Scholarships Available for 2023 National Ethanol Conference

Cindy Zimmerman

The Renewable Fuels Association and Renewable Fuels Foundation (RFF) are once again partnering to offer scholarships for college students interested in attending the 28th annual National Ethanol Conference, scheduled for Feb. 28 – March 2 in Orlando. Members of RFA’s Young Professionals Network (YPN) are also eligible to apply.

Now in its 14th year, the program is named in honor of Robert “Bob” Sather, an educator who helped found RFA member company Ace Ethanol in Wisconsin. Sather was a past Chair of the Renewable Fuels Foundation. The aim of the Bob Sather Memorial Scholarship is to reach young adults aspiring to a career related to ethanol and open doors and present new perspectives on ethanol’s place in our world today and beyond. The program provides eligible applicants with opportunities to hear from, and engage with, top industry leaders, policymakers, and academic and technical experts.

The scholarships fully cover the registration fee, hotel, and up to $500 in airfare. A total of five will be awarded. Interested college students are asked to submit a 500-word essay explaining how their attendance at the NEC will help them achieve future goals. They should also submit two letters of recommendation and an up-to-date resume and current college transcript. Interested members of YPN need to complete the application questions and provide a resume and letter of recommendation from a supervisor or someone else familiar with their qualifications.

Applications are due January 17, 2023.

Ethanol, Ethanol News, National Ethanol Conference, Renewable Fuels Association, RFA

Trade Teams Visit Farms and Ethanol Plants

Cindy Zimmerman

A group of feed grain and DDGS buyers from South Korea visited Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy (SIRE)

Before and after Export Exchange 2022 last week, international trade teams consisting of agricultural product importers, government officials and agribusiness leaders had the opportunity to visit farms, ethanol plants, and export facilities around the U.S.

The trade teams represented more than 50 countries interested in U.S. corn, distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS) and sorghum. They traveled to a variety of locations from Washington D.C., throughout the Midwest, and states such as Louisiana and Arkansas.

One group of grain and DDGS importers from Mexico spent time in Iowa, seeing firsthand U.S. corn production areas, ethanol plants and learning about DDGS production and new technology entering the market. A group of feed grain and DDGS buyers from South Korea spent time in Washington, Nebraska, Iowa and Illinois, visiting the Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy (SIRE) ethanol plant in Council Bluff, IA, to learn more about the operation.

Eleven pre-event teams did visits prior to Export Exchange, while another ten teams traveled after the event. The trips were organized by the U.S. Grains Council.

corn, Distillers Grains, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Export Exchange, Exports

Senators Ask EPA for RFS “Set” Rulemaking

Cindy Zimmerman

Senators John Thune (R-SD) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) this week led a bipartisan group of colleagues in a letter urging the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish renewable volume obligations that are additive for all fuel types in the upcoming “set” rule under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). The senators also highlighted additional actions EPA should take in order to maximize the use and benefit of biofuels, including updating lifecycle analysis for biofuel emissions and approving additional fuel registrations and pathways under the RFS.

“We request that EPA take supportive actions to provide regulatory certainty and afford new opportunities for these homegrown fuels to deepen their contribution to America’s evolving energy landscape,” said the senators in the letter to EPA Administrator Michael Regan. “Through this rulemaking, EPA has a historic opportunity to not only reinforce its efforts to restore integrity to the RFS, but chart a new course for biofuels that will help meet America’s diverse energy demands while further decarbonizing numerous sectors of our economy.”

Biofuels organizations thanked the senators for their support of the RFS.

“With the forthcoming ‘set’ rule, EPA has a golden opportunity to stimulate further growth in low-carbon fuel use and build on the successes of the Renewable Fuel Standard,” said Geoff Cooper, president and CEO of the Renewable Fuels Association. “We appreciate the efforts of Senator Thune, Senator Durbin, and other stalwart renewable fuel supporters to ensure EPA issues a ‘set’ rule that furthers the environmental and economic objectives of the original RFS program.”

“As we near EPA’s announcement on the proposed Set rule, ACE applauds Senators Thune and Durbin for their leadership on a timely, bipartisan letter urging the Agency to utilize this historic opportunity to increase biofuel blending targets and take other important steps to leverage the role low carbon biofuels can and should play to address our nation’s energy demands and meet the Administration’s decarbonization goals,” said Brian Jennings, CEO of American Coalition for Ethanol. “New incentives enacted by Congress will boost investments in clean fuel technologies that support action by EPA to expand the use of clean fuels like ethanol through future RFS targets.”

