Signing the new farm bill into law on Friday, President Obama commented that the legislation “supports businesses working to develop cutting edge biofuels” which have the “potential to create jobs and reduce our dependence on foreign oil.” The president also announced a new “Made in Rural America” export and investment initiative “to help more rural businesses expand and hire and sell more products.”

In response, Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) president Bob Dinneen noted the great economic benefit biofuels production has brought to rural America. “Under the Renewable Fuel Standard, the U.S. ethanol industry created and supported over 386,000 jobs in the past year,” said Dinneen. “To build on the success of the Farm Bill, we call on President Obama and the Environmental Protection Agency to protect the RFS and restore the 2014 conventional ethanol requirement to its statutory level.”

During a press call about the benefits of the farm bill for bioenergy, Matt Carr with the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO), also pointed out the importance of the RFS. “The Renewable Fuel Standard is really the fundamental policy foundation for the growth of the advanced biofuels industry,” said Carr, noting that BIO submitted comments to EPA regarding the proposal to lower the volume requirements under the law. “That proposal puts at serious risk the investment (our members) have made in advanced biofuels projects.”

“We like to say that the farm bill policy as well as the tax code work hand in hand with the RFS to help accelerate the adoption and deployment of advanced biofuels,” Carr added.