Milling & Baking News - October 23, 2018 - 14

Business

President Trump seeks to lift ban
on summer sales of E15 gasoline
year-round E15 completed by the
driving season of 2019."
Lynn Chrisp, president of the National Corn Growers Association
(N.C.G.A.), praised the announcement and thanked Mr. Trump for "following through on his commitment
to America's farmers." The N.C.G.A
suggested consumers could save 3c
to 10c per gallon because ethanol is
cheaper than gasoline.
"With 9 out of 10 vehicles on the
road today approved to use E15, consumers should have this lower-cost

WHITE HOUSE TWITTER

WASHINGTON - President Donald
Trump on Oct. 9 told a cheering crowd
in Council Bluffs, Iowa, that his administration was "protecting ethanol"
in seeking to lift a summer ban on the
sales of E15 gasoline - fuel containing
15% ethanol instead of the year-round
industry standard 10% blend.
The announcement set the regulatory steps in motion to allow year-round
sales of E15, as well as restructuring the sometimes-volatile trading of
biofuel credits known as RINs. Those
steps include the lengthy process of
drafting and finalizing a rule to extend
the Reid vapor pressure waiver for
gasoline blends beyond E10 by the Environmental Protection Agency, which
administers ethanol policy. That process isn't expected to be completed
until the spring of 2019.
The sale of E15 from June 1 to Sept.
15 is restricted in many parts of the
country by the E.P.A. because of concern about smog from evaporation
during summer months. As a result,
retailers have resisted switching fuels
twice a year, resulting in only about
1,400 E15 pumps nationwide. The
E.P.A. in 2012 approved the use of
E15 gasoline for all vehicles manufactured in 2001 and later.
"Expanding the sale of E15 yearround is sound policy for a variety
of reasons," said U.S. Secretary of
Agriculture Sonny Perdue. "Consumers will have more choices when
they fill up at the pump, including
environmentally friendly fuel with
decreased emissions. It is also an
excellent way to use our high corn
productivity and improved yields.
Year-round sale of E15 will increase
demand for corn, which is obviously
good for growers. This has been a
years-long fight and is another victory for our farm and rural economies. I look forward to working with
the E.P.A. to see rulemaking and

President Donald Trump speaking Oct. 9 in
Council Bluffs, Iowa.

option year-round," Mr. Chrisp said.
"N.C.G.A. will be taking an active role
in the regulatory process, urging the
E.P.A. to move forward with making
the president's commitment a reality
by next summer."
The Renewable Fuels Association
(R.F.A.) also applauded the president's
decision to begin the formal rulemaking
process to allow year-round sales of E15.
"Securing fair market access for
E15 and other higher blends has been
our top regulatory priority for several

Panera to disclose whole grain
content of bread products
ST. LOUIS - Panera Bread Co. said
it is disclosing the whole grain content of bread on its menu, becoming
the first national restaurant chain to
commit to such an initiative. As part
of the program, Panera said it now
will label servings of whole grains
14 / October 23, 2018

Milling & Baking News

per slice, roll or bagel, as well as the
whole grain percentage, on all bread
items over 50% whole grain.
"At Panera, we've always tried to
do what's right, regardless of what our
industry has accepted as (sufficient)
or good enough," said Sara Burnett,

years, and we are pleased that the first
official step in this process is being
taken," said Geoff Cooper, president
and chief executive officer of the R.F.A.
"This is the right signal to the marketplace at just the right time, as both
farmers and renewable fuel producers
desperately need new market opportunities and sources of demand."
But not everyone was happy, and
market watchers in general expect
there will be a lawsuit seeking to block
the year-round sale of E15 gasoline
once it is approved by the E.P.A.
The American Petroleum Institute
(A.P.I.), which represents all facets of
the natural gas and crude oil industry, said the decision was a "bad deal"
for consumers.
"Putting a fuel into the marketplace that the vast majority of cars
on the road were not designed to use
is not in the best interest of consumers," said Mike Sommers, president
and c.e.o. of the A.P.I. "Vehicle compatibility tests have shown that high
ethanol levels in gasoline can damage
engines and fuel systems."
The A.P.I. said three out of four
vehicles on U.S. roads today weren't
built to use E15 gasoline, and that
some automakers have indicated the
use of E15 could potentially void
vehicle warranties. The A.P.I. added
that E15 wasn't compatible with motorcycles, boats, lawn equipment or
all-terrain vehicles.
The U.S.D.A. in September forecast
the use of corn to produce ethanol in
the 2018-19 marketing year, which began Sept. 1, at 5,650 million bus, equal
to 38% of forecast 2018 U.S. corn production of 14,827 million bus. Some industry estimates indicate year-round
use of E15 could use an additional
2,000 million bus of corn.
The president's E15 announcement
also was seen as politically beneficial
in major corn producing states, where
in some cases Republican candidates
were in tight races against Democrat opponents, who Mr. Trump said
would "end ethanol" if they could. MBN
director of wellness at Panera. "Interestingly, multiple whole grain options
available at grocers through our Panera
at Home bread business helped remind
us what really matters in bread and inspired us to translate their progress into
our restaurants. Guests deserve real,
measurable information, but also options - and we offer more whole grain
options than any other national restaurant chain. When we combine our
bakingbusiness.com / world-grain.com

http://www.bakingbusiness.com http://www.world-grain.com

Milling & Baking News - October 23, 2018

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