Biodiesel

A soybean’s versatile chemical composition makes it ideal for a range of uses — from biodiesel to soy crayons and many goods in between.

The Illinois Soybean Association is observing its 60th anniversary this year that will culminate with an awards banquet in November.

While recent actions may have led fans — and foes — of biodiesel, including soy biodiesel, to start writing the renewable fuel’s obituary, one biodiesel cheerleader isn’t ready to send flowers.

When it comes to terminology, words matter and when it involves two very separate fuels, Scott Fenwick, technical director for Clean Fuels Alliance America, wants to make sure the public knows the difference.

In our increasingly urgent quest to clean up our climate-altering, carbon-fueled culture, biodiesel and renewable diesel have become two new darlings of alternative fuel advocates.

Through the foresight of farmers campaigning for a sales tax exemption over two decades ago, biodiesel production in Illinois has increased fifteenfold.

The Illinois Soybean Association will observe its 60th anniversary with special events and commemorations throughout the year.

The rising demand for higher biodiesel blends and success stories among Midwest fleets were the topics of a recent Clean Fuels Alliance America podcast.

The annual High Performance Low Carbon Liquid Fuels Summit was held at Andretti Global headquarters. Stakeholders learned about the environmental benefits, economic potential and value of corn-based ethanol and soybean-based biodiesel.

Andretti INDYCAR has joined the B20 Club of Indiana — a group that supports biodiesel, renewable fuels and sustainable aviation fuel.

There’s not a day that goes by, when farmers aren’t thinking about how to leave the land better than we found it.

The first of three phases that move toward higher biodiesel blend sales tax exemptions was effective April 1.

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack will soon meet with farm officials from key trading partners Canada and Mexico.

Farmer leaders and staff with the Indiana Corn Growers Association and the Indiana Soybean Alliance discussed hot topics with state lawmakers at the annual Bacon Bar and Brunch legislative breakfast.

There is a boom occurring for renewable diesel with several plants under construction in the United States.

The unknowns facing the agriculture sector are much greater today than in the past few years and possibly decade.

The Illinois Soybean Association returns to the Farm Progress Show Aug. 29-31. ISA will be at Booth 605 exhibiting how Illinois farmers’ checkoff dollars are fueling progress for Illinois agriculture.

The Illinois Soybean Association is proud to be providing a space for farmers to do just that at this year’s Farm Progress Show.

Nothing sets the mood to talk about agriculture better than a buffet of farm-fresh bacon, eggs and corn fritters.

A new John Deere planting technology will give farmers the opportunity to apply less starter fertilizer to reduce input costs.

Just blocks from Midway Airport and a few miles from O’Hare International Airport, ag economist Dan Basse, asked the question: “How many of you want to fly in a battery-powered airplane?”

Soybean cash prices are typically in the dumps at harvest time, but a strong crush demand and basis didn’t let that happen. “The basis in soybeans this time of year is the strongest it’s been in over 20 years,” said Todd Hultman, DTN grain market analyst.

Using B20 biodiesel in the Midwest winters might have caused diesel fleet and vehicle operators some concern years ago. But biodiesel and the technologies and testing connected to it have made strides that allow the renewable fuel to be more widely used in winter.

The B20 Club of Indiana announced two organizations have joined its efforts to promote cleaner air and a lower carbon footprint through use of biodiesel fuel, a high-performance, cleaner-burning fuel that’s made from soybeans and other renewable feedstocks produced in Indiana.

The Illinois Soybean Association checkoff program is sharing its “Good to be Soy” message with Fighting Illini fans in their fall and winter sports lineup. ISA hosted a “Good to be Soy” tailgate within the Grange Grove quadrant next to Memorial Stadium before kickoff.

Illinois corn and soybean farmers are fueling the Illinois High School Association football championships this fall — literally.

By producing fuel using sources with lower carbon intensity than traditional petroleum-based products, the U.S. biofuels sector is well-positioned to play a major role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Republican Kathy Salvi told a large group of farmers she would be a “citizen senator and will work tirelessly, efficiently and effectively to represent agriculture.” Salvi, a first-time candidate from Mundelein, is challenging incumbent Democrat U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth.

