Back in 2003, the European Union instituted some major reforms in its agricultural sector, which are now known as the “Fischler Reforms” after the Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development and Fisheries at the time, Franz Fischler.
Among the policies instituted at the time was a very small incentive for farmers to produce crops on set aside land that could be used to make fuel. During an interview with Domestic Fuel at the 51st International Federation of Agricultural Journalists Congress in Japan last week, Dr. Fischler discussed that initiative and what he sees as the future for biofuels in the European Union.
“In my view, in Europe, food production will remain the main purpose of agricultural activities and fuel production will play a minor role, but an increasing role,” Fischler said. “We decided to be very ambitious about what we want to achieve, that is 10 percent of consumption by 2020. But we are also aware of the fact that this is only achievable if we are able to come forward with the second generation biofuels because if we are to do it on the basis of bio-ethanol and bio-diesel we would need almost half of the arable land in the European Union, and this is not going to happen.”
However, the EU is already expecting to import some of their biofuel needs from other countries in an effort to meet their intended goal.
Listen to Fischler’s comments on biofuels here:
[audio:http://www.zimmcomm.biz/ifaj/fischler-biofuels.mp3]
Thanks to Pioneer for sponsoring our trip to Japan 
Researchers at 
In a town most famous for peanuts and a president, biodiesel could be the next chapter for Plains, Georgia. 
Smiling Earth Energy has offered the money to help the Chesapeake, Virginia neighborhood of South Hill, which has been cut off from the rest of the city since Interstate 464 bisected the area in 1987. 
Chrysler is encouraging its customers to buy its new line of diesel vehicles… and then run those vehicles on renewable biodiesel.
And 
“We are very pleased to see the level of commitment that Chrysler has put into supporting the use of biodiesel,” said Joe Jobe, NBB CEO. “Chrysler’s incentive program is an attractive benefit for our NBB members, and a great opportunity to buy a new vehicle from a company that is working hard to provide consumers with more ‘green vehicle’ options running on renewable fuel.”
The biodiesel powerboat, the Earthrace, is making stops in 40 cities over 18 months before it makes another run at the world record for circumnavigating the globe.
The latest addition to Jay Leno’s Burbank, CA car garage is a high-class, hydrogen-powered ride. The Beamer fits well with Leno’s environmentally-conscious garage.
Sano Shimoda of BioScience Securities Inc. in Venice, Calif., said at the first Renewable on Parade conference that investors who put their money into ethanol five years ago are smiling now because they profited from a surge in ethanol demand that led to skyrocketing high prices.
A paper critical of world ethanol production, written by the chair of the Round Table on Sustainable Development at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)… but not officially the view of the OECD… has been blasted by the leaders of the European Bioethanol Fuel Association (eBio) and the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA). Those biofuels leaders are asking the OECD to disavow the paper issued last week. Part of the criticism centers on the media’s portrayal of the paper as the official position of the OECD.
“Specifically and just as disturbingly, this potentially unauthorized document fails to make its case, is highly one-sided and seemingly conflicts with previous OECD positions supporting biofuels as a component in reducing CO2 gases. In short, whether deliberate or not, the OECD’s imprimatur is on this document and it is the OECD that must now be accountable for what is a biased assessment of expanding the worldwide production and consumption of renewable biofuels. We respectfully, but urgently, request that OECD specifically disavow this report as not reflecting the official policy of the organization.”