ANKENY, IOWA (November 20, 2019) — Members of the Iowa Biodiesel Board and Iowa Soybean Association joined forces with other biodiesel advocates on Capitol Hill this week, urging Congress to pass an extension of the biodiesel tax-incentive by December. Ten biodiesel plants have shut their doors or severely cut back production since the beginning of the year, furloughing several hundred workers, according to the National Biodiesel Board, including in Iowa. The lapsed tax-incentive, combined with the Environmental Protection Agency’s failure to uphold biofuel volume obligations under the federal Renewable Fuel Standard, are directly responsible, industry representatives told Members of Congress.
“Our Congressional leaders need to know the biodiesel industry has been brought to its knees,” said Brad Wilson, IBB chair. Wilson is president and general manager of Western Iowa Energy, based in Wall Lake, Iowa. “We are thankful for our entire Iowa delegation’s leadership in fighting for the tax incentive and for restored integrity of the RFS, but now the rubber hits the road. Many of us can’t hold on past December.
“The US biodiesel industry's continued success, and tens of thousands of jobs hang in the balance. We’re depending on Congress, who put policies into place to encourage the buildup of the industry, to stop this real economic fallout. Only an immediate extension of the tax credit can stop more plant closures, job losses, and reduction in use of the greenest fuel on the planet."
Also this week, members of the National Biodiesel Board elected a new chairman, Chad Stone of the Ames-based Renewable Energy Group. Stone has previously served as chair of IBB.
Also elected to the NBB board of directors was Dave Walton, a soybean farmer from Wilton, Iowa, and an officer of the Iowa Soybean Association. Biodiesel producers Troy Alberts/AGP and Tom Brooks/Western Dubuque Biodiesel remain on the board, with Alberts elected secretary.
The NBB honored outgoing farmer leader Ron Heck of Perry, Iowa, with a leadership award.
The Iowa Biodiesel Board is a state trade association representing the biodiesel industry. For more information on biodiesel, visit IowaBiodiesel.org.
