Executives from nearly a dozen national trade associations sent a letter to Congressional leaders last week highlighting the urgent need for Congress to extend the expired biodiesel tax incentive before the end of the year.
The groups included the National Biodiesel Board, American Soybean Association, American Farm Bureau Federation, National Farmers Union, Advanced Biofuels Association, among others.
The association executives state in the letter, “There is broad bipartisan support for the biodiesel tax credit, and we believe that Congress can, and must, pass an immediate extension before returning home at the end of the year.”
“America’s farmers and rural communities are facing overwhelming economic uncertainty right now due to policy instability. They are waiting for Washington to complete work on trade deals and stabilize markets for U.S. agricultural output in China, Canada and Mexico. The economic hardships are spreading throughout the economy,” the executives write.
“One thing Congress can do before the end of the year to help rural economies and provide some policy stability is extend the expired biodiesel and renewable diesel tax incentive.”
Kurt Kovarik, NBB’s VP of Federal Affairs, adds, “Biodiesel producers simply can’t wait any longer. Ten facilities have been shuttered this year, and more are on the verge of making that painful decision. More than 250 million gallons of production is now offline, idling hundreds of workers and impacting thousands of jobs. Our industry needs Congress to act before the end of the year to stop more shutdowns and job losses.”