The Ethanol Promotion and Information Council has been recognized by the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Nebraska chapter for its work in fighting the misperceptions that ethanol was the primary culprit to the rising cost of food.

EPIC’s media kit “Food AND Fuel” received the Award of Excellence from the organization. In addition, EPIC also received an Award of Excellence in the OP-ED/Bylined Article category.

EPIC recently announced that it is joining Growth Energy, a newly formed organization dedicated to the promise of agriculture and growing America’s economy through cleaner, greener energy.

The Ethanol Promotion and Information Council is joining with the newly-formed Growth Energy group.

EPIC Executive Director Toni Nuernberg made the official announcement today that the organization’s board of directors is recommending a transition plan to the membership for the two groups to combine.

“The mission of EPIC’s formation— growing ethanol awareness through public relations, marketing and promotions — will continue as a core platform of Growth Energy’s initiatives,” said Nuernberg in a statement. EPIC’s programs and staff will be transitioning into Growth Energy over the next few months.

Growth Energy was announced earlier this month as a new ethanol organization formed by the same principals who started EPIC in 2005, “committed to the promise of agriculture and growing America’s economy through cleaner, greener energy.”

The newly formed ethanol advocacy group, Growth Energy, has aggressive plans for attacking some of the major issues impacting the growth of biofuels.

During an interview at the National Association of Farm Broadcasting annual meeting, Growth Energy board member Greg Krissek of ICM said they want to “especially focus on the federal work being done on mid-level and higher level blends (of ethanol) but accelerate that.”

The new organization will be “working very closely together” with the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council (EPIC). “As the industry gets bigger, it’s an opportunity for coalitions to be built of groups of producers,” said Krissek.

Growth Energy will also be aggressively fighting back against food companies that have been blaming ethanol production for higher food prices. “The question is simple - are food prices going to fall? Or was it really a disingenuous statement that was made,” Krissek said. The organization is requesting that Congress to hold hearings with food companies to ask them the question.

Listen an interview with Greg Krissek here:

America’s ethanol producers have formed a new organization based out of Washington, DC. It’s called Growth Energy.

Growth Energy is a group committed to the promise of agriculture and growing America’s economy through cleaner, greener energy. Growth Energy members recognize America needs a new ethanol approach. Through smart policy reform and a proactive grassroots campaign, Growth Energy promotes reducing greenhouse gas emissions, expanding the use of ethanol in gasoline, decreasing our dependence on foreign oil, and creating American jobs at home.

The organization will be dedicated to promoting clean, green ethanol as America’s best renewable fuel that is high-tech and homegrown, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and the nation’s dependence on foreign oil. In addition, the organization will release a new policy brief and announce a new advertising campaign focused on dispelling one of the major myths about ethanol production.

The new organization will have a press conference tomorrow which we’ll participate in and have more information to share then.