Ethanol Week - September 19, 2011

USDA gives $2 million for blender pumps in 22 states Thirty-three projects in 22 states have been approved for blender pump grants in the latest round of funding to be dispersed through the USDA's Rural Energy for America Program. READ MORE SHARE
Fast food chains place order for no new ethanol subsidies Anti-ethanol interests have launched their latest campaign focused on ensuring the demise of ethanol subsidies with a letter sent Sept. 15 to all members of Congress urging them not to pass any last-minute extensions to VEETC. READ MORE SHARE
	Aventine delays restart of Illinois plant A 38 MMgy ethanol plant idled since March 2010 won't be restarted this fall, as originally hoped. Aventine Renewable Energy Holdings Inc. announced Sept. 12 that the plant it purchased in Canton, Ill., won't begin producing ethanol again until 2012. READ MORE SHARE
BP invests another $100 million in Brazilian ethanol BP Biofuels continues to expand its ethanol production activities in Brazil, recently announcing two separate deals to gain more control over three ethanol mills in southern Brazil. READ MORE SHARE
Enerkem advances methanol-ethanol strategy with offtake agreement Enerkem Inc. has signed an offtake agreement Methanex Corp. for methanol that will be produced at Enerkem's 36 MMly (10 MMgy) facility in Edmonton, Alberta. The facility is currently under construction and will produce methanol beginning next year. READ MORE SHARE
Ethanol industry says it's not to blame for feed shortages The ethanol industry disagreed with testimony during a Sept. 14 U.S. House Committee on Agriculture subcommittee hearing that pointed to ethanol as a major contributor to the current situation for the livestock and poultry industries. READ MORE SHARE
Livestock, poultry industries call for VEETC's end, tweaks to RFS Representatives from the livestock, dairy and poultry industries testified Sept. 14 about feed availability during a Congressional hearing. The majority pointed to the ethanol industry as as a main factor in rising feed prices. READ MORE SHARE
Diversification, size key to GPRE's strong growth, CEO says Green Plains Renewable Energy Inc. generated $3 billion in revenues and $37 million in income just in the last 12 months. Diversification and sheer size are key to its profitability, said CEO Todd Becker. READ MORE SHARE
Drought spurs increased sales of distillers grains product From 2010 to 2011, SweetPro Feeds, a company that makes vitamin and mineral licks for cattle containing condensed distillers grains, has seen a 40 percent increase in sales, due primarily to extreme drought conditions in the South. READ MORE SHARE
Iowa receives $20 million for renewable energy research Iowa's research community has been awarded $20 million through the National Science Foundation's Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research with the goal of establishing the state as a leader in renewable energy technology and production. READ MORE SHARE
Tight corn supplies should spur increased efficiency, RFA says The USDA once again downgraded expectations for the fall corn crop in its latest World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates report, reducing the expected overall yield from last month by 417 million bushels down to about 12.5 billion bushels. READ MORE SHARE