Family Food Bytes
TRUMP DIRECTS E-15 RULEMAKING PROCESS (Deana Stroisch, FarmWeek) -
President Donald Trump has directed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to begin a rulemaking process to allow the year-round sale of E15 ethanol fuel.
Farm and ethanol groups across the country applauded the announcement. Supporters said eliminating the summertime ban will save consumers money, reduce emissions, enhance competition and provide a boost to the ag economy.
Getting approval of year-round sale of E15 has been a priority for many agriculture and ethanol groups, including Illinois Farm Bureau.
In 2011, EPA approved the use of E15 in all light-duty vehicles built in 2001 or later, meaning more than 90 percent of cars and trucks on the road today are legally approved to use the fuel. E15 cannot be sold during the summer months in most of the country.
According to the Renewable Fuel Association (RFA), E15 is available at more than 1,300 retail stations in 29 states, and it is expected that elimination of the summertime ban will result in rapid expansion of the availability of E15 nationwide.
NEW CEO OF COUNTRY FINANCIAL SELECTED (FarmWeek). Mr. Jim Jacobs, General Counsel for the Illinois Farm Bureau and COUNTRY Financial, will become COUNTRY’S CEO early next year. He succeeds Mr. Kurt Bock who is retiring January 31 after serving as CEO for seven years. Jacobs has served as General Counsel, Sec. and chief legal officer for COUNTRY, IFB and other affiliated companies since 2008. Prior to joining IFB, Jacobs was a litigation attorney for 14 years in Louisiana and a partner in the New Orleans law firm of Murphy, Rogers, Sloss, and Gambel. He holds a law degree from Wake Forest University school of Law and a bachelor’s degree in science from the University of Evansville. Jacobs is a native of Chenoa, Illinois, where he grew up on a family farm.
About Family Food Bytes: This is a collection of articles gathered from both mainstream and agriculture media and is designed to keep you informed as a member and leader within the Cook County Farm Bureau organization. The articles summarized above are not intended to represent Cook County Farm Bureau policy or positions, but rather to provide members an idea of what is being reported regionally, nationally, and globally.