The GMO Labeling Debate

Jamie Johansen

New Holland ZimmPollOur latest ZimmPoll asked the question, “What should Congress do about GMO labeling?”

It looks like we have many opinions on what Congress should do about the labeling of genetically modified organisms (GMO). Most agricultural organizations supported Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat Roberts bill on Biotechnology Labeling Solutions, blocking advancement of the legislation that would create a voluntary federal standard for labeling foods with genetically modified ingredients. Yet, Senate failed to agree and now it is in the hands of Congress.

Here are the poll results:

  • Nothing, let states decide – 31%
  • Pass mandatory national law – 25%
  • Pass voluntary, educational law – 35%
  • Don’t know – 6%
  • Other -3%

Our new ZimmPoll is now live and asks the question, Do you have a degree in agriculture?

A recent survey conducted for Land O’Lakes suggests that there is very low interest in college grads to pursue a career in agriculture. However, AgCareers.com sees a very different trend. AgCareers has a 33% increase in the number of visits to their website in the last year. This led us to wonder if you have a degree in agriculture and how you might be using it.

ZimmPoll

Senators Call for Increased RFS RVOs

Joanna Schroeder

This week Senators Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and 17 others sent a letter to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) calling for them to follow the congressional intent of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) by increasing blending targets (Renewable Volume Obligations/RVO) for 2017. The biofuels industry praised the senators for their call to action and released a joint statement.

epa-150“We want to thank all 19 senators for highlighting the biofuel industry’s concerns with EPA incorrectly citing distribution infrastructure as a factor in setting the 2014–2016 blending targets, and urging the agency to reverse course for the 2017 rule by simply following congressional intent. That is the very heart of why we and other biofuel groups filed a lawsuit in January against EPA.

Getting the RFS back to the statutory levels congress intended is critical in moving our nation forward to energy independence by using cleaner burning, homegrown biofuels, like ethanol, which reduce harmful emissions and our reliance on foreign oil imports. As important, returning to the statutory levels intended by Congress will provide the necessary certainty producers need to move forward with critical business decisions.

Back in the fall of 2015, Administrator McCarthy addressed biofuels stakeholders, saying, ‘EPA is working hard to make sure that the Renewable Fuel Standard program is actually moving towards the levels that Congress intended.’ We are hopeful that the EPA will follow through on their commitment, releasing a rule that reflects this and eliminates the possibility of any distribution waivers.”

We appreciate the steadfast commitment of these senators to ensure the RFS is enacted as originally envisioned and encourage the EPA to heed the recommendations of these senators, to indeed get the RFS ‘back on track’ as the agency has promised.”

Biodiesel, biofuels, EPA, Ethanol, RFS

Greenbelt Explores Cuban Alt Energy Opportunities

Joanna Schroeder

Greenbelt Resources CEO Darren Eng recently took advantage of the new opportunities opening up between the United States and Cuba. He traveled to Havana, Cuba and while there met with several companies to discuss their exempt from embargo advanced modular technology that can produce products such as cellulosic biofuels and animal feed.

greenbelt_logo_smallEng met with a representative from the Center for Information Management and Energy Development (CUBAENERGIA), a company that provides, research-development and tech-innovation projects to companies across the country.  In addition, he met with representatives from Cubazucar, a branch of the Cuban sugar industry. During his visit Eng says he confirmed that sustainable energy development is a high priority for many major Cuban industries, in particular sugar and food production.

“The mores of Cuban business rely heavily on trust, which can only be earned in person,” said Eng. “By meeting face-to-face, we jointly overcame the myriad challenges we experienced communicating long-distance, and we reaffirmed our mutual desire to develop projects utilizing Greenbelt technology.”

Eng says a variety of factors make Greenbelt Resources uniquely suitable for government approval in the current diplomatic milieu. He notes the company is not a consumer business; their technology converts local food/farm industry wastes into local resources such as renewable fuel, animal feed and sustainable energy; and the Greenbelt local-scale model benefits small private farmers, much like small-tractor maker Cleber LLC, the first private Cuban-American company approved in Cuba.

Several factors make Special Economic Zone of Mariel (ZED Mariel) suitable for an initial deployment of Greenbelt solutions, Eng added. The sugar industry and other food producers have a strong presence in the area while businesses in the zone need a reliable source of industrial energy and fuel. In addition, he says, the government promises an accelerated review and approval process with emphasis on sustainable development.

