Category: Policy

USGA CEO comments on President Trump’s Mexican imports tariffs

USGA CEO comments on President Trump’s Mexican imports tariffs

June 2, 2019 |

In Washington, D.C., U.S. Grains Council President and CEO Tom Sleight issued a statement on President Trump’s tariffs on Mexican imports, and said, “At such a critical time for U.S. farmers, new talk of tariffs on Mexican products challenges the complex relationship we have with the top international buyer of U.S. grains and related products. […]

Read More

European bio-based economy launches bio-society 2050 vision

European bio-based economy launches bio-society 2050 vision

May 30, 2019 |

In Belgium, 16 organizations teamed with the Bio-Based Industries Consortium and its members along with the Bio-Based Industries Joint Undertaking’s the States Representatives Group and Scientific Committee to develop and publish their vision for a circular European bio-society by 2050 based on achieving global food security for all, contributing to a sustainable planet, and creating […]

Read More

Poland doesn’t agree with EU ban on palm oil for biofuels

Poland doesn’t agree with EU ban on palm oil for biofuels

May 29, 2019 |

In Malaysia, the Borneo Post newspaper reports that the Polish Ambassador to Malaysia says his country opposes the European Union’s plan to ban the use of palm oil as biofuel feedstock and as such doesn’t intend to reduce its imports, even though it is one of the EU’s largest rapeseed producers. He said that the […]

Read More

US ethanol exports to Europe seen limited despite removal of anti-dumping tariff

US ethanol exports to Europe seen limited despite removal of anti-dumping tariff

May 28, 2019 |

In Belgium, Platts reports that although the European Union lifted the EUR62.30/ton tariff on US ethanol, bringing to an end several years of anti-dumping tariffs, a significant increase of US-origin ethanol imports isn’t expected due to the Renewable Energy Directive’s requirement that biofuels be certified sustainable with no less than 50% greenhouse gas emissions reductions. […]

Read More

Klobuchar calls for reform of hardship waiver approval rules

Klobuchar calls for reform of hardship waiver approval rules

May 27, 2019 |

In Washington, Reuters reports that Democratic presidential candidate Amy Klobuchar wants to see how the Environmental Protection Agency approves applications for hardship waivers under the Renewable Fuel Standard reformed, calling the current requirements “misguided”. She also said financial institutions manipulate RIN trading. The candidate, who only garnered 1% of voter support in a Reuters/Ipsos poll […]

Read More

RFA Statement on Renewable Fuel Standard Integrity Act of 2019

RFA Statement on Renewable Fuel Standard Integrity Act of 2019

May 26, 2019 |

In Washington, D.C., House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson (D-MN) and Representative Dusty Johnson (R-SD) introduced the Renewable Fuel Standard Integrity Act of 2019 last week. The bill would require refineries seeking an exemption from the RFS to submit petitions in a timely manner so that any waivers granted would be prospectively reallocated to non-exempt […]

Read More

Senator Duckworth seeks independent investigation into EPA’s hardship waiver process

Senator Duckworth seeks independent investigation into EPA’s hardship waiver process

May 23, 2019 |

In Washington, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) asked the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of Inspector General (OIG) to launch an independent investigation into whether top EPA officials violated the law by inappropriately exempting a number of oil refineries from having to use legally required levels of biofuel. A recent report from Reuters exposed […]

Read More

Thirteen trade groups ask Congress to extend biodiesel tax incentive

Thirteen trade groups ask Congress to extend biodiesel tax incentive

May 22, 2019 |

In Washington, thirteen trade groups representing farmers, rural lenders, crop and biobased oil producers, and biodiesel producers wrote leaders of the House of Representatives and Senate, asking them to take action on bipartisan legislation to extend the biodiesel tax incentive. “America’s farmers and rural communities are facing a mounting economic threat. With your leadership, Congress […]

Read More

EU publishes ILUC risk additions to RED in official journal following scrutiny period

EU publishes ILUC risk additions to RED in official journal following scrutiny period

May 21, 2019 |

In Belgium, in the absence of objections by European Parliament and Council on the proposed text within the given two-month scrutiny period, the European Commission has published in the Official Journal the Delegated Act on the determination of high indirect land-use change-risk feedstock and the certification of low indirect land-use change-risk biofuels. The Delegated Regulation […]

Read More

Argentina trying to push US to end anti-dumping tariffs faster

Argentina trying to push US to end anti-dumping tariffs faster

May 20, 2019 |

In Argentina, Reuters reports that the government is pushing the US to hurry up its process reviewing whether or not Argentine biodiesel negatively impacts the US’s domestic biodiesel industry so biodiesel exports can resume as quickly as possible. Before tariffs were imposed, biodiesel accounted for about a quarter of the US’s imports from Argentina. The […]

Read More

}