This may have been the last time I will have the chance to interview the current Secretary of Agriculture – I think this is about the 10th secretary I have been able to report on during my career in ag communications! Anyway – Secretary Schafer was here at the Cellulosic Ethanol Summit in south Florida Wednesday and had a small …
Dueling Press Conferences on the Road
Chuck is out hunting with no internet access, I am on location covering the Cellulosic Ethanol Summit and two groups decide to have dueling telephone press conferences. What’s a blogger to do? What I did was put my cell phone on speaker and record it on to my mini Marantz. Worked out pretty well too – not all broadcast quality, …
Get a Hat Like Ryan’s
The Ethanol Promotion and Information Council is inviting NAFB members to get a hat while they’re hot. The first 30 farm broadcasters who stop by the EPIC booth at the NAFB Trade Talk to do an interview will receive a limited edition Team Ethanol cap – just like the one Indy car driver Ryan Hunter-Reay is wearing in this photo …
Growth Energy Launch
When it comes to ethanol organizations, it’s the more the merrier, according to the organizers of a new group called Growth Energy. “We believe the more associations, the better,” said Jeff Broin, CEO of POET, during a press conference this morning announcing the new organization. The main focus of the new group is on dispelling the myth perpetuated by the …
Ethanol Producers Form Growth Energy
I just found out about that new ethanol group being formed. It’s called Growth Energy. Growth Energy is a group committed to the promise of agriculture and growing America’s economy through cleaner, greener energy. Growth Energy members recognize America needs a new ethanol approach. Through smart policy reform and a proactive grassroots campaign, Growth Energy promotes reducing greenhouse gas emissions, …
New Ethanol Group Being Formed
According to Mr. Ethanol, Jeff Broin, CEO, POET we’re about to hear of a new organization that will help open new markets for the renewable fuel. When I spoke to Jeff at last week’s Project LIBERTY field day he said that an issue that presents a challenge to the ethanol industry is the regulatory cap which limits ethanol to 10 …
Working With Farm OEM’s
The Director of Business Development for POET is Scott Weishaar. He was the guy who told us about the various equipment options on display at their Project LIBERTY field day. That’s because he works directly with the farm OEM’s. He’s being interviewed in this picture (left). He says the response from the OEM’s is phenomenal. There are several systems already …
One Way To Harvest Corn Cobs
That’s a big pile of corn cobs. It’s just one of many that POET has made during all their research and testing ways to make ethanol out of them. One thing I can tell you is that farmers need some equipment to handle this leftover product of harvesting grain. That’s why there are several farm equipment manufacturers working with POET …
Farmer Perspective on Corn Cob Harvest
When you’re attending a farm event it’s always nice to get a farmer’s perspective on things. That’s what I did at the POET Project LIBERTY field day when I spoke with Todd Mathisen who farms just east of Emmetsburg, IA. I asked him what he thought of POET’s idea to harvest corn cobs for cellulosic ethanol production. He said, “I …
Pile Up Your Corn Cobs
The Director of Project LIBERTY for POET is Jim Sturdevant. He oversees all the activities across the company that are “pulling together to transform this ethanol plant into one of the nation’s first cellulosic ethanol plants.” The plant he’s referring to is POET’s Emmetsburg facility where they held a field day yesterday. He says they intend to replicate what they’re …