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Schafer Renews Faith in Renewable Biofuels
US – The US Agricultural Secretary, ED Schafer, has said that he will push on with the biofuels policy after renewing his faith in their benefits. Speaking at the American Farm Bureau Federation’s Council of Presidents meeting in Washington, he also said that his agency was hoping to tie up the whole farm bill by the year's end.
Ranking at the top of the Agriculture Department’s list, as well as a top priority for AFBF, is implementation of the farm bill. “It is time to set aside political differences and implement the bill,” said Schafer.
Touching on increasing food prices and the role of biofuels, Schafer said he was reassured last month at the world hunger meeting in Rome when world leaders agreed ethanol was not to blame for higher wheat and other commodity prices. Instead, reinforcing AFBF economic analysis, Schafer said ethanol is actually helping to keep gasoline prices down.
Further, USDA has committed $1 billion toward research and development of renewable fuels, with a special focus on cellulosic biofuels. But, said Schafer, until those biofuels become available, it is important the country maintains a stable and predictable renewable fuels policy.
“Efforts to waive or repeal the renewable fuels standard would hinder progress toward reducing our dependence on imported oil and greenhouse gas emissions,” Schafer said.
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