Association of Nebraska Ethanol Producers launches
The Association of Nebraska Ethanol Producers has launched, with a goal of promoting pro-ethanol legislation and public awareness and support. Organizers say that Nebraskan biofuel producers are facing tough legislative challenges and needed to band together to speak with one unified voice.
In Washington, Midwestern lawmakers have been vehemently opposing moves by the Bush administration to reduce or eliminate the tariff on Brazilian ethanol imports. Sen. Ben Nelson of Nebraska said the protection for US ethanol would be eliminated “over my dead body”.
However, at home, Nebraskans have been asking harder questions about ethanol that the Nebraska Corn Board and the Ethanol Board have struggled to answer. The Nebraska Corn Board announced last fall that it will conduct a “Powering Nebraska’s Economy with Corn,” a statewide radio and print advertising campaign aimed at rural and urban consumers.
Nebraska state coffers are overflowing from increased tax receipts based on high producer prices for corn, wheat and soybeans, and the success of the state’s ethanol, strategy. An AP report said that Nebraska’s cash reserve has increased to a projected $542 million by June 2008, up from $273.6 million in 2006.
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