USDA releases corn planting forecast of 85 million acres, down 1 percent from 2008; consultant says US ethanol producers will be at 67 percent of capacity in ‘09-’10

In Washington, the USDA released its planting report, suggesting that US farmers will plant 85 million acres of corn in 2009, down 1 percent from 2008. HighQuest Partners told Ethanol Producer that the acreage will be sufficient to provide corn to meet the 2010 Renewable Fuel Standard but that growers will need to increase planting to 91 million acres in 2010 to meet the 2011 RFS. HighQuest said that it expected US ethanol producers to utilize 67 percent of capacity through the end of 2010, adding that fuel blenders have excess capacity of RINs (Renewable Identification Numbers) from previous overproduction to meet additional fuel blending requirements in the RFS.

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