“We thank Senators Thune, Durbin, and others for highlighting the bipartisan support for continued growth in the Renewable Fuel Standard volumes,” said Kurt Kovarik, vice president of Federal Affairs for Clean Fuels Alliance America. “We appreciate the Senators’ request that EPA build on the foundation of advanced biofuels and provide additional space for emerging volumes of renewable diesel, sustainable aviation fuel, and other potential new biomass-based fuels.”

The letter was also signed by Sens. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), and Tina Smith (D-Minn.).

ACE, Clean Fuels Alliance, Ethanol, Ethanol News, RFA, RFS

Ethanol Report from Export Exchange 2022

Cindy Zimmerman

Export Exchange was back for the first time in four years with the 2022 conference in Minneapolis October 12-14 and attendance was as good as it has been in the past with more than 200 international customers from 50 countries and nearly 300 domestic suppliers of grains and co-products, including distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS). This marked the sixth biennial conference since 2010 and the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) has co-sponsored every one.

In this edition of The Ethanol Report, we hear about the production, marketing, supply and global demand for the ethanol co-product DDGS from RFA Vice President of Regulatory Affairs Kelly Davis; RFA Senior Analyst Ann Lewis; Neal Kemmet, Ace Ethanol and Fox River Valley Ethanol; and Matt Fitzthum with CHS, Inc.

Ethanol Report 10-18-22 17:06

The Ethanol Report is a podcast about the latest news and information in the ethanol industry that has been sponsored by the Renewable Fuels Association since 2008.

Choose an option to subscribe

Audio, Distillers Grains, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Ethanol Report, Export Exchange, Exports, Renewable Fuels Association, RFA

Analysis Finds Summer E15 Saved Drivers Millions

Cindy Zimmerman

A new analysis from the Renewable Fuels Association finds that allowing summer sales of E15 this year extended gasoline supplies at a critical time and saved Americans millions at the pump.

RFA Chief Economist Scott Richman found that an additional 194 million gallons (mg) of E15 were sold during the summer as a result of the Biden administration’s emergency waivers, saving American consumers approximately $57 million. Richman’s calculations are based on Minnesota numbers since it is the only state that reports monthly E15 sales volumes. In addition, the savings were adjusted for the fuel economy of E15 versus E10, which is about 1.3% lower.

Moreover, the waiver came at a critical time. In mid-June, the national average price of gasoline hit $5/gallon for the first time. Refineries were operating at very high utilization rates, making E15 a particularly effective option since ethanol is produced at facilities across the Midwest and is blended to produce finished gasoline close to the consumer, whereas additional crude oil processing was constrained by the tight refinery capacity.

Given that 16 percent of the stations offering E15 in the U.S. are located in Minnesota, it is estimated that 167 mg were sold nationally as a result of the waivers. Prorating this through September 15 (i.e., the end of the summer volatility control period), total additional summertime E15 sales due to the waivers are estimated to have reached 194 mg. This estimate may be conservative, as E15 retail stations outside of Minnesota may have higher actual daily sales volumes than Minnesota stations.

Read more from RFA

E15, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Renewable Fuels Association, RFA

DDGS Export Market Both Consistent and Uncertain

Cindy Zimmerman

Consistent and uncertain were the two words Matthew Fitzthum with CHS, Inc. used to describe the market for dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS) right now.

Fitzthum, who is Co-Products Commodity Trading Manager at CHS Inc and serves as chair of the Renewable Fuels Association co-products committee, spoke at last week’s Export Exchange. “We consistently make about the same amount of distillers year in and year out, seasonally adjusted,” he said. “We’re also consistent in how much we export. Just about 45 percent of our distillers produced on an annual basis goes into the export market.”

When it comes to uncertainty, Fitzthum talked about coming competition in the feed market from renewable diesel co-products, transportation concerns, and what bans on GMO corn could mean down the road.

CHS Inc. markets DDGS for over 20 production facilities, ship bulk DDG from the Gulf of Mexico at their elevator in Myrtle Grove, are key suppliers to the North American market via truck and rail shipments, and supply containerized DDGS to a global customer base.

Listen to Fitzthum’s remarks here:
Export Exchange - Matt Fitzthum, CHS 22:33

2022 Export Exchange Photo Album

Audio, corn, Distillers Grains, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Export Exchange, Exports, Feed, Grains

RFA Pleased to Co-Sponsor Export Exchange

Cindy Zimmerman

The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) was pleased to co-sponsor the biennial Export Exchange last week for the sixth time. The Export Exchange was first held under that name in 2010 under the co-sponsorship of RFA and the U.S. Grains Council and 2022 marked number six, since 2020 was missed due to COVID.