Greenbelt Resources CFO Joe Pivinski added, “Now that we have established key relationships, and through those relationships confirmed the unique potential Cuba represents to our company our goal is to establish alliances with appropriate financial partners and funding sources to obtain capital to pursue these opportunities.”

advanced biofuels, Cellulosic, Ethanol

BioEnergy Bytes

Joanna Schroeder

  • BioEnergyBytesDF1Ethanol Producer magazine is reporting that North Africa, Tunisia-based Biodex-sa is doubling its biodiesel production capacity. The plant currently produces 2.1 million-gallons-per-year. The expansion is expected to be complete by the end of 2016.
  • UNICA is reporting that sugar production from February 1 to March 16, 2016 has produced hydrous and anhydrous ethanol volumes of 180.38 million liters and 39.01 million liters respectively. During this period there was significant conversion of anhydrous ethanol in hydrous ethanol. As a result, the total supply in the first half of the month increased by 269.16 million liters of hydrous ethanol and a drop of 46.74 million liters in the availability of anhydrous ethanol of which UNICA is reporting is normal for this time of year.
  • American Science and Technology has announced the completion of its Wausau, WI bio-refinery pilot plant scale up. The new pilot plant increases AST’s processing capacity to 2 tons of cellulosic biomass per day.
  • Murex LLC, a leading domestic ethanol marketer and distributer, has announced further market growth with the execution of a multiyear ethanol marketing agreement with White Energy. The agreement calls for Murex LLC to market all three of White Energy’s production locations, two in Texas and one in Kansas, totaling 295mm gallons of permitted ethanol production annually.
Bioenergy Bytes

Research: Sugar to Biodiesel Better

Joanna Schroeder

Researchers at the University of Illinois have discovered a method to economically produce biodiesel from sugarcane as compared to the production of biodiesel from soybean oil. At the beginning of the research, which was designed to find a better way to make biodiesel than using food crops or land needed for food production, the team landed on sugarcane and sweet sorghum as viable options to achieve the goals. An article based on the research was published this month in BIOfpr.

Soybean field in Iowa. Photo Credit: Joanna Schroeder

Soybean field in Iowa. Photo Credit: Joanna Schroeder

According to lead project investigator Stephen P. Long, U of I crop scientist, the team altered sugarcane metabolism to convert sugars into lipids, or oils, which could been be used to produce biodiesel. While the natural makeup of sugarcane is typically only about 0.05 percent oil, within a year of starting the project, the team was able to boost oil production 20 times, to approximately 1 percent.

Today the so-called “oil-cane” plants are producing 12 percent oil with the team’s ultimate goal of achieving 20 percent oil. Oil cane has additional advantages that have been engineered by the tea iincluding increased cold tolerance and more efficient photosynthesis, which leads to greater biomass production and even more oil.

“If all of the energy that goes into producing sugar instead goes into oil, then you could get 17 to 20 barrels of oil per acre,” Long explains. Today an acre of soybean produces about one barrel or oil. “A crop like this could be producing biodiesel at a very competitive price, and could represent a perpetual source of oil and a very significant offset to greenhouse gas emissions, as well.”

In their analysis, the team looked at the land area, technology, and costs required for processing oil-cane biomass into biodiesel under a variety of oil production scenarios, from 2 percent oil in the plant to 20 percent. These numbers were compared with normal sugarcane, which can be used to produce ethanol, and soybean. An advantage of oil cane is that leftover sugars in the plant can be converted to ethanol, providing two fuel sources in one.

“Modern sugarcane mills in Brazil shared with us all of their information on energy inputs, costs, and machinery. Then we looked at the U.S. corn ethanol industry, and how they separated the corn oil. Everything we used is existing technology, so that gave us a lot of security on our estimates,” Long said.Read More

advanced biofuels, Biodiesel, Research

Penn State Harvests First Shrub Willow Crop

Joanna Schroeder

Researchers at Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences have completed the harvest of its first experimental crop of shrub willow. The intention of the biomass crop is for use to produce renewable energy and bio-based products. The 34 acres of the shrub willow is part of a five-year program called NEWBio one of seven regional projects of which the goal is to investigate and research sustainable production of woody biomass. Planted in 2012 on land formerly owned by the State Correctional Institution at Rockview, the biomass crop will regrow and will be harvested every three years.

Biomass energy from crops such as shrub willow could provide the social, economic and ecological drivers for a sustainable rural renaissance in the Northeast, researchers say. Photo Credit Penn State.

