NEWS RELEASE

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Immediate Release:
Monday, June 01, 2009

Nebraska Corn Board contacts:

NE Corn Board: 800.632.6761

NEBRASKA CORN CHECKOFF UPDATE

e15 Comment Period Extended, Submit Your Comments in Support of Higher Blends:  The Nebraska Corn Board is continuing the push for consumers and producers to submit their comments to support the request to move to a 15% ethanol blend in gasoline.  The proposed e15 waiver would allow for ethanol blends of up to 15% to be marketed to conventional cars in the United States.  The e15 waiver is a pivotal step in the right direction to continue to reduce our dependence on foreign petroleum.  With the new deadline of July 20, consumers and producers can visit www.nebraskacorn.org and click on the Action Alert to connect with an online comment form to submit their comments.

Nebraska Corn, Cattle Producers Make Joint Mission to WDC:  Representatives of the Nebraska Corn Board and the Nebraska Cattlemen spent some time in WDC to visit with their Congressional delegation on issues of priority and agreement.  The third annual mission was an opportunity to highlight items of importance such as cap and trade, export promotion, navigable waters and the proposed budget.  The group also had the opportunity to meet with USDA Chief Economist Dr. Joe Glauber, in which they discussed cost of the proposed cap and trade bill and supply and demand of grains.  

EPA Released Proposed Rulemaking for RFS2:  The Environmental Protection Agency on May 26, published in the Federal Register their proposed rules for the Renewable Fuels Standard 2 (RFS2).  The RFS2 was passed within the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 and mandates the use of 36 billion gallons of renewable fuels by 2022.  The proposed rules substantiate that when looking at direct effects, corn based ethanol significantly reduces greenhouse gas emissions.  Unfortunately, and to the concern of the Nebraska Corn Board, indirect effects such as land use change are also unfairly modeled into the regulations.  The NCB is working with various stakeholders to draft comments and fund research to counter many of the concerns with the proposed regulations.  

Beef Advisory Committee Helps Direct NCB Funded DG Research:  The Nebraska Corn Board for many years has funded research on ethanol co-products, and two years ago set up an advisory committee to assist in future research.  The advisory committee consists of both producers and nutritionists in feedlot and forage beef systems, along with UNL beef researchers to offer suggestions on current and future research based on issues they are witnessing in their own and other operations.     
 
Nebraska Corn Checkoff Update is published monthly for corn industry leaders and others in Nebraska.  For more information, call: 1.800.NECORN1 (632-6761) or send an e-mail to NCB.Info@nebraska.gov.  Additional information can be found at the Nebraska Corn Board’s website, www.nebraskacorn.org. 

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