In the US, the majority of trucks are powered by soybeans. Sort of. Under its Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), the Environmental Protection Agency has proposed a target of 2.0 billion gallons of biomass-based diesel in the US diesel supply for 2017 – a 16% increase over 2015 levels. Soybean-derived biodiesel represents the predominant type of this renewable fuel.

But another type of biomass-based diesel – renewable diesel – is experiencing vigorous growth in demand due to a confluence of EPA mandates, rising distillate fuel consumption, and performance advantages.

You may not realize this, but the newspaper industry has long been in the advertising business, deriving the majority of its revenue from the sale of ad space in print publications. In exchange, businesses purchasing these ads were assured a broad audience of readers. For many years, it was a win-win situation for both sides.

But the digital revolution has changed that. Between 2005 and 2015, newspaper publishing revenues fell at an average annual rate of 7.0%, largely due to advertising losses. In 2015, advertising services accounted for 55% of publishing revenues, down from 71% in 2005.

You may be eating one right now. And you’ll probably eat a few later on today. In fact, many health experts recommend consuming multiple servings of these foods each day.

So put down that cereal, pasta, pizza, sandwich, or organic/whole grain/quinoa snack chip that you’re eating, and let’s talk about … grain-based foods.    

Shipments of grain-based foods from US bakeries and factories are forecast to reach $110 billion in 2020, representing annual increases of 2.0% from $99.8 billion in 2015. Population growth will drive demand for such foods, since many of these products serve as dietary staples.

For many people, marriage is a blessed arrangement, a dream within a dream...

For the jewelry industry, it’s a major driver of sales.

According to some estimates, 95% of couples exchange rings along with marriage vows, and the “gold standard” for the majority of US brides is a ring encrusted with at least one diamond.  

Thus, US personal consumption expenditures (in nominal terms) on jewelry are expected to advance 3.1% annually to 2020 as the number of new marriages continues to grow.  

US demand for distilled spirits is forecast rise 2.2% annually, amounting to 580 million gallons in 2020. Even in a country expected to total nearly 335 million people, that’s a lot of booze. 

The distilled spirits industry can thank Don Draper, the alcohol swilling ad man from the retro-themed television show Mad Men, for reigniting a cocktail culture among US consumers, particularly millennials. While Draper might have ordered a simple Old Fashioned (or three?) with lunch, today’s drinkers are more creative; cocktails with exotic inspirations — created, of course, by bartenders refashioned as “mixologists” — are de rigueur at many bars and a growing number of restaurants.