Biomass energy from crops such as shrub willow could provide the social, economic and ecological drivers for a sustainable rural renaissance in the Northeast, researchers say. Photo Credit Penn State.

“The shrub willow stand at Rockview can continue producing biomass for more than 20 years, and we hope to use it both as a source of renewable energy and as a platform for sustainability research,” explained Armen Kemanian, associate professor of production systems and modeling in the Department of Plant Science, one of the lead researchers in the project. “This is an excellent site to investigate impacts on soil and water quality, biodiversity, avoided carbon dioxide emissions, and the potential for growing a regional bio-based economy. Students from our college visit the site and have a firsthand and close-up view of this new crop for the region.”

Kemanian said shrub willow was selected because the perennial likes to be cut. The team is taking advantage of the shrub willow’s vigorous regrowth allowing for multiple harvest cycles. In addition, Kemanian notes the plants also establish a root system that stabilizes the soil and stores substantial amounts of carbon that otherwise would be lost to the atmosphere.

Other advantages of the plant include its ability to store an recycle nutrients leading to little need for fertilizer and an ability to help improve water quality.  Increasing perennial vegetation is a critical component of Pennsylvania’s water quality strategy, and these biomass crops allow vulnerable parts of the landscape to remain economically productive while protecting water quality says Kemanian who notes that shrub willow can produce the same amount of biomass as a corn crop with only a third of the nitrogen fertilizer. When the plants grow, they take carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. After harvest, when the biomass is combusted either as wood chips or as a liquid biofuel, the carbon dioxide returns to the atmosphere to complete the cycle.

Researchers believe the NEWBio project could hold an important key to future economic development for the region but first an understanding of how to economically handle the harvesting, transportation and storage of massive volumes, which constitutes 40 to 60 percent of the cost of biomass is needed. The continuation of the research will address these concerns as well.

advanced biofuels, bioenergy, biomass, Research

Illinois Soybean & Partners Promote Biodiesel

Joanna Schroeder

The Illinois Soybean Association’s (ISA) B20 Club recently partnered with the Chicago Area Clean Cities Coalition to promote the benefits of biodiesel. Timed with National Biodiesel Day, the B20 Club promotion, sponsored by ISA and the American Lung Association in Illinois, highlighted Illinois-based fleets running on 20 percent (B20) biodiesel blends.

B20_Bug“By promoting biodiesel’s benefits through CACC, we can play a greater role in reducing our state’s carbon footprint and supporting local economies,” said Gary Berg, soybean farmer from St. Elmo, Ill., and ISA director. “Increased biodiesel consumption supports Illinois farmers by creating more demand for soybean oil, which ultimately builds a more sustainable future for Illinois.”

According to ISA, B20 Club members have chosen biodiesel for its fuel savings and emissions reductions. The club’s combined reduction in carbon dioxide emissions per year is the equivalent of planting 10,638 trees.

“We are grateful for the support of the B20 Club and Illinois Soybean Association. Together, we can create increased awareness about biodiesel’s ease of use and environmental benefits,” added John Walton, vice chairman of Chicago Area Clean Cities. “Last year our coalition’s 150 members had the same effect as removing 53,000 passenger cars from the road. This partnership is likely to increase this positive impact.”

advanced biofuels, Biodiesel

US and Nigerian #Corn Growers Talk #Ethanol

Cindy Zimmerman

NCGA's Paul Bertels and Nigerian Corn Growers Association's Edwin Uche in front of the NCGA office.

NCGA’s Paul Bertels and Nigerian Corn Growers Association’s Edwin Uche in front of the NCGA office.

The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) staffers welcomed the director of the Nigerian Corn Growers Association for a series of meetings this week on how farmers in the two nations can work together to increase corn demand.

Edwin Uche, director of the Nigerian Corn Growers Association, reached out for a meeting during the recent Maize Genetics Conference in Florida and expressed his excitement for NCGA’s work and enthusiasm for doing similar for farmers in Nigeria. During his visit to the NCGA office, Uche met with Vice President of Production and Stewardship Paul Bertels, Director of Communications Ken Colombini and Director of Development Joe Hodes.

Through a series of in-depth discussions, Uche explored ways in which he could increase corn demand in Nigeria while fostering acceptance of biotechnology and growing the country’s ethanol industry. A proponent of biotechnology in agriculture, Uche also hopes to move more farmers toward this productive technology and away from an ongoing reliance upon open pollinated varieties currently hampering yield in Nigeria.

