Talking about how much the truth matters and calling for cooperation from the petroleum industry Joe Jobe, CEO, National Biodiesel Board, got attendees fired up this morning during his opening general session speech. He received a standing ovation at the end of the speech when he loudly proclaimed: 2015 is the year we get back to the future of this …
NFU Disagrees with RFS Report Recommendations
The National Farmers Union (NFU) represented agriculture on a Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) advisory group that helped develop a new report on “Options for Reforming the Renewable Fuel Standard.” “It was very important that agriculture that supports the renewable fuels industry be present at the table,” said NFU vice president of programs Chandler Goule, who notes that while the meetings …
Corn and Soybean Groups React to EPA Decision
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced they will not be finalizing the 2014 applicable percentage of standards under the 2014 Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) until next year. They also announced that the compliance deadline for 2013 RFS standards will also take place in 2015. Both corn and soybean groups reacted to the announcement, which impacts ethanol and biodiesel production …
FAPRI: Good News and Bad News for Livestock, Grain Producers
Livestock prices are up, but grain prices are down… that’s the good news, bad news for farmers this year. The latest report from the Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute (FAPRI) at the University of Missouri says that while livestock producers are enjoying a complete reversal of fortune of not very long ago as prices for cattle, hogs and milk …
USDA’s Big Biobased Picture
The U.S. Department of Agriculture takes a wide angle view of the biobased product picture which encompasses several different segments within the agency. At the USB Biobased Stakeholders Dialogue last week in Washington D.C. we heard from a number of USDA officials about what they are doing to expand biobased opportunities. One panel featured Rural Business Cooperative Service administrator Lilian …
Farmer Joins Biodiesel Producers, Senators on Hill
Biodiesel producers and farmers who raise the feedstocks for the biodiesel industry took to Capitol Hill this week, joining a group of U.S. Senate Democrats in their calls to end policy uncertainty that is hurting their industry. Terry Goerger, a soybean grower from North Dakota, expressed his concerns, especially how many farmers made plans believing Congress and the Obama Administration …
Senators and Industry Call for Biodiesel Support
A group of 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 survey found that …
Soybean Growers Applaud Tax Extenders Package
Soybean growers are welcoming news of a couple of important measures moved forward in one bill. The American Soybean Association says a two-year extension of the dollar-per-gallon biodiesel tax incentive and a reinstatement of the pre-2014 expensing amounts for farm infrastructure and equipment under Section 179, both in the Senate Finance Committee Chairman’s Tax Extenders Package, are key issues for …
Kirk Leeds Receives Biodiesel Award
One of the National Biodiesel Board Awards was presented this morning for Industry Partnership to Kirk Leeds, Iowa Soybean Association. Kirk is Chief Executive Officer of the Association and has been a leader among soybean organizations in supporting biodiesel efforts since the industry’s inception. ISA’s support of the National Biodiesel Board over the years has allowed the industry to prepare …
Riding in a New B20 Chevy Cruze
You can ride or drive a brand new diesel vehicle at the 2014 National Biodiesel Conference today. Not only conference attendees but the general public. There are four vehicles outside the San Diego Convention Center from Hino, Ford, General Motors and Jeep. I chose the Chevy Cruze and rode along and made a little video clip with my Google Glass. …