BY Matt ThompsonFound In:BusinessKcoe Isom hosted a webinar on March 24 that discussed crisis planning and employee communication during the COVID-19 pandemic. The event also discussed emergency family and medical leave and offered tips for working remotely. READ MORE

BY Erin VoegeleFound In:Markets, Coproducts, BusinessThe U.S. Grains Council on March 23 published a letter to its global customers that provides answers to questions related to the continued operations of U.S. grain production and export facilities during the COVID-19 pandemic. READ MORE

BY The Andersons Inc. Found In:Operations, BusinessThe Andersons announced March 24 that it will idle its Element ethanol plant in Colwich, Kansas, for an extended maintenance and repair period and will take spring maintenance shutdowns at the four facilities owned by its joint venture with Marathon. READ MORE

BY Matt ThompsonFound In:Markets, Business, PolicyFROM THE APRIL ISSUE: Industry leaders at the Iowa Renewable Fuels Summit in January looked back at 2019, offered predictions for 2020, and held hope for the ethanol industry’s future. READ MORE

BY Erin VoegeleFound In:Markets, Coproducts, Business, PolicyThe USDA and Office of the U.S. Trade Representative on March 24 announced continued progress with the implementation of agriculture-related provisions of the U.S.-China Phase One Economic and Trade Agreement, including those related to DDGS. READ MORE

BY Erin VoegeleFound In:Coproducts, Business, PolicyMaine Gov. Janet Mills on March 18 signed a bill establishing a tax credit for renewable chemical production that provides an 8 cent per pound tax credit for eligible products beginning on Jan. 1, 2021. READ MORE

BY Erin VoegeleFound In:Operations, Markets, Business, PolicyThe U.S. government on March 18 relaxed regulations to allow producers of fuel ethanol and beverage alcohol to shift production to ethanol-based hand sanitizers. Days later, several ethanol plants are taking action to help combat COVID-19. READ MORE

BY Erin VoegeleFound In:Business, PolicyUSDA Rural Development on March 20 announced that it has implemented enterprise-wide remote operational status, effective immediately, to help protect the health of employees, customers and the greater community during the COVID-19 pandemic. READ MORE

BY Renewable Fuels Association Found In:Markets, Business, RetailerThe number of fuel stations now offering Flex Fuel E85 has reached an important milestone. A Casey’s store in Ankeny, Iowa, has become the 5,000th station nationwide to sell E85, according to the Renewable Fuels Association. READ MORE

BY Erin VoegeleFound In:Operations, Markets, Feedstocks, BusinessUNICA, the Brazilian sugarcane industry association, recently released ethanol production and sales data for February and has announced its members are donating alcohol for use in hand sanitizer to help contain the spread of COVID-19. READ MORE

BY Erin VoegeleFound In:Business, PolicyThe bipartisan Biofuels Caucus sent a letter to President Trump on March 17 urging the administration to forgo an appeal of the Tenth Circuit Court’s Jan. 24 ruling that struck down three small refinery exemptions (SREs) approved by the U.S. EPA. READ MORE

BY Erin VoegeleFound In:Business, PolicyThe U.S. EPA released updated small refinery exemption (SRE) data on March 19, reporting that two additional SRE petitions have been filed under the Renewable Fuel Standard for compliance year 2019. READ MORE

BY Erin VoegeleFound In:Operations, BusinessMike Jerke, president and CEO of Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy, dicusses ways in which his company is working to help flatten the curve of the COVID-19 outbreak while protecting employees and ensuring plant operations can continue. READ MORE

BY Erin VoegeleFound In:Operations, BusinessOfficials from Gevo Inc. discussed plans to produce renewable aviation fuel and upgrade the company’s biorefinery in Luverne, Minnesota, to produce low carbon ethanol during a fourth quarter earnings call, held March 17. READ MORE

BY American Coalition for Ethanol Found In:Business, PolicyAs the COVID-19 spreads across the U.S., threatening American lives and adversely impacting the nation’s economy, the transportation fuel sector will be especially hard hit. Declines in consumer gasoline use will shrink demand for corn ethanol. READ MORE