The American Farm Bureau Federation has responded to the Environmental Protection Agency’s Federal Register notice for public comment by stating its opposition to proposed 2014 Renewable Fuel Standard requirements. The proposal lowers the mandate to 15.2-billion gallons of renewable fuels. Of that – 13.01-billion gallons would come from conventional ethanol and 2.2-billion gallons from advanced biofuels – of which 1.28-billion gallons would come from biodiesel. Farm Bureau Executive Director of Public Policy Dale Moore says the decision strikes a blow to conventional ethanol production and dampens the prospects for the further development of advanced biofuels. Farm Bureau urges EPA to reconsider its 2014 proposed volume standards and stay the course in order to meet targets indicated in the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 – which calls for 18.15-billion gallons of renewable fuels next year with 14.4-billion gallons to be conventional ethanol and 3.75-billion gallons to be advanced biofuels. Moore says renewable fuels have been a tremendous success story for the U.S. and the rural economy. He says the RFS2 has reduced the country’s dependence on foreign crude oil, reduced air pollution, increased farm incomes and provided good paying jobs within rural America.
Farm Bureau points out that since the RFS2 was put in place – the U.S. has seen tremendous growth within the agricultural sector. Agricultural exports have increased 57-percent, total livestock output has increased 13-percent and total crop output has increased 44-percent. Additionally – since 2007 – crude oil imports have decreased from 60-percent of total use to 40-percent. If the 2014 volume requirements are finalized – Farm Bureau says growth and progress would stall in each of these areas.
Source: NAFB News Service