File photo of a combine at work during a harvest in Germany. (Abadonian/iStock/Getty Images)

Germany considering withdrawal from crop-based biofuels by 2030

Lawmakers seek to boost biofuel made from wastes

Reading Time: 2 minutes Hamburg | Reuters — Germany’s government is considering proposals to phase out the use of biofuels produced from food or animal feed crops by 2030, the German biofuels industry association (VDB) said on Tuesday, adding the measure could increase carbon emissions. German environment minister Steffi Lemke said Jan. 17 she will soon send proposals to […] Read more

(Scharfsinn86/iStock/Getty Images)

U.S. EPA proposes revamp of biofuel program to include EVs

Mandated biofuel levels to rise through 2025

Reading Time: 3 minutes New York | Reuters — U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration on Thursday unveiled a three-year proposal to expand the U.S. biofuels policy with bigger volume mandates and — for the first time — to include a pathway for electric vehicle manufacturers to generate lucrative credits. Biden wants to fight climate change by reducing fossil fuel […] Read more



CGB’s soybean processing plant at Mt. Vernon, Ind. (CGB video screengrab)

CGB, soy grower co-op to build North Dakota crushing plant

Reading Time: 2 minutes Reuters — U.S. grain handler CGB Enterprises and farmer co-operative Minnesota Soybean Processors are building a soy processing plant in North Dakota, the second new crushing facility announced in the state this year. The plant — which will be built near Casselton, about 25 km west of Fargo — is expected to crush 42.5 million […] Read more


(ThamKC/iStock/Getty Images)

U.S. EPA proposes biofuel mandate cuts

Proposal seen as boost to pandemic-hit refiners

Reading Time: 3 minutes New York | Reuters — The Biden administration proposed on Tuesday a reduction in the amount of biofuels that U.S. oil refiners were required to blend into their fuel mix since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The long-awaited decision offers some relief to the U.S. refining industry after the health crisis slammed domestic demand […] Read more

CBOT November 2021 soybeans (candlesticks) with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages (yellow, green and black lines). (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Soybeans up on firm cash markets, vegoils

Corn, wheat futures sputter

Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — U.S. soybean futures ended higher on Tuesday for a fourth straight session, with the benchmark November contract touching a one-week top on firm cash markets and global demand for vegetable oils, analysts said. But Chicago Board of Trade corn and wheat futures closed lower, sagging after a choppy session. CBOT November […] Read more


ICE November 2021 canola (candlesticks) with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages (yellow, dark green and black lines). (Barchart)

ICE weekly outlook: Canola feeling the energy

Canola riding on fuels' bullish momentum

Reading Time: < 1 minute MarketsFarm — ICE Futures canola contracts moved steadily higher over the week ended Wednesday, hitting the top-end of a three month trading range. While tight Canadian supplies due to a Prairie drought have underpinned the market for some time, the latest strength and any future direction may be more closely tied to movement in energy […] Read more

(ThamKC/iStock/Getty Images)

U.S. EPA recommends lowering 2020 biofuel mandates retroactively

Agency not confirming or denying sources' statements

Reading Time: 2 minutes Reuters — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has recommended retroactively lowering biofuel blending mandates for 2020, two sources familiar with the matter said, after the agency on Thursday sent a proposal on the mandates to the White House for review. The move could provide immediate relief to oil refiners that have to comply with the […] Read more


A view of Imperial Oil’s Strathcona fuel refinery from the North Saskatchewan River. (Imperial Oil photo via BusinessWire)

Imperial Oil lays out Alberta renewable diesel plan

Company would use 'locally grown' canola, soybean oils

Reading Time: 2 minutes Reuters — Imperial Oil, one of Canada’s biggest oil producers and refiners, on Wednesday outlined a plan to process vegetable oil into renewable diesel at its 191,000-barrel-per-day Edmonton-area refinery. The project, which still requires final approval, is part of majority-owner Exxon Mobil’s goal of producing more than 40,000 barrels per day of low-emissions fuels by […] Read more

CBOT December 2021 soybeans (candlesticks) with Bollinger bands (20,2). (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Soy, corn slide on macroeconomic fears, biofuel worries

CBOT, MGEX December wheats also down

Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters –– U.S. soybean futures fell to their lowest in nearly two months on Friday and corn set a near one-month low on macroeconomic concerns along with beneficial rains in the western Midwest and Plains, analysts said. Soyoil futures fell more than five per cent on reports that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency […] Read more