Iowa pulls out all stops for biofuels

by | Oct 18, 2017 | 5 Ag Stories, News

AUDIO: Agribusiness Matters 10-19-17

Governor Kim Reynolds says the Environmental Protection Agency is jeopardizing the president?s commitment to biofuels and thousands of American jobs.

This week has been a biofuels battle for Iowa. Tuesday, Senators? Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst met with EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt to express concerns about Pruitt?s proposal to slash Renewable Fuels Standard numbers.

?We are working very hard in the space of our renewables, specifically biodiesel. We can push out those volumes given the opportunity we can produce the necessary volumes to meet the goals already been set,? Ernst says.

Wednesday, the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association released an economic impact study of recent ethanol and biodiesel plant expansions. Executive Director Monte Shaw says recent expansions will add roughly 11 thousand new rural Iowa jobs.

?That boosts Iowa income by $500 million, up about 24%. We?re really talking about the potential shot in the arm this economy could use,? Shaw says.

The same afternoon, Reynolds hosted a press conference at Two Rivers Cooperative in Pella talking about her phone call with the president and a need for maintaining the RFS.

“The purpose of the Renewable Fuel Standard is to grow demand for biofuels while driving the industry to innovate,? Reynolds says. ?Unfortunately, the Environmental Protection Agency?s proposals seem to take us backward, not forward.”

EPA recently announced it is considering cuts to the RFS for biodiesel, cellulosic ethanol, and advanced biofuels. The governor plans to meet again with Pruitt and Vice President Mike Pence when she is in Washington, D.C. next week.