National Farmers Union, Farmers Union Enterprises and the Urban Air Initiative have announced the formation of a new alliance to expand the use of American-grown biofuels.

The three groups intend to pursue a broad spectrum of advocacy and advertising activities in furtherance of social, regulatory and legislative solutions to current barriers that limit the amount of biofuels used in the nation’s transportation sector.

“Protecting the public health and welfare—and at the same time improving the rural economy and benefiting family farmers, is a win-win for America,” said NFU president Roger Johnson.

Urban Air Initiative Director Trevor Hinz noted that the vast body of best available science proves renewable ethanol’s superior octane properties substantially reduce the most harmful mobile source air toxics (MSATs), the predominant source of which are benzene-based aromatics that refiners synthesize from crude oil. Hinz cited the mandatory provision in the Clean Air Act that requires EPA/OTAQ to reduce MSATs to the “greatest extent achievable…as technologies present themselves.”

Farmers Union Enterprises President Doug Sombke adds that the recent U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Department of Transportation (DOT/NHTSA) proposed rule requesting input on whether and how U.S. regulatory policy should require higher quality, cleaner burning fuels such as E30 provides a great opportunity to expand the use of cleaner, higher octane fuels.