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Former USDA Secretary joins AE Biofuels boardAE Biofuels Inc., a California-based potential cellulosic ethanol producer, has appointed former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture John Block to its board of directors. Block served as agriculture secretary from 1981 to 1986.READ MORE MinnErgy faces public scrutinyDespite a thorough review by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, residents of Eyota, Minn., have decried the MPCA's environmental assessment worksheet, citing that a more stringent review—particularly with regard to potential environmental impacts—is needed in order for Minnesota-based ethanol developer MinnErgy LLC to build an ethanol plant in or near the town.READ MORE Osage Bio Energy launches barley contestOsage Bio Energy LLC has launched the Barley Bin Builder Yield Contest in an effort to increase farmer interest in growing winter barley for the company's ethanol production, which is slated to begin in 2010. The top entry from a seven-state region will win a flexible-fuel pickup truck.READ MORE MGPI moves to reduce financial lossesKansas-based MGP Ingredients Inc., a developer and producer of grain-based products such as ethanol, mill feed and distillers grains, told stockholders it's taking new initiatives to correct 2008 net losses of $11.7 million. In regard to fuel-grade ethanol, the company said it will be opportunistic with production and pricing, while offsetting commodity swings with hedging and contracting.READ MORE Gevo, ICM partner to produce isobutanolColorado-based Gevo Inc., a biotechnology company, and Kansas-based ICM Inc. have formed a strategic alliance to advance the commercial development of Gevo's Integrated Fermentation Technology, which enables retrofitted ethanol plants to produce isobutanol and hydrocarbons.READ MORE Xethanol changes name, energy focusThe self-proclaimed "discredited cellulosic ethanol company" Xethanol Corp. relaunched itself on the New York Stock Exchange as Global Energy Holdings Group Inc. on Oct. 28. Rather than ethanol, the company will now focus on projects such as methane capture at landfills for energy production.READ MORE Grassley urges GMA to lower food pricesCommodity prices have continued to fall since corn reached its record high price in July, but the cost of food hasn't budged. U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, sent a letter to the Grocery Manufacturer Association on Oct. 28, imporing the organization to lower food prices.READ MORE WASDE reduces corn acreage projectionsOn Oct. 28, the USDA corrected its Oct. 10 World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimate figures, lowering both corn and soybean estimates. Corn planting and harvested areas for 2008-'09 were reduced by 1 million acres, with corn production forecasted at 12.03 billion bushels, down 167 million bushels from the Oct. 10 forecast.READ MORE Dale criticizes CARB indirect land use policyBruce Dale, a Michigan State University professor and leading member of the scientific life-cycle analysis community, held a conference call for reporters Oct. 27 to stress the potential "horrible development" of a California policy regarding indirect land use change for biofuels production.READ MORE Scientists ask EPA to delay indirect land use proposalLater this fall, the U.S. EPA is expected to submit for public comment a proposal to implement the renewable fuels standard (RFS) enacted in the Energy Independence & Security Act of 2007. Scientific experts and several biofuel industry members recently sent a letter to the EPA addressing their concerns about the part of the RFS that involves indirect land use changes.READ MORE |
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