The biggest piece of the puzzle for the 45Z Clean Fuels Production Credit implementation was left out of the guidance issued last week by U.S. Treasury, leaving farmers still uncertain about what practices they would need to implement this year for the crops to qualify. The guidance includes both a notice of intent to propose regulations on the section 45Z …
Year End Ethanol Report
2024 was a very good year for the ethanol industry, but the battle for year-round, nationwide E15 will once again continue on into the new year. In this edition of the Ethanol Report podcast, Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Geoff Cooper comments on some of the top ethanol stories of the year, including the continuing roller coaster ride for …
Farm Groups Pleased with Relief in CR
It was supposed to be a simple continuing resolution to keep the government operating into March of 2025, but it ballooned into a 1,547 page measure that includes several provisions for agriculture, including $10 billion in aid for struggling farmers as well as a second one-year extension of the 2018 farm bill. In addition, a provision to allow the sale …
Ethanol Report on Election Issues
No matter what happens in November, there will be a new president in January and a new administration that could be radically different than the current one, and that could mean a big difference in the outcome of policy issues for the ethanol industry. In this edition of the Ethanol Report, Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Geoff Cooper discusses …
Ethanol Report From Farm Progress Show
It was a beautiful week in Boone, Iowa for the Farm Progress Show, the nation’s largest outdoor ag show. It is a show that the Renewable Fuels Association always attends because it brings out farmers from all over the ethanol-producing part of the country to see what’s new in the industry. RFA displayed its custom Flex Fuel Plug-in Hybrid Electric …
Vilsack Hopeful for 45Z Guidance by 2025
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack addressed members of the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) last week and thanked them for the work they have been doing on the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP), which is helping to set the stage for 45Z tax credit guidance. The RCCP started in South Dakota in 2021 and recently received a $35 million investment through …
Would Vilsack Serve Another Term?
At the end of the current administration, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack will have served in that role for 12 years under two different presidents. But that’s only second best. The record – actually for any cabinet member – is held by James “Tama Jim” Wilson, the fourth secretary of agriculture who served for 16 years under three presidents. First …
RFA and NFU File Separate Lawsuit Over EV Mandate
The Renewable Fuels Association and National Farmers Union have filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals challenging recently finalized light- and medium-duty vehicle emissions standards. This action is separate from the lawsuit filed last week by National Corn Growers Association, American Farm Bureau Federation, and American Petroleum Institute to “ensure that …
Farmers, Car Dealers and Oil Companies Sue Over EV Push
An unlikely coalition of farmers, car dealers, and the oil industry have joined together to push back against the push for mandated electric vehicles. The National Corn Growers Association, American Farm Bureau Federation and six auto dealers representing 16 brands and collectively operating dozens of dealerships in major markets across the country joined the American Petroleum Institute today in filing …
Ethanol Report on Days of Summer
When it’s summertime, the driving is easier with ethanol. As millions of Americans are looking ahead to summer vacations and family road trips, high fuel prices may be a concern, but ethanol is helping to keep prices lower than they might be otherwise, and the Renewable Fuels Association notes that higher ethanol blends like E15 and E85 offer even lower …