Interested in BRAZIL? Please join us at the "Brazilian Biofuels Briefing" on Tuesday, June 5th from 2-3 pm in Room 205 A&B for a discussion on the latest investment opportunities & industry updates. Representatives from UNICA, Cargill, University of Minnesota and the Minnesota Dpt of Agriculture will present. Please see the attached program flyer for speaker bios. See you there!

John Nelson: Thanks for sharing Stephanie. Your presentation titled, "Investment Opportunities in Brazil" looks very interesting. I plan to attend.

Stephanie Bergeman: Thank you, John. We look forward to seeing you on the 5th. And congrats to the BBI team!

Gustavo Figueiredo: Hi Stephanie, can you please share the presentation to us? Unfortunately I was attending another meeting and I want to make sure I have a brief view of the material. TKS!

We are experts in BioGas and Ethanol integration, have done it and have patents in the area. With EPA's current plan, our BioGas plant next to your plant (on Milo), will allow you to collect the D5 RIN (currently at about 80 cents per gallon). If you want to know more, stop by our booth #801 We have a plant operating in Canada and we are constructing a plant in Kansas. Got Corn? We can help as well. www.HimarkBioGas.com

We invite you to join the Arisdyne team for Fred Clarke’s presentation “Analytical Challenges to Prove Yield Enhancement Technologies” during Track 1: Production & Operations on Tuesday, June 5 in Room 102, Level 1 from 1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. We all face challenges critical to continuing operations and profit improvement. This "Sharpening the Science of Yield Measurement…" session is sure to be of interest to all plant professionals. See you there... [read more]

If you are interested in upgrading to a new DCS for your plant, make sure you visit the Direct Automation booth at the FEW convention.

I toured the Shoreham Yards rail yard today and anyone dealing with moving their product via rail should really consider the industry tour. The rail safety knowledge that will be on site is world class. I learned more today in 20 minutes than I have in 4 years of being in the industry. Also, Tom Bryan and I had a chance to speak with Bob Dinneen of the Renewable Fuels Association about his keynote. Count on Bob to reaffirm why this industry is so... [read more]

Please attend Steve Rust's presentation "Cellunator Case Study: Optimizing Particle Size and Liberating Starch for Existing and Future Markets." The session will be on Tuesday from 1:30 pm - 3:00 pm in Track 1: Production & Operations, Room 102, Level 1.

Jamey Cline:

It is being reported that Gevo is successfully manufacturing isobutanol in Luverne, Minnesota. Pat Gruber will appear on our jam packed general session stage on Wednesday morning. Hear about Gevo, the construction and progress in Hugoton, Shenandoah, Nevada, St. Josephs, and Emmetsburg on Wednesday morning.

I'm two fifths of the way through my conversations with our Day 2 general session panelists and I'm already blown away at the innovation and acceleration these projects exhibit. It seems crystal clear that the best chance at realizing the dream of next generation biofuels lies in integrating with existing corn ethanol facilities. The diversity of approaches in this group is amazing. It seems the only commonality is that they are all building upon... [read more]

Plan to attend our Sponsor Series Seminar "Fermentation Breakthrough to Improve Plant Profitability". This seminar will take place in Room 205, Level 2, of the MCC.

I had the privilege of spearheading our review and decision making process on this year's Kathy Bryan Memorial Scholarship. If the applicants, semi-finalists and this year's winners are indicative of the kinds of people that care about our industry, we have a very bright future indeed. PRODUCERS..if you aren't aware of this program and have children/dependents in college please ask a BBI team member about it at the FEW.

Matthew Spoor: I had the privilege of reviewing the finalists and... wow... was that a tough call to make. Really great applicants. We will be holding a 50/50 raffle to raise money for the scholarship at the FEW this year. Bring your wallets, good will and a good l... [read more]

I'd like to draw everyone's attention to the newly added 'attendees' tab on the FEW website. For privacy reasons we don't include the names or phone numbers of our attendees, but we DO list job titles and company names. Wondering if the lab manager from that plant in your territory will be in Minneapolis? Well...wonder no more.

Matthew Spoor: And...You can use Ethanol Connect to find and connect with a specific person. Once connected, you can share contact information, set meetings, etc. Remember - Ethanol Connect is an opt-in service. Those who choose not to be contacted may not opt-in.

New to the industry? Do the acronyms and technical jargon that you hear every day leave you scrambling for Wikipedia? If this sounds familiar, I urge you to look at the agenda for the Ethanol Industry 101. Our moderators and panelists have been working hard to make sure that each attendee will leave with a strong foundation of knowledge of ethanol's history, basic science, economics and political history.

John Nelson: There is a powerful lineup focused on production, policy and profitability. Thank you to the speakers at the 101 event. -Larry Johnson, Owner, LLJ Consulting -Todd Sneller, Administrator, Nebraska Ethanol Board -Bob Randle, Vice President, Business D... [read more]

Saul Tamayo: Thank you...yes, I am planning to attend

Only a limited supply available - Swing by booth 333 at the beginning of the conference before they are gone.

The Wisconsin Bio Industry Alliance is reaching out to representatives in Washington, D.C., this week to remind them of the importance of the ethanol industry and the jobs it provides for workers.

An anticipated May 1 start date for E15 sales to drivers of 2001 and newer vehicles In Kansas failed to materialize as retailers and ethanol industry representatives continue to work through the U.S. EPA’s long list of implementation conditions.

It shouldn’t be a surprise, but the USDA’s monthly supply/demand report projects a big crop for the 2012-’13 marketing year that starts once the new crop is harvested in the fall.

A plant in cold idle since December 2010 is one step closer to being under new ownership. A judge approved the sale of Levelland Hockley County Ethanol LLC at a May 10 court hearing.

The Iowa Renewable Fuels Infrastructure Board is accepting applications for cost-share funding to assist with the installation of ethanol and biodiesel equipment at retail stations and wholesale distribution centers.

More than six months after Danisco and Genencor International were ordered to pay damages of $18.2 million for infringing on a Novozymes patent, a judge has reversed the jury’s decision.

People, Partnerships & Deals

Vivergo Fuels U.K. plant in commissioning stage

Obama, Rousseff participate in Brazil–US forum

Wyoming takes back promised tax credit

Inbicon kicks up licensing plans