In this interview, Advanced Ethanol Council (AEC) executive director Brooke Coleman talks about his take on the CBO report, as well as Phantom Fuels legislation in Congress, and the delay on EPA issuing a final rule for 2014 volume obligations under the RFS. EPA officials said earlier this year that they expected to have a final rule by the end …
USDA Ag Trade Mission to China
USDA just concluded a trade mission to China promoting U.S. biofuels and agricultural products. Kelly Davis with Renewable Fuels Association, Jim Miller of Growth Energy and Roger Johnson president of National Farmer’s Union all participated in the trade mission and held a press conference today to discuss the results. Opening comments:
Senators Speak of Biodiesel Uncertainty
U.S. Senators including Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Al Franken (D-MN), Joe Donnelly (D-IN), and Maria Cantwell (D-WA) joined the National Biodiesel Board on Wednesday to release the results of a national survey highlighting uncertainty in the biodiesel industry as a result of policy setbacks in Washington this year. The senators called on the Administration to …
Officials Discuss RFS with Farm Broadcasters
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and EPA administrator Gina McCarthy both talked about the proposal to lower volume requirements under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) with members of the National Association of Farm Broadcasting meeting in Washington DC this week.
Fuels America Announces “Oil Rigged” Campaign
Members of Fuels America today unveiled the details of its new “Oil Rigged” television and digital ad campaign and OilRigged.com designed to “expose the many ways the oil industry is rigging the system to protect their profits and block the transition to clean, American renewable fuels.” The announcement was made by Growth Energy CEO Tom Buis, Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) …
Farm Bill Bio Benefits
Just as President Obama was preparing to sign the Agricultural Act of 2014 into law, the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) held a media conference call Friday to highlight expansion of the Farm Bill’s energy programs to renewable companies and discuss next steps for the industry to achieve parity with other renewable technologies. Participating in the call were: Matt Carr, BIO …
8th Annual Iowa Renewable Fuels Summit
The 8th Annual Iowa Renewable Fuels Summit was a soaring success on Tuesday, January 28, 2014 when more than 600 industry members and interested consumers gathered at the Prairie Meadows Convention Center in Altoona, Iowa. During the morning attendees heard about the efforts of the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (Iowa RFA) who hosts the event each year. In addition they …
Fuels America Responds to SOTU
This morning Fuels America held a teleconference to provide reaction to the climate action plan President Obama discussed during his State of the Union address last night. The President’s speech coincided with the final day of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) comment period on a proposal to reverse the implementation of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). The EPA plan would …
RFS Hearing in the Heartland
Hundreds of biofuel supporters from around the Midwest gathered in Des Moines Thursday to submit comments to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) at a “Hearing in the Heartland: Supporting the Renewable Fuel Standard” hosted by Iowa Governor Terry Branstad. The hearing was organized after EPA declined to do so and included comments from dozens of lawmakers, government officials, farmers, biofuel …
USDA Press Conferences
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack held two press conferences the week of December 9, 2013 on two totally different subjects, but both times he was asked his thoughts about Congress not getting a farm bill done. On December 11, Vilsack was joined by Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus in announcing a joint “Farm-to-Fleet” venture to make biofuel blends part of …
Patriot Renewable Fuels, Rep. Bustos, Fight for RFS
On November 27, 2013 Patriot Renewable Fuels, based in Annawan, Illinois hosted a Renewable Fuel Roundtable with special guest Representative Cheri Bustos (D-IL). In addition, the biorefinery broke ground on its $10 million 4-5 million gallon biodiesel plant that will use the corn oil produced from ethanol plant to produce biofuels. Listen to Rep. Cheri Bustos full remarks here: Check …
Testimony from EPA Hearing
Over 100 stakeholders, many from the agricultural industry, testified at a hearing Thursday in Crystal City, Virginia on the Environmental Protection Agency proposal to lower the volume obligations for biofuels under the Renewable Fuel Standard in 2014. Renewable Fuels Association president Bob Dinneen Testimony – Patriot Renewable Fuels Testimony – Iowa Governor Testimony – Advanced Ethanol Council (AEC) Testimony –
Concerns about Impact of Lowering RFS
Representatives from state government, the agriculture community, and the ethanol industry all say the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed 2014 Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) biofuels requirements would have a negative impact on agriculture and rural economies. A telephone press discussion about the proposal held on Wednesday featured comments from Iowa Governor Terry Branstad, American Farm Bureau economist Matt Erickson Renewable Fuels …
Veterans Enter Fight for RFS
Two new organizations have entered the fight for the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) today as concerns about the future of the RFS deepen with the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposed 2014 renewable fuels volumes going south. VoteVets.org and Americans United for Change held a press teleconference to announced their participation in the counteroffensive against what they are calling, “Big Oil’s …
IRFA’s Shaw: Obama Admin Needs Soul Searching
The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA) is urging the Obama Administration to conduct a thorough soul-searching after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced its proposal to “radically” reduce Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) levels for 2014. “Today’s RFS announcement represents the biggest policy reversal of the entire Obama Administration,” said IRFA Executive Director Monte Shaw during a press teleconference. “The …