Over 140 stakeholders testified at a hearing Thursday on the Environmental Protection Agency proposal to lower the biofuels targets under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) in 2014, and those opposed to the plan outnumbered those in favor by a ratio of more than two to one. “More than 100 of the 144 speakers support #ethanol, #biodiesel & advanced biofuels,” tweeted …
Lowering Biofuels Targets Could Hurt Farmers
Representatives from state government, the agriculture community, and the ethanol industry all say the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed 2014 Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) biofuels requirements would have a negative impact on agriculture and rural economies. During a telephone press discussion today about the proposal Iowa Governor Terry Branstad said he was proud of his state’s leadership in biofuels production and …
EPA Unveils 2014 RFS Renewable Fuel Volumes
Today the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released its proposal for the 2014 Renewable Volume Obligations (RVOs) as part of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) for the amount of renewable fuels to be blended into gasoline and diesel. The EPA has proposed to set the cellulosic biofuel category at 17 million gallons, biomass-based diesel at 1.28 billion gallons, advanced biofuel at …
Cattle and Ethanol Debating RFS
National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) Executive Director of Legislative Affairs Kristina Butts is live right now on AgriTalk in a debate with Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Bob Dinneen over the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). The Great RFS Debate is being co-hosted by Agri-Pulse. Pictured here, left to right, as the debate begins – Bob Dinneen, AgriTalk host Mike …
RFA and NCBA to Debate Renewable Fuel Standard
Representatives of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) and the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) will be squaring off to debate on the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) this week in Washington D.C. AgriTalk and Agri-Pulse will be hosting the debate via broadcast and the web on September 12 starting at 11:00 am Eastern time live from the Longworth Building, Room 1300. …
Ethanol Fueling Legends Ride at Sturgis Rally
The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally is in full swing and one of the highlights of the event is the 2013 Legends Ride. The event started in Deadwood, South Dakota and ended at the Legendary Buffalo Chip Campground where the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) is a sponsor. This is the site where RFA is also pumping free 93 octane E10 for riders. …
Sturgis Motorcycle Rally and Ethanol Fuel
On my way to Sturgis, SD this weekend for my second trip to the Legendary Buffalo Chip Campground and the 73rd Annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. I’ll be working with our good friends at the Renewable Fuels Association. They are partnered with the event and venue to promote the use of ethanol fuel to motorcycle enthusiasts. And having been there once, …
Senate Farm Bill Markup Today
The Senate Agriculture Committee meets this morning to consider the Agriculture Reform, Food and Jobs Act of 2013, their version of a “Farm Bill.” Yesterday, farm broadcasters meeting in Washington D.C. had the chance to interview a number of representatives from various agricultural and renewable fuels organizations and most of them had something to say about what the House and …
Obama Picks for Energy and EPA
President Obama announced his picks for Secretary of Energy and Environmental Protection Agency administrator on Monday. The President nominated MIT professor Ernest Moniz as energy secretary and EPA official Gina McCarthy as administrator for the agency. While Moniz is a virtual unknown, McCarthy has served as EPA’s assistant administrator for the Office of Air and Radiation and her appointment is …
Sequester Could Cause FSIS Inspector Furlough
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has shaken up the meat and poultry industry with his comments about how sequestration might impact agriculture during a speech to the National Ethanol Conference last week. Answering a question about funding for a farm bill, Vilsack talked more broadly about what might happen after March 1 if Congress fails to act and sequester creates automatic …