Contact: Cassidy Walter
515-322-0435

JOHNSTON, IOWA – The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA) was pleased to recently welcome five new biofuel industry partners as associate members.

“If we want to see Iowa biofuels producers succeed and flourish, we need strong community support from partners like these,” said IRFA Executive Director Monte Shaw. “We are excited to welcome these new members and work with them to grow consumer access to biofuel blends here and around the country.”

Iowa Association of Electric Cooperatives

The Iowa Association of Electric Cooperatives (IAEC) is a trade association that supports and represents its member-owned electric cooperatives located throughout Iowa. Iowa’s electric cooperatives provide electricity to many Iowa biofuel plants and stand united with the biofuel producers in growing opportunities for ethanol and biodiesel use.

“We look forward to supporting Iowa’s farmers and the biofuels industry to make Iowa’s agricultural community even stronger.” said Chuck Soderberg, IAEC’s executive vice president and general manager.

L&M Ethanol Maintenance Contracting

L&M Ethanol Maintenance Contracting is based in Fort Dodge and provides a variety of maintenance and construction services to Iowa biofuel plants, including piping, mechanical, support, safety services and more.

“L&M has been supporting Iowa ethanol and biodiesel plants for over a decade by providing safe, reliable and quality maintenance services,” said Justin Goodno, L&M Ethanol Maintenance Contracting safety director. “Joining IRFA is just one more way we are excited to support Iowa biofuels, who do so much to support Iowa’s ag community.”

Navigator CO2 Ventures

Navigator CO2 is working to build a pipeline that will cross Iowa and four other Midwestern states and capture up to 12 million metric tons of CO2 a year and store it underground.

“Navigator CO₂ is working to expand market opportunities for value-added ag processes in our rural communities by helping them produce green product in an increasingly greener fashion,” said Elizabeth Burns-Thompson, vice president of government and public affairs for Navigator CO₂. “We know successful industries are built off strong partnerships, which is why we are proud to be joining IRFA who shares our vision and is also working to ensure the long-term growth of low-carbon renewable fuels.”

Sukup Manufacturing Co.

Sukup Manufacturing is the world’s largest family-owned manufacturer of grain storage, grain drying and handling equipment, and steel buildings. Sukup has long partnered with Iowa biofuel producers to meet their grain storage needs, including constructing the world’s largest grain bin at IRFA member plant Golden Grain Energy near Mason City.

“Sukup Manufacturing Co. is proud to be a part of IRFA, an organization dedicated to helping biofuel producers feed and fuel the world,” said Brent Hansen, Sukup commercial accounts manager. “By becoming a member of the IRFA we are not only supporting the biofuels industry, an industry which we believe in, but also our farmers, families, neighbors, and the agriculture economy of rural America for a better future.”

Agri Trading

Agri Trading specializes in supplying customers with animal fats and recycled vegetable oils. They work with biodiesel producers, supplying a variety of feedstocks including used cooking oil, corn oil, choice white grease, and yellow grease.

The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association represents the state’s liquid renewable fuels industry and works to foster its growth. Iowa is the nation’s leader in renewable fuels production with 42 ethanol refineries capable of producing 4.5 billion gallons annually – including 34 million gallons of annual cellulosic ethanol production capacity – and 11 biodiesel facilities with the capacity to produce 410 million gallons annually. For more information, visit the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association website at: www.IowaRFA.org.

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