NFU Promotes the Power of Renewable Energy

As policy leaders in Washington, D.C., search for solutions to the severely depressed farm economy, National Farmers Union is ramping up its efforts to expand the use of biofuels in the transportation sector.  NFU began an initiative last week week to advance federal-level policies that encourage the use of higher blends of ethanol and advanced biofuels.  NFU President Roger Johnson, said that this effort is needed in order to provide economic relief to struggling farmers and ranchers facing a severely depressed economy.

“Net farm income has dropped 50% in the last four years and the median farm income is projected to be negative this year.  At the same time rural America continues to lose people money and vital infrastructure and services that are important to vibrant and thriving communities.”

Johnson said while the initiative will be a long-term effort, his group believes it’s politically feasible to get commonsense regulatory reform and legislation passed.  He added if the Trump Administration wants to remove unnecessary regulations, which they are continually touting, they need look no further than the biofuels.

“There are few regulations as unnecessary as those placed on the transportation sector’s use of biofuels.  For example there are arbitrary limits on how much ethanol can be blended with gasoline during the summer months.  There’s also the fictitious blend wall a term largely made up and pursued by the oil industry which refers to the maximum amount of biofuels that can be blended into our fuel supply.”

Johnson added they will continue to urge the Trump administration to remove what he calls purposeless regulations that stunt the growth of the biofuels industry.

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