Domestic Fuel

The ethanol industry is making progress towards the goal of helping consumers readily identify ethanol-enhanced fuel at the pump no matter where they are in the country.

Seven states – Kansas, Michigan, Illinois, South Dakota, Nebraska, Arkansas and Ohio – have now officially approved labels that incorporate the “e” brand to mark pumps that dispense E10, or ten percent ethanol fuel, according to the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council or EPIC.

At the 2007 Commodity Classic in Tampa, Florida this week, EPIC Director of Operations Robert White said the ethanol branding program has benefits for everyone, including individual retailers who in many cases are making less than a penny a gallon on gasoline sales.

“This is something that’s free to them – the labels, the shipping, point of sale materials and our national program – all tie consumers back to their individual station and their individual pumps,” White said.

White says EPIC is already working with another 25 states and hope to have at least half by the end of the year.

Arlan Suderman is a market analyst for Farm Futures magazine. He was on the program at the BASF “Science Behind Plant Health” symposium at Commodity Classic in Tamp, FL yesterday.

Arlan’s spoke about the ethanol wave and addressed the opportunities and the pitfalls that he sees coming. He shares a lot of information about how people are investing in the industry and how the boom is affecting grower decisions.

Listen to Arlan’s presentation here (12 min): Arlan Suderman Presentation (12 min mp3)

The 2007 Commodity Classic is underway in Tampa, Florida and biofuels are most definitely in the spotlight. From the policy making meetings for corn, soybean and wheat growers, to the informational sessions, to the trade show the influence of the energy business in agriculture dominates.

The Ethanol Promotion and Information Council (EPIC) has a brand spanking new booth set up in the trade show area which thousands of farmers from around the country will be visiting starting Thursday afternoon through Saturday.