CBOT May 2022 corn (candlesticks) with Bollinger bands (20,2). (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Corn, wheat climb on Ukraine woes, U.S. biofuel plan

May soybeans also close higher

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. corn, wheat and soybean futures rose on Tuesday on worries about the Russia-Ukraine conflict persisting and disrupting Black Sea grain exports, and optimism about increased demand for biofuels, analysts said. U.S. President Joe Biden will unveil plans to extend the availability of higher biofuel blends of gasoline during the summer […] Read more

CBOT March 2022 corn (candlesticks) with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages (yellow, orange and dark green lines). (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Corn sags on export worries

Soy ends lower after volatile session

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. corn futures fell on Thursday on profit-taking after this week’s multi-month highs and worries about export demand after China canceled a purchase of U.S. supplies, traders said. Wheat sagged on poor weekly export data and a lack of fresh supportive news while soybean futures posted modest losses after a volatile, […] Read more

(ThamKC/iStock/Getty Images)

U.S. EPA proposes biofuel mandate cuts

Proposal seen as boost to pandemic-hit refiners

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

The Co-op Ethanol Complex at Belle Plaine, Sask. (FCL.crs)

Co-op to capture carbon at ethanol plant, refinery

FCL, Whitecap sign agreement to sequester fuel plants' CO2

A major Prairie ethanol and fuel producer is posed to spend just over half a billion dollars on a system to capture and sequester carbon dioxide from its operations in Saskatchewan. Federated Co-operatives announced Thursday it had signed a memo of understanding with Calgary-based ‘clean energy’ company Whitecap Resources, in which the latter company will […] 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

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

(ThamKC/iStock/Getty Images)

U.S. EPA recommends lowering 2020 biofuel mandates retroactively

Agency not confirming or denying sources' statements

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

Bipartisan U.S. bill aims to eliminate corn ethanol volume mandate

Bipartisan U.S. bill aims to eliminate corn ethanol volume mandate

Reuters – A bipartisan group of U.S. senators introduced legislation on July 21 that would eliminate a national mandate requiring oil refiners to blend corn-based ethanol into their fuel mix – a proposal that would slam corn growers and is likely to face vehement opposition from the farm lobby. Republican Senator Pat Toomey from Pennsylvania and Democratic […] Read more


Researchers give yeast a boost to make biofuels from discarded plant matter

Researchers give yeast a boost to make biofuels from discarded plant matter

Science Notes: Corn stover seen as an underutilized fuel source

If corn stover could be efficiently fermented into ethanol the way corn kernels are, stover could be a large-scale, renewable source of fuel. “Stover is produced in huge amounts, on the scale of petroleum,” said Whitehead Institute Member and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) biology professor Gerald Fink. “But there are enormous technical challenges to […] Read more

(Dave Bedard photo)

U.S. appeals court rules for environmental groups in biofuel case

New York | Reuters — The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled on Friday in favour of environmental groups who argued against the U.S. government’s conclusion that biofuel blending obligations posed no danger to species’ habitats. The Environmental Protection Agency decides on the amount of biofuels that oil refiners must […] Read more