Nov 23, 2021
On Monday, the Renewable Fuels Association, Growth Energy, the National Biodiesel Board, National Corn Growers Association, and National Farmers Union thanked Congress for efforts to “build new markets for farmers and biofuel producers and help lower the carbon intensity of agriculture.” In a joint letter to the chairs of the House and Senate agriculture committees, U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) and U.S. Rep. David Scott (D-Ga.), biofuel and farm leaders offered appreciation for key provisions of the Build Back Better (BBB) Act, which passed the House on Friday and was sent to the Senate.
“One of the most pressing challenges facing biofuel producers is ensuring that consumers have consistent access to higher-level ethanol and biodiesel blends, which are lower carbon and lower cost than petroleum fuels. The Biofuel Infrastructure and Agriculture Product Market Expansion provision in the BBB Act helps address this issue and contains much needed funding to ensure consumers have access to these fuels,” they wrote in reference to $1 billion allocated to upgrade refueling and distribution infrastructure meant for higher blends of ethanol.
Advocates also pointed to lifecycle analysis illustrating how improved farm practices continue to drive down the carbon intensity of farming, and therefore the overall carbon intensity of biofuels.
“The BBB Act provides further voluntary incentives like cover crops, nutrient management, buffers, and incentives for locally-led conservation efforts that will help reduce the carbon intensity of agriculture even further, helping biofuel producers provide an even lower carbon liquid fuel at a time when demand for low carbon fuels is rising. As biofuel producers capture the value of low carbon farming practices, farmers would also have the opportunity to benefit in the form of premium prices for their commodities.,” they noted.
The full letter is available here.
Read the original story here.