The conflict between the ethanol industry and the oil and gas sector ratcheted up this week when the Renewable Fuels Association asked EPA, DOE, USDA and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to launch a multi-agency investigation into "the oil industry's highly discriminatory and unlawful conduct . . . that is impeding the delivery of renewable fuels to the American marketplace." Read More...

The House Energy and Commerce Committee this week released its first in a series of white papers that the committee leaders say will examine a number of issues examining the federal Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS). Read More...

The Senate on Friday voted 62-37 to approve the proposed Keystone XL oil sands pipeline in an amendment to Senate budget. Read More...

James E. Walker, Vice President, Case IH NAFTA for CNH in Racine, Wisconsin, has been elected to the Board of Directors of the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM), the North American-based international trade group for companies that manufacture equipment, products and services used worldwide in the agricultural, construction, forestry, mining and utility sectors. Read More...

The House Budget Committee late Wednesday approved the latest budget from Chairman Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) on a party-line 22 to 17 vote. Read More...

NAEDA’s OPE council continues to express concerns about E-15 and what actions the manufacturers are going to take when it comes to warranty claims for mis-fueled equipment. During the council’s most recent meeting in New Orleans there was a discussion on the different “additives” being marketed to dealers and their customers. Given the fact that dealers don’t really know what works or if the product claims are correct, the council recommends that NAEDA conduct a “Fuel Additives Study” that evaluates the claims of these products being made and report the results of the study to all its members.”

The study will benefit all dealer members, therefore funding will be sought from the Equipment Dealers Foundation for educational purposes of the sturdy. Read More...

The first budget from Senate Democrats in four years includes nearly $1 trillion in new taxes but would not balance the budget. Read More...

House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) revealed Monday evening in an opinion piece in The Wall Street Journal that his latest budget plan will cut $4.6 trillion in spending over 10 years. Read More...

Budget sequestration went into effect late last week, imposing a series of across-the-board spending cuts at federal agencies. As a result of sequestration, agencies will be required to reduce discretionary spending 5% and mandatory spending 5.1% over the course of the fiscal year. Because there are less than seven months remaining in the fiscal year, many programs will be required to cut 9 to 9.5% for the remainder of the year.                 Read More...

The Congressional Budget Office released last week new cost estimates for the Senate and House Agriculture Committee-passed Farm Bills from 2012 that show significantly less savings that previous estimates. The CBO's updated scores for the legislation show the Senate-passed bill saving $13.1 billion over ten years instead of the $23.1 billion that was estimated last summer.  Similarly, the House Committee bill would save $26.6 billion instead of $35.1 billion. Read More...