Reading Time: 3 minutes New York | Reuters — U.S. Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz’s victory on Monday in corn-rich Iowa could represent a major blow to the country’s controversial biofuels program, reflecting its waning influence over politicians even in the U.S. farm heartland. Cruz, a conservative senator from Texas and outspoken opponent of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), […] Read more
Cruz’s Iowa victory could show Big Corn’s waning influence
U.S. EPA finalizes 2016 renewables target at 18.1B gallons
Reading Time: 2 minutes New York | Reuters — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency wants energy companies to blend 18.1 billion gallons (68.5 billion litres) of biofuels into the nation’s fuel supply next year, more than in a proposal laid out in May, it said in announcing final rules on renewables use for 2014-16 on Monday. The EPA’s long-awaited […] Read more
U.S. ethanol output rising as industry awaits new mandates
Reading Time: 2 minutes Reuters — U.S. ethanol production topped one million barrels per day for the first time last week, data showed Wednesday, ahead of a government deadline to issue a plan for the country’s hotly debated biofuels program. The largest boost in production rates since May showed U.S. ethanol makers capitalizing on a recent uptick in profit […] Read more
U.S. EPA launches probe into benefits of biofuels program
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s in-house investigators have launched a review of the environmental benefits stemming from the country’s decade-old program requiring the use of corn-based ethanol in gasoline. The investigation, to be conducted by the Inspector General for EPA, will examine whether the agency has complied with reporting requirements and […] Read more
U.S. seeks middle ground on biofuel targets, pleasing few
Reading Time: 3 minutes New York | Reuters — U.S. regulators on Friday unveiled much-delayed biofuel targets that sought to strike a middle ground for the nation’s contentious renewable fuels policy but still met with threats of legal action from two of the biggest industries, oil and corn. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) decided to raise its previous target […] Read more
ADM cuts biodiesel output as industry hit by weak margins
Reading Time: 2 minutes Winnipeg/New York | Reuters — Archer Daniels Midland , one of the world’s top biofuels producers, has slowed North American biodiesel output, the latest sign the industry is battling uncertainty over U.S. renewable fuel policy while the oil rout curbs demand. The Chicago-based agri business has “temporarily” shifted production at its Velva, N.D. oilseeds processing […] Read more
U.S. forecaster says El Nino expected to begin soon
Reading Time: < 1 minute New York | Reuters –– The El Nino weather phenomenon is expected to occur in the next one to two months and last into next spring in the Northern Hemisphere, though it will likely be weak, the Climate Prediction Center (CPC) agency of the National Weather Service said on Thursday. While the forecast marks the […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
