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. …
National Biodiesel Conference – Strong Reality
This morning Joe Jobe, CEO, National Biodiesel Board, rallied his troops at the National Biodiesel Conference in San Diego. He told attendees that the petroleum industry is misleading Americans about fuel policy and called on President Barack Obama to stand firm behind his previous commitments to supporting alternative energy industries. In his annual address at the Biodiesel Conference & Expo, …
National Biodiesel Conference Blogging
It’s hard to believe I’ll be the biodiesel blogger for the 9th year this week. The 2014 National Biodiesel Conference is taking place in San Diego and I’m on my way. I’ll be working as the Biodiesel Blogger on the NBB Conference Blog as well as publishing stories on energy.agwired.com. Things will get going late today and through Wednesday. You …
San Diego Site for Meeting Biodiesel Challenges
The National Biodiesel Conference & Expo is less than a month away, and the CEO of the National Biodiesel Board stresses that they need as many people involved in biodiesel as possible there, especially in light of the challenges facing the industry. “Congress, for the third time in five years, through its inaction, is going to allow the biodiesel tax …
Ethanol is a Win for Illinois, A Win for Agriculture
Illinois State Representative Donald Moffitt knows agriculture. He grew up on a family farm, on which his son still farms (and Don occasionally helps). This has been a huge asset for him in his role as state representative because agriculture is the number one industry in both his 74th District as well as the state of Illinois. Rep Moffitt was …