New research from the University of Illinois shows producing ethanol from grasses rather than corn could significantly cut greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. without affecting food production.
2015 was an important year for agricultural stories, from the slump in the U.S. farm economy because of plunging commodity prices to the outbreak of avian influenza and Congress repealing mandatory country-of-origin labeling on meat products.
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack announced on Thursday that his department will award nearly two dozen states with millions of dollars to build the gas pumps and other infrastructure needed to supply American drivers with more renewable fuel.
The federal renewable fuel policy has had a big impact on carbon emissions, according to an industry report. In its report released on Aug. 24, the Biotechnology Industry Organization estimated that the policy has reduced more than 580 million metric tons of carbon emissions over 10 years.
Every time you put gas in your car, you’re adding a bit of renewable fuel to your tank, as well. You may not notice since renewable fuels are government-mandated, and they only save you a few pennies per gallon of gasoline, according to industry experts. But behind the scenes, there is complex polic
The delay in proposed renewable fuel minimums by the Environmental Protection Agency may have hindered the future of advanced biofuels, the kind of cellulosic ethanol formulas made from tall grasses and stalks. Although researchers tout advanced biofuels' environmental benefits, the uncertain policy
Industry experts expect corn ethanol production to stay strong despite a proposal to reduce federal renewable fuel requirements. The Environmental Protection Agency proposed to reduce renewable fuel mandates for 2014 through 2016, lessening what it initially slated in 2005.
The Environmental Protection Agency released its ethanol mandates in late May. Those mandates cut billions of gallons from what original 2014 through 2016 mandates promised and contributed to a surge of public comments from a wide variety of stakeholders. Read five of those comments here.
Hundreds of farmers and industry advocates used a Kansas hearing in late June to rally against recent cuts in ethanol mandates. The Environmental Protection Agency proposed to cut billions of gallons from renewable fuel mandates for 2014 through 2016. Corn ethanol cuts alone total nearly 4 billion g
The recently proposed Renewable Fuel Standards sparked a flurry of angry comments from U.S. policymakers, representatives and industry leaders. All renewable fuels face cuts. The Environmental Protection Agency proposed to cut 3.75 billion gallons of corn-based ethanol from original 2014 through 201
As companies and landowners continue to settle on agreements to begin fracking, a handful of federal reports and studies have suggested fracking for gas and oil may present certain health risks.
Southern Illinois farmers and landowners have started leasing their land to major fracking companies to draw additional income. In just one southern Illinois county, Wayne County,property owners have signed more than 3,000 leases with oil and gas companies in the last two years, though some leases m
