The Nebraska Ethanol Board (NEB) and Renewable Fuels Nebraska (RFN) have rescheduled the Ethanol: Emerging Issues Forum 2020 for July 15-16. The Forum will be held at the La Vista Conference Center in Greater Omaha if the threat of COVID-19 has subsided. The Renewable Fuels Association is pleased to welcome two new associate members, Barchart and Bion. Based in Chicago, …
Administration Will Not Appeal Tenth Circuit SRE Ruling
Biofuels stakeholders are celebrating some good news today with word that the Trump administration had made the decision not to request a rehearing of the recent unanimous ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit that the EPA had “vastly exceeded its authority in granting exemptions from 2016 and 2017 RFS requirements to three refineries.” The challenge …
Senators Stress COVID-19 Relief for Agriculture
Senator John Hoeven (R-ND) led a Senate colloquy Monday to outline the importance of supporting farmers, ranchers and rural America in legislation to provide relief from the impacts of COVID-19. Hoeven worked to include $50 billion in funding authority for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Joining Hoeven …
President Trump Proclaims March 24 National Ag Day
For the fourth year, President Donald Trump has recognized March 24 as National Ag Day as a salute to the contributions of America’s farmers, ranchers and agribusinesses. I encourage all Americans to observe this day by recognizing the preeminent role that agriculture plays in our daily lives, acknowledging agriculture’s continuing importance to rural America and our country’s economy, and expressing …
FFA Takes National Ag Day Virtual
National FFA is helping celebrate National Ag Day by providing virtual webinars today and tomorrow. Student leaders from FFA , 4-H, AFA and MANRRS will join together to share information on the critical role agriculture plays in our culture and economy. Monday’s sessions will begin at 1 pm EDT and will include how to advocate and why it’s important, interacting …
Ethanol Plants Producing Hand Sanitizer
Ethanol plants are now able to shift to the manufacture of hand sanitizer without permits from the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB). The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association is working with Iowa Prison Industries for the production of hand sanitizer during the national shortage. Two Iowa biofuel refineries – Absolute Energy and Western Iowa Energy – sent the …
Alltech’s Lexington Brewing Producing Free Hand Sanitizer
In an effort to help combat the spread of coronavirus, Lexington Brewing & Distilling Co. is using its alcohol supply to produce hand sanitizer and provide it free of charge. The first batch of 200 bottles was delivered to city hall in Lexington on Friday and additional batches will be delivered this week. “When my late husband, Pearse Lyons, and …
Farmers and Ranchers Committed to US Food Supply
America’s farmers and ranchers are committed to doing all they can do to maintain the nation’s food supply amid growing challenges posed by COVID-19. American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) president Zippy Duvall, along with Chalmers Carr, a peach farmer in South Carolina, and John Boelts, a produce farmer in Arizona, gave an update on how farmers are dealing with the …
Coronavirus is Latest Threat to Ethanol Industry
The impact that coronavirus is having on the energy markets is just the latest threat to the solvency of the U.S. ethanol industry, coming on top of weather, trade disputes and small refinery waivers that hurt producers last year. In a media conference call Thursday, Renewable Fuels Association leaders discussed the impact of these hits on ethanol producers and the …
NCBA Urges Steps to Maintain Beef Supply
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) is working to maintain an adequate supply of beef for U.S. consumers during the current COVID-19 outbreak. NCBA Vice President of Government Affairs Ethan Lane says they have taken a number of steps to help protect the value chain, starting with sending a request to Vice President Mike Pence for assurance that meat inspection …