In Washington, Reuters reports that following push back from the oil industry, the White House has put the kibosh on the Environmental Protection Agency’s plans to publish the names of companies seeking hardship waivers for small refiners under the Renewable Fuel Standard. The White House hadn’t reviewed the proposal put forward by the EPA on […]
In Luxembourg, the European Investment Bank (EIB), the EU bank, announced the launch of a loans package of nearly EUR1 billion for agriculture and the bioeconomy. The sum will be matched by the implementing financial institutions, thereby mobilizing close to EUR2 billion of long-term financing for companies in the sector. The announcement was made at […]
In Washington, D.C. the U.S. Grains Council strongly supports a decision made by the World Trade Organization’s Dispute Settlement Body determining China administered its tariff-rate quotas for wheat, corn and rice inconsistently with its WTO requirements. The report found that China’s TRQ administration is not transparent, predictable or fair and that it ultimately inhibits TRQs […]
In Malaysia, local press reports that the country’s primary industries minister doesn’t see the European Union budging on its stance against palm oil for biofuel so in turn is taking a two-pronged approach to the challenge: on one hand preparing to move forward with a formal WTO complaint and on the other hand working with […]
In Nevada, biodiesel and renewable diesel are included in the proposed legislation that would see a 5 cent per gallon tax lobbed on diesel by rural counties starting Jan. 1, 2020. The bill has passed the state’s senate and will now move onto the assembly for passage. Funds raised by the taxes in areas with […]
In Washington, with less than a week left before the public comment period closes, more than 25,000 comments have been received on the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed rule to allow year-round E15 blending under the 1-psi Reid Vapor Pressure waiver. The proposed rule was published on March 21 and the agency expects to be able […]
In Washington, as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) works towards allowing year-round use of E15 gasoline, National Farmers Union (NFU) is concerned EPA’s proposed rule will make it harder for retailers to sell higher level blends of ethanol. In a letter to EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler, NFU President Roger Johnson urged EPA to rewrite […]
In Washington, D.C., the Renewable Fuels Association reports that on April 11, EPA initiated the process for reviving one provision within the Nov. 2016 Renewables Enhancement and Growth Support (REGS) rule in an effort to provide more transparency regarding small refinery exemptions (SREs) from the RFS program. EPA had proposed to codify a determination that […]
In Minnesota, funding for a soybean crush and biodiesel facility in Crookston has passed a key hurdle in the Minnesota legislature. The proposed Soy Innovation Campus at the University of Minnesota Crookston will receive $5 million in funding as part of a bill authored by Sen. Torrey Westrom (R-Elbow Lake), who chairs the Senate Agriculture, […]
In Belgium, taking into account the commitments of the EU on climate change emerging from various binding documents, which have already been adopted such as the Paris Agreement, Directive of the European Parliament and the Council on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources (RED II) as well as the proposed new […]
