Iowa RFA

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Lucy Norton, Managing Director, 515-225-9242
Monte Shaw, Executive Director, 515-225-9242

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Ethanol Production Begins at Hawkeye Renewables near Fairbank

JOHNSTON, Iowa - May 24, 2006 - The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA) today congratulated Hawkeye Renewables for beginning production at its ethanol refinery near Fairbank, Iowa. The plant will process 35 million bushels of corn into 100 million gallons of ethanol and 320,000 tons of distillers grains annually. Combined with their ethanol refinery near Iowa Falls, Iowa, Hawkeye Renewables is now the second largest ethanol producer in Iowa and the third largest in the U.S.

“The startup of Hawkeye Renewables marks a truly historic day for Iowa – gasoline independence day,” said Monte Shaw, IRFA Executive Director. “Each day, Iowa now produces more ethanol than it burns gasoline. Iowa can produce more than 1.5 billion gallons of ethanol annually – just more than the amount of gasoline, not including ethanol, Iowans consume. And the continued growth of Iowa’s ethanol industry will only widen the margin.”

Fagen, Inc., the Granite Falls, Minnesota design-build contractor, is overseeing the construction and incorporating a process design provided by ICM, Inc. of Colwich, Kansas.

Iowa is the leader in renewable fuels production. Currently, Iowa has 24 ethanol refineries with the capacity to produce 1.5 billion gallons annually. There are 5 ethanol refineries and two expansions under construction with a combined annual capacity of nearly 500 million gallons. In addition, Iowa has 6 biodiesel refineries with a combined annual capacity of over 100 million gallons either in operation or under construction. Many additional renewable fuels projects are under development.

The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association was formed in 2002 to represent the state’s ethanol and biodiesel producers. The trade group fosters the development and growth of the renewable fuels industry in Iowa through education, promotion, legislation and infrastructure development.