday, there is no better way to celebrate Independence Day than to fill up with fuel containing American-made ethanol. In addition to saving American families money at the pump, ethanol boosts rural economies and helps increase our energy independence,” said RFA President and CEO Bob Dinneen.

U.S. dependence on imported petroleum is falling, thanks in part to booming domestic production of renewable fuels. In 2005, the year the original renewable fuel standard was adopted, America’s net dependence on foreign petroleum peaked at just over 60%. However, by 2017, net petroleum import dependence fell to just 20%, and would have been 27% without the addition of 15.8 billion gallons of domestically produced ethanol to the fuel supply. Last year, ethanol displaced an amount of gasoline refined from 560 million barrels of crude oil—more than the volume imported annually from Saudi Arabia and Venezuela combined.

Ethanol, Ethanol News, RFA

Increasing Profit Margins for Ethanol

Ethanol production has become a key market for U.S. corn, but margins are often tight. New technology would allow existing ethanol plants to convert a part of their production into making plant-based chemicals that have higher values, with profits that could be passed along to corn growers.

“We know that ethanol today is a commodity that has been really pressed down with pricing and margins,” said Joaquin Alarcon, President and CEO of Catalyxx. “So, this technology allows a plant to convert part of their production into chemicals that have higher value and provide significant profits related to that.”

Alarcon told participants at the 2018 Corn Utilization and Technology Conference in St. Louis that higher end butanol and other alcohols are examples of fuels that could provide at least $1.00/gallon of additional profit to the ethanol producer. Alarcon said it’s an exciting prospect as these are green, renewable chemicals with a cost of production that is the lowest in the industry. He said a facility could be built onto an existing ethanol plant or as a standalone processor that would transport ethanol from the Midwest.

To learn more, listen to Chuck’s interview here: Interview with Joaquin Alarcon at CUTC18

2018 Corn Utilization & Technology Conference Photo Album

AgWired Energy, AgWired Precision, Audio, corn, CUTC, Ethanol

Planted Acreage Report Surprises

USDA’s planted acreage report out Friday contained some surprising numbers for the trade.

The National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) estimates 89.6 million acres of soybeans planted in the United States for 2018, down 1 percent from last year, and corn area planted is estimated at 89.1 million acres, also down 1 percent from last year.

All cotton planted area for 2018 is estimated at 13.5 million acres, 7 percent above last year, and all wheat planted area for 2018 is estimated at 47.8 million acres, up 4 percent from last year.

NASS also released the quarterly Grain Stocks report Friday:

• Soybeans stored totaled 1.22 million bushels, up 26 percent from June 1, 2017. On-farm soybean stocks were up 13 percent from a year ago, while off-farm stocks were up 33 percent.
• Corn stocks totaled 5.31 billion bushels, up 1 percent from the same time last year. On-farm corn stocks were down 3 percent from a year ago, but off-farm stocks were up 7 percent.
• All wheat stored totaled 1.10 billion bushels, down 7 percent from a year ago. On-farm all wheat stocks were down 32 percent from last year, while off-farm stocks were down 2 percent.
• Durum wheat stored totaled 35.9 million bushels, down 1 percent from June 1, 2017. On-farm stocks of Durum wheat are down 19 percent from June 1, 2017. Off-farm stocks of Durum wheat were up from the previous year by 17 percent from a year ago.

Jack Scoville of The PRICE Futures Group provided commentary for the MGEX Crop Report Conference Call. “A very interesting report – farmers planted a lot more of everything than anybody thought,” said Scoville on the call. “Corn planted area…is well above the average trade guess – really above all trade guesses.”

Listen here: MGEX 6-29-18 Crop report call with commentary from Jack Scoville, PRICE Futures Group

AgWired Energy, AgWired Precision, Audio, USDA