In Indonesia, the Antara news agency reports that the agriculture minister is pushing for the use of B100 as a way to counteract the strong likelihood that palm oil demand from Europe will fall off as a result of anti-indirect land use rules. On Monday, the minister launched a B100 trial in a four-wheeler tractor […]
In Washington, D.C., the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency moved forward in what is considered as a win for the corn industry with its first step in reviving part of a rule that could reveal the names of oil refineries that applied for exemptions that have been marking controversy recently. The waiver program has been critiqued […]
In China, Reuters reports that the country’s commerce ministry is reviewing a request from the US Grains Council to review anti-dumping measures with an eye to reducing the import tariff on US-origin DDGS. The US farm belt has been hit hard by the on-going trade war between the US and China, especially corn and soy […]
In Costa Rica, the state-owned oil refinery RECOPE’s plan to introduce E8 by the end of May was postponed just five days after its announcement and purchase contracts to buy the required ethanol have been voided by constitutional court. Though discussions about an ethanol blend may begin again next year, in the meantime work will […]
In Washington, Reuters reports that the agriculture secretary says tariff negotiations with China over ethanol trade are going well but still no indications of a deal will finally be reached or at what level the Chinese could cut the import tariffs too. He also told reporters that he had spoken with the administrator of the […]
In Washington, Congresswoman Abby Finkenauer (IA-01) introduced the Biodiesel Tax Credit Extension Act, a two-year extension of the biodiesel tax credit. Congress had previously extended the tax credit retroactively for 2017 but left it expired for 2018 and beyond. Producers and businesses at every stage of the biodiesel production and consumption process rely on these […]
In India, Union Minister Suresh Prabhu said that the commerce ministry made an offer to the U.S. to resolve trade issues between the two countries, including various agricultural and IT trade sectors. The trade balance is in favor with India currently with India’s exports to the U.S. in 2017-18 at USD 47.9 billion, while imports […]
In Argentina, local press reports that the soy industry is blaming a shift in government policy that no longer favors value-added products to a decimation of biodiesel exports during the first two months of the year. During January and February there were no biodiesel exports at all compared to exports valued at $176 million during […]
In Japan, Reuters reports that the national trade and industry ministry has pushed back the requirement for palm oil used in biomass power plants to have Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil certification until 2021 rather than the previously planned March 31, 2019 deadline. The extension came as part of bilateral cooperation negotiations with Indonesia. Japan […]
In Washington, the Environmental Protection Agency’s administrator has thrown the spotlight on the Department of Energy, blaming them for delays in approving hardship waiver applications from 2018. The approvals were meant to be announced by the end of March but the DOE is yet to send the EPA its input. The administrator expects the delays […]
