Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and several of his Senate colleagues sent a letter this week to Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack asking him to explain the delay in delivering financial assistance to biofuels producers negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. In June 2021, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced $700 million in aid to biofuel producers as part of …
MN Working Toward Clean Fuel Standard
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz last week directed state agencies to explore ways to reduce climate change impacts from transportation fuels through a Clean Fuel Standard (CFS) in the state. The state Departments of Agriculture and Transportation will lead the process to engage a broad cross-section of stakeholders statewide to identify shared goals and opportunities. The agencies will provide a report …
Sen. Thune Criticizes Democrat Agenda
Sen. John Thune (R-SD) spoke out on the Senate floor this week about Democrat policies that he says are harmful to farmers and ranchers. “For starters, I’m worried that Democrats’ bill could mean the end of some family farms thanks to the bill’s expansion of the death tax,” said Thune. “Death should not be a taxable event.” Sen. Thune also …
USDA Announces Climate Smart Efforts
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced a new initiative Wednesday to “finance the deployment of climate-smart farming and forestry practices to aid in the marketing of climate-smart agricultural commodities.” USDA will support a set of pilot projects that provide incentives to implement climate smart conservation practices on working lands and to quantify and monitor the carbon and greenhouse gas benefits associated …
No RVO Proposal Yet
The biofuels industry was left hanging Friday when the rumored release of proposed blending obligations under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) failed to happen. American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) CEO Brian Jennings said late Friday they remain hopeful the numbers that were reported would also prove incorrect. “We hope they’re wrong,” said Jennings. “If they are right, it just seems …
House Republicans Urge Biden to Uphold RFS
U.S. Representative Rodney Davis (R-IL) and a group of House Republicans, including House Biofuels Caucus co-chairs Adrian Smith (R-NE) and Dusty Johnson (R-SD), are urging President Biden to keep his promise on upholding the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). Recent reports indicate the Biden Administration is taking steps to weaken Renewable Volume Obligations (RVOs) which would reduce the demand for biofuels, …
Sustainable Aviation Fuels Plan Flaw Could Hurt Farmers
In the rush to get as much spending in the massive Build Back Better bill as possible, Congressional Democrats created a new tax credit for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) starting at $1.25 a gallon and increasing based on the carbon content of the biofuel, but the plan could favor foreign imports over American farmers and biofuel producers in its current …
Biodiesel Tax Credit Extension in Build Back Better Bill
The National Biodiesel Board is pleased the House Ways & Means Committee include a proposed extension through 2031 of the biodiesel and renewable diesel blenders tax credit in the Build Back Better Act. “Biodiesel and renewable diesel are clean, low-carbon fuels that are widely available today to achieve the carbon reductions Congress is seeking. These fuels are 74% less carbon …
White House Holds Roundtable on Sustainable Aviation Fuels
Biofuel industry leaders and officials from the Biden Administration met virtually for a White House roundtable discussion on the future of sustainable aviation fuels Thursday. In conjunction with the event, the White House announced a goal to achieve 3 billion gallons of SAF production and reduce aviation-related emissions by 20 percent by 2030. Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Geoff …
Vilsack Announces Renewable Energy Investments
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced Thursday that USDA is investing $464 million to build or improve renewable energy infrastructure and to help rural communities, agricultural producers and businesses lower energy costs in 48 states and Puerto Rico. USDA is financing $129 million of these investments through the Rural Energy for America Program and $335 million through the Electric Loan Program. …