Diplomat of the Year Awarded to Owen Palm

Aug 27, 2024

On Wednesday, August 7, the Nebraska Diplomats announced that Owen Palm, president and CEO of 21st Century Equipment and a Nebraska Diplomat since 2002, won the prestigious Diplomat of the Year award at their annual awards banquet. Governor Jim Pillen, Nebraska Diplomats President Desiree Wineland, and Nebraska Department of Agriculture Director Sherry Vinton presented this year’s awards at the Younes Conference Center North in Kearney, Nebraska.

The Nebraska Diplomats comprise more than 286 business executives and community leaders and is the largest economic development organization in Nebraska. Diplomats form alliances with other Nebraska economic development organizations to promote the state’s productive business climate, and provide connections to Nebraska leaders without political, organizational or geographic restrictions according to their official website. The organization recognized Palm in 2024 for the years of time and talent he’s bestowed to the state of Nebraska.

“Owen has given much to agricultural and business communities in Western Nebraska, the state, the region, and the country,” noted a recent press release. “Through knowledge-sharing opportunities and field day demonstrations, he has made a profound contribution to Nebraska agriculture. Owen’s leadership in civic life has focused on bridging the gaps between Scottsbluff and Omaha to make the state a better and more welcoming place to do business.”

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Video: Understanding the Basics of the Renewable Fuel Standard

On Friday, April 24, 2026, from 12 noon–1:00 ET, the Penn State Center for Agricultural and Shale Law, alongside the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture’s (PDA) Agricultural Business Development Center (ABDC), presented this webinar in the Understanding Agricultural Law Educational Series, a course designed to develop subject matter literacy and competence on fundamental issues of agricultural law for attorneys and business advisors who work with or represent agricultural or rural clients but may not necessarily specialize in agricultural law:

“Understanding the Basics of the Renewable Fuel Standard”

The Clean Air Act’s Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) program requires transportation fuel sold in the United States to contain a minimum volume of renewable fuels such as ethanol, biodiesel, or advanced biofuels. Established by the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and later expanded by the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, the RFS is implemented by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in collaboration with the Department of Energy and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

This webinar provides an overview of the legal authority and structure for the RFS program and explain how it works, including the program’s system of Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs) and categories of renewable fuels. Additionally, this webinar addresses EPA annual volume requirement rulemaking and associated recent legal issues.