Minnesota Soybean Farmers Deliver Indirect Land Use Concerns to Congressman Walz and Speaker Pelosi

MANKATO, MN (06/09/2009)(readMedia)-- Concerns about biodiesel's fate in the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Proposed Rule for implementation of the expanded Renewable Fuels Standard were clearly communicated to Minnesota's U. S. Congressman Tim Walz and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi on Sunday, June 7th in Minneapolis.

Minnesota soybean producers Lawrence Sukalski of Fairmont and Bob Worth of Lake Benton, attended the event on behalf of the American Soybean Association (ASA) and thanked Walz for his help in addressing ASA's concerns.

"Speaker Pelosi was very complimentary of Walz's efforts, as well as those of Congressman Collin Peterson," Sukalski said. "We spent a good amount of time with both Walz and Pelosi talking about Indirect Land Use and Climate Change legislation."

Indirect Land Use Change refers to the Greenhouse Gas Emissions caused by land converted to crop production around the world.

"The assumptions and methodologies used by EPA to calculate the effects of international indirect land use are significantly flawed and would negatively effect the competitive position of the U.S. biodiesel industry and, ultimately, U.S. soybean farmers," Sukalski explained. "That's why we're here to personally bring forward our concerns on behalf of the soybean farmers we represent."

In the proposed rule, biodiesel land use factors were focused largely on deforestation in Brazil.

"If that's the basis, then past and present soybean planting trends in Brazil actually dispute the EPA's conclusions," Sukalski noted. "Brazilian soybean acres increased the most from 1998 to 2004, prior to the existence of U.S. biodiesel production. From 2004-2008, when U.S. biodiesel production increased from 25 million gallons to 700 million gallons, Brazil's soybean acreage actually decreased."

Minnesota Soybean Growers Association President Bill Zurn, from Callaway and Jim Willers, a soybean producer from Beaver Creek, also participated in the Walz/Pelosi gathering.

"Minnesota has been a national leader in the biodiesel arena," Zurn said. "It's critically important that we stay on top of what's happening in D.C. to protect the interests of soybean farmers, not only here at home in Minnesota, but also across the nation."

ASA is the policy advocate and collective voice of its 22,000 producer-members on domestic and international issues of importance to all U.S. soybean farmers. MSGA is a state affiliate of ASA and the lobbying arm of Minnesota's soybean farmer-members.