Congress reinstated the biodiesel blenders credit and extended the cellulosic biofuels producer tax credit as part of the package to avoid falling off the fiscal cliff.

Under legislation passed by Congress this week, the $1-per-gallon blenders credit for biodiesel and renewable diesel which expired Dec. 31, 2011, will go back into effect retroactively for 2012 and extend to the end of 2013. (Photo courtesy of the Renewable Energy Group)The House of Representatives on Tuesdaypassed by a vote of 257-167 a bill to avert a set of automatic tax increases that would have gone into effect Jan. 1. The bill passed the Senate 89-8 Monday and is expected to be signed by President Barack Obama.

Under the legislation, the $1-per-gallon blenders credit for biodiesel and renewable diesel which expired Dec. 31, 2011, will go back into effect retroactively for 2012 and extend to the end of this year.

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Near the beginning of every New Year, the shipping experts at PartnerShip dig into the small package carriers’ annual rate increase announcements. We like to read between the lines for our customers, digest the tables and charts, see what information is out there that FedEx and UPS didn’t say, or maybe just hinted at. As always, how much more expensive your particular small package shipments will be in the New Year largely depends on many factors, including shipment volumes, sizes, weights, and modes. Read More...

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced December 13, 2012 that the U.S. Department of Agriculture's measures to open conservation land to emergency haying and grazing during the 2012 drought freed up a record 2.8 million acres and provided as much as $200 million in forage for producers facing critical feed shortages. Vilsack made the announcement during the national drought forum in Washington, D.C. co-sponsored by numerous federal agencies, governors' associations and academic partners. Read More...

Please consider a donation to the NAEDA EDF. Read More...

Members looking for qualified employees have free and direct access to thousands of unemployed National Guard members and military veterans through the American Jobs for America’s Heroes alliance. With more than 60,000 unemployed National Guard members nationally, this is a huge resource for employers looking for skilled, experienced and reliable employees. Register now for posting jobs at no cost at www.CenterForAmerica.org/register.html Read More...

A three-judge panel of the U.S. District Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia issued a decision Friday dismissing on technical grounds two challenges to the Environmental Protection Agency's decision about two years ago to approve the introduction of gasoline blended with ethanol at the ratio of 15%, or E15.

The 2-1 decision, written by Chief Judge David B. Sentelle, said the petitioners, who are trade associations whose members are part of the petroleum and food industries, had "no standing to bring this action" and therefore, "We dismiss all petitions for lack of jurisdiction."  Read More...

NAEDA’s Discount Freight Select Services Program is experiencing significant growth as dealers look for assistance in managing their freight operations.  After experiencing a 40% increase in the 1st Quarter 2012, Select Services activity as increased by 154% in April and 10.2% in May 2012.   Read More...

NAEDA joined 141 other organizations in a July 24th letter supporting passage of a package of bills now named H.R. 4078, the “Red Tape Reduction and Small Business Jobs Creation Act.” This bill would streamline the federal permitting process, impose transparency on the abused sue and settle process used by agencies and environmental groups to circumvent the rulemaking process, and to prohibit agencies from proposing or finalizing major midnight regulations.

The common sense reforms in this packaged bill would make the nation’s regulatory process more transparent, efficient, and workable for businesses that create jobs and contribute to economic growth. Sound regulatory policy is not possible unless the process is open and public participation is
welcomed by agencies. At the center of these regulatory reforms is an effort to promote good government practices that encourage efficiency, sound analysis, and public involvement. Read More...

A new study from accounting firm Ernst & Young, released July 17 by the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), shows that allowing tax cuts to expire on top individual rates is likely to hurt job creation and the economy, particularly small business job creators.

The study says potential tax rate increase scheduled to start Jan.1, 2013 would directly impact small business organized as S corporations, partnerships, LLCs and sole proprietors, which make up about 75 percent of all small businesses. Read More...

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) today applauded the Committee’s unanimous approval of his bill establishing permanent normal trade relations (PNTR) with Russia and removing Russia from the 1974 Jackson-Vanik amendment.  Chairman Baucus’s bill will enable U.S. businesses to create jobs here at home by capitalizing on Russia’s growing market.  The legislation supports and creates thousands of U.S. jobs across every sector of the American economy, including manufacturing, agriculture and services, by helping double U.S. exports to Russia within five years.  Read More...