The senatorial candidates participated in a question-and-answer session after their opening statements at the recent Illinois Agricultural Legislative Roundtable forum. The questions were provided by those in the audience.

Incumbent Democratic U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth spoke of her legislative record and platform going forward if elected during the recent Illinois Agricultural Legislative Roundtable candidate forum.

Questions relating to several high-priority legislative issues were posed to U.S. senatorial candidates at a recent candidate forum. The Illinois Agricultural Legislative Roundtable forum featured incumbent Democrat U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth and Republican challenger Kathy Salvi.

A question-and-answer session was held as part of the recent Illinois Agricultural Legislative Roundtable candidate forum following each gubernatorial candidate’s opening statements. The questions were provided by those in the audience.

Fort Wayne was recently named a 2022 Leading Fleet by Government Fleet magazine. This awards program recognizes operations that are performing at a high level, particularly in fleet leadership, competitiveness and efficiency, planning and overcoming challenges.

Following Republican gubernatorial candidate Darren Bailey’s opening statements at the Illinois Agricultural Legislative Roundtable forum, he answered questions posed by those in attendance.

In 1970, Paul Samuelson became the first American awarded the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences. The honor came to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology economist because he had “simply rewritten considerable parts of economic theory.”

The farmer-leaders of the United Soybean Board convened for its summer board meeting to approve a 2023 fiscal year budget of $123 million for program work, starting Oct. 1, 2022.

Staff and board members of the Illinois Soybean Association cultivate more than soybeans. The ISA celebrated their move into a new location in suburban Lombard, relocating from the ISA’s downtown Chicago, La Salle Street location, with an open house.

One of the duties that the new Illinois Soybean Association office in Lombard will have is to serve as a conduit for ISA staff and board members as they work to boost the use of soy biodiesel in Illinois and around the country and even globally.

There isn’t a soybean field in sight of the new Illinois Soybean Association suburban office at 100 22nd Street in Lombard. But what is within sight — or at least quick driving distance — is something that is almost as important.

Dec. 1, 1981-May 2, 2022 are important dates in the life of Blake Roderick, retiring executive director of Pike-Scott Farm Bureau. These dates of Blake’s employment as manager are important; however, the dash between the dates tells the story.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed into law a bill that incentivizes increasing blends of biodiesel. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Patrick Joyce, D-Essex, and Rep. Eva Dina Delgado, D-Chicago, extends the current B10 sales tax exemption until 2023.

It’s no big secret that in Illinois, agriculture is vital to our economy. With Illinois being in the top five in soybeans, corn, wheat and pork production for 2021, we play a huge role in feeding our state, country and the world.

The formation of unlikely partnerships and expansion of renewable diesel production are expected to spark robust demand for U.S. soybeans.

The future of biofuels is a complicated topic. “I’m very confident biofuels will play an important role in our global energy future, but I expect it to be a bumpy ride,” said Scott Irwin, Laurence J. Norton Chair of Agricultural Marketing in the Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics at the University of Illinois.

The Illinois Soybean Association welcomed the Lewis and Clark Community College as an affiliated partner of the B20 Club of Illinois. They recently sponsored an Automotive Service Excellence training session for the students in the college’s Department of Automotive Technology in partnership with MEG Corp.

The Illinois Soybean Association’s District 10 director and board secretary Elliott Uphoff is in the thick of the harvest season and is proving that biodiesel can fuel your bottom line all year long.

The Illinois Soybean Association announced its lineup of fiscal year 2022 checkoff-funded projects that put Illinois soybean farmers’ profitability at the center of their work by growing opportunities for soybean uses, markets, accessibility and demand.

The B20 Club of Indiana is excited to welcome two new fleets — the Muncie Indiana Transit System and Ozinga — to its exceptional lineup of members dedicated to promoting cleaner air and a lower carbon footprint through the use of B20 biodiesel fuel.

Soybean fields could hold the keys to a more sustainable transportation system. By using fuel, motor oils, hydraulic fluid, degreasers — even tires — made from soybean oil, fleets can reduce petroleum use, cut carbon footprints and improve worker safety.

Like most farmers, maintaining my equipment is important to my bottom line and my ability to do my job efficiently. And that includes my semi grain truck that runs on biodiesel.