RFA Vice President of Regulatory Affairs Kelly Davis represented the organization on the program and was pleased to share some of the ways RFA has helped increase exports of the ethanol co-product DDGS. “RFA is a leader in some of the technical information we’ve had behind DDGs over the years,” said Davis. “This event is important for not only the networking and sales opportunities but also the educational opportunity for participants to learn more about the high quality and value of U.S. farm and biorefinery products.”

Listen to an interview with Davis and her remarks below:
Export Exchange interview with Kelly Davis, RFA 1:57

Export Exchange - Kelly Davis, RFA 3:20

2022 Export Exchange Photo Album

Audio, Distillers Grains, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Export Exchange, Exports, Feed

Export Exchange Highlights US Grain Trade Potential

Cindy Zimmerman

Export Exchange 2022 had a full day of sessions and networking on Thursday in Minneapolis.

The first general session featured Minnesota Ag Commissioner Thom Petersen and USDA Acting Deputy Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Ag Relations Jason Hafemeister.

Petersen spoke about the importance of global trade at the state level, noting how Minnesota established an office in Taiwan that recently helped secure the sale of $2.7 billion in corn and soy products to that country. “We’ve built some great relationships, we had some delegations here over the past few weeks, Peru, Colombia, the Philippines,” he said. “I think that’s really opened up doors and I can see the value of these discussions around trade.”

Listen to his remarks here:
Export Exchange - Thom Petersen, MN Commissioner of Agriculture 14:20

Hafemeister spoke of the how innovations have increased crop yields and how the global trade map has shifted over the last several decades. He also noted the positive trends for exports of both ethanol and the feed co-product DDGS.

“The has been a good year for ethanol. Just in the first six months we are closing in on our 2021 export level,” said Hafemeister. As for DDGS, he says, “We are the world champion supplier. If you’re looking for DDGS, this is the market to come to and we’re a little above schedule (on exports) from last year.”

Listen to Hafemeister’s remarks here:
Export Exchange - Jason Hafemeister, USDA 31:35

Export Exchange, which is co-sponsored by the Renewable Fuels Association, offers international attendees the opportunity to meet and build relationships with domestic suppliers of corn, distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS), sorghum, barley and other commodities. The biannual event ends today and the next one will be in 2024.

2022 Export Exchange Photo Album

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Marketing High Protein DDGS to Export Markets

Cindy Zimmerman

High protein distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS) is in high demand in some parts of the world and ACE Ethanol is meeting up with potential customers this week at the 2022 Export Exchange in Minneapolis.

“We actually have a cellulosic ethanol process and the result of that process is a higher protein distillers grain that’s about 38-40 percent protein,” said Neal Kemmet, President and General Manager of Ace Ethanol in Stanley, Wisconsin and Fox River Valley Ethanol in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. “We’re seeing a lot of interest in Asia specifically but also some interest in Mexico. There’s just an amazing amount of traffic flow at the booth.”

Kemmet is a board member of the Renewable Fuels Association which has co-sponsored the Export Exchange since it first began under that name in 2010.

Listen to Neal’s interview here.
Export Exchange interview with Neal Kemmet, ACE Ethanol 2:24

2022 Export Exchange Photo Album

Audio, Distillers Grains, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Export Exchange, Exports

Export Exchange by the Numbers

Cindy Zimmerman

RFA team in foreground greets Export Exchange attendees

The first Export Exchange since 2018 is underway in Minneapolis this week and organizers are pleased with the turnout.

“We have about 490 registrations as of right now,” said U.S. Grains Council Director of Industry Relations Ellen Zimmerman during the welcome reception Wednesday night. On site registration was busy so they expect to easily surpass the 500 they expected.

“We have five general sessions, about 20 speakers, 32 exhibits, 34 sponsors, 51 countries represented,” she said. “We have just as much time built in for networking breaks.”

The sessions will focus on timely topics related to exports of U.S. corn, sorghum, barley, and the ethanol co-product distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS). But the networking is where the business of the Exchange gets done. Reported sales associated with Export Exchange 2018 included approximately 1.3 million metric tons of grains and co-products worth $403 million traded either at the conference or immediately before or after. The event is co-sponsored by the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA).

Learn more in this interview with Zimmerman.
Export Exchange interview with Ellen Zimmerman, USGC 3:24

2022 Export Exchange Photo Album

Audio, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Export Exchange, Exports, Grains, USGC