Clean Fuels Commends USDA on Interim Rule for Climate Smart Ag

WASHINGTON, DC – On Tuesday, Clean Fuels Alliance America submitted comments supporting USDA on its Technical Guidelines for Climate-Smart Agriculture Crops Used as Biofuel Feedstocks Interim Rule and incorporation of USDA FD-CIC. Clean Fuels recommends USDA incorporate intermediate oilseed crops – such as winter canola – as a conservation crop rotation practice and update the USDA FD-CIC model to include these crops. Clean Fuels also urges USDA to ensure that the standards and requirements in the CSA program are complementary to the requirements for other USDA programs, particularly crop insurance.

“By establishing these technical guidelines, USDA is creating a novel market opportunity for U.S. farmers to distinguish their products and bring additional revenue to rural America,” Clean Fuels writes. “Clean Fuels appreciates the work that has gone into modeling the CSA practices for the biofuel feedstock crops included in the tool to date; however, we recommend adding canola (both spring and winter), carinata, domesticated pennycress, and camelina to USDA FD-CIC.”

Kurt Kovarik, Clean Fuels’ VP of Federal Affairs, added, “Biofuels are essential to farm security and prosperity. With the current economic challenges to farm security, farmers should have a strong financial stake in employing conservation practices and expanding oilseed crops that will unleash American biodiesel, renewable diesel, and sustainable aviation fuel growth.”

A copy of the comments is available at cleanfuels.org.

ABOUT CLEAN FUELS ALLIANCE AMERICA

Made from an increasingly diverse mix of resources such as recycled cooking oil, soybean oil, and animal fats, the clean fuels industry is a proven, integral part of America’s clean energy future. Clean Fuels Alliance America is the U.S. trade association representing the entire biodiesel, renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel supply chain, including producers, feedstock suppliers and fuel distributors. Clean Fuels receives funding from a broad mix of private companies and associations, including the United Soybean Board and state checkoff organizations.