Contact: Cassidy Walter
515-322-0435

JOHNSTON, IA – Today the Iowa Biodiesel Board (IBB) and Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA) sent an open letter to all candidates in Iowa running for federal office, urging them to take a stand against legislation recently introduced in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives that would limit market access for biofuels. If passed, it would restrict the sale of vehicles that can use biofuels as soon as 2025 and would ban biofuel-powered vehicles by 2035.

“Needless to say, banning the sale of new vehicles powered by biofuels would be a hammer blow to Iowa’s ethanol and biodiesel producers and would crush a vital market for Iowa farmers,” said IRFA Executive Director Monte Shaw and IBB Executive Director Grant Kimberley in the letter. “Today, over half of Iowa’s corn crop goes into the production of ethanol and its coproducts, and over one-third of Iowa soybean oil goes to biodiesel production. Losing this market could very likely trigger another farm crisis.”

IRFA and IBB are urging all candidates to publicly oppose such legislation as it would do devastating harm to Iowa biofuel producers and farmers. Click here to view the full letter. 

The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association represents the state’s liquid renewable fuels industry and works to foster its growth. Iowa is the nation’s leader in renewable fuels production with 43 ethanol refineries capable of producing over 4.5 billion gallons annually – including 34 million gallons of annual cellulosic ethanol production capacity – and 11 biodiesel facilities with the capacity to produce nearly 400 million gallons annually. For more information, visit the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association website at: www.IowaRFA.org.

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