Discussions yielded insights for NCGA as well. Uche shared his confusion as to how the idea of food versus fuel took hold in the United States, expressing that he sees how corn clearly provides an excellent way to meet both demands simultaneously. Additionally, his pro-biotechnology and pro-ethanol stances fostered hope for potential market growth in Nigeria which could lead to growth in American corn exports to the region.

Biotech, corn, Ethanol, Ethanol News, International, NCGA

Work Trucks Favor #Biodiesel

Cindy Zimmerman

nteaAccording to a new 2016 Fleet Purchasing Outlook study conducted by the According to a new 2016 Fleet Purchasing Outlook study conducted by the NTEA – The Association for the Work Truck Industry – biodiesel is now the most commonly used alternative fuel option on the market.

Each December, NTEA conducts a comprehensive Fleet Purchasing Outlook Survey to better understand the commercial vehicle landscape, including interest levels for advanced truck technologies and alternative fuels. The new survey results for 2016 show 18 percent of fleets use biodiesel now – up from 15 percent in 2015 – with more fleets planning to acquire or continue using biodiesel than any other alternative fuel option.

“The evolution of alternative fuel technologies is still triggering change for vocational truck specifications,” says Doyle Sumrall, Managing Director of NTEA. “However, general interest has dropped in recent years due to persistently low oil costs and will likely remain muted until prices rebound. Despite current challenges facing the alternative fuels movement, fleet interest in biodiesel has remained strong, actually increasing in 2016 as compared to the previous year.”

moline-biodieselThe National Biodiesel Board (NBB) notes that the City of Moline in Illinois has operated its full fleet of over 102 diesel vehicles and equipment on B20, a 20 percent blend of biodiesel with ultra-low sulfur diesel, since 2006 which has helped the city enhance the performance and minimize the maintenance of its vehicles’ fuel systems at a lower cost than diesel fuel.

J.D. Schulte, Fleet Manager for the City of Moline, stated, “Here in Moline, air quality is paramount to our quality of life. We made the switch to clean, domestically produced plant-based biodiesel ten years ago, not only because it was a good choice for our fleet, but also because it was a good choice for our community. My advice to other fleet managers is, if you are conscious of and serious about air quality and looking for an easy and cost-effective solution to make a positive difference in your community, biodiesel is a natural choice.”

Biodiesel is the first and only commercial-scale fuel to meet the EPA’s definition as an Advanced Biofuel – meaning the EPA has determined that biodiesel reduces greenhouse gas emissions by more than 50 percent when compared with petroleum diesel. In the Gross Vehicle Weight Class 5-8 vehicles that account for 92 percent of on-road diesel / biodiesel fuel use, nearly 90 percent of the medium- and heavy-duty truck OEMs support the use of B20 biodiesel blends.

Biodiesel, NBB

House Members Urge Reduction in #Ethanol Tariffs

Cindy Zimmerman

ttipA bipartisan group of lawmakers sent a letter to U.S. Trade Ambassador Michael Froman this week urging him to examine opportunities to reduce any tariffs on U.S. produced energy, including ethanol, during the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (T-Tip) negotiations.

“The U.S. ethanol industry has been unfairly targeted by the EU for increased duties (on ethanol) which have subsequently eliminated U.S. share in the European market,” reads the letter from nine members of Congress. “Currently Europe cannot adequately produce enough ethanol for their own market without importing ethanol from foreign sources, such as the U.S.”

“As T-TIP negotiations progress toward completion,” they continued, “we are confident you can leverage access to all domestic energy sources, such as U.S. natural gas, crude, and ethanol in order to achieve a favorable outcome for these industries and the reduction or elimination of trade obstacles to market access in Europe.”

The European Commission imposed a 9.6 percent duty on U.S. ethanol over three years ago in response to an anti-dumping complaint lodged by European ethanol trade group ePURE. In May 2013, the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) and Growth Energy filed a complaint with the General Court in Luxembourg which is still being litigated challenging the Commission’s decision.

“The duties imposed were unjustified and blatantly protectionist,” says RFA CEO Bob Dinneen. “Sadly, the real losers in this are European consumers that have to pay more for motor fuel because the lowest-cost liquid fuel in the world — U.S. ethanol — has been targeted by their protectionist policy. Since Europe cannot produce sufficient domestic ethanol supply, and must import the fuel from foreign sources, including the U.S., it is time to see the duties removed.”

Ethanol, Ethanol News, Exports, Government, Growth Energy, International, RFA