The Biden administration is set today to announce its updated GREET model for measuring the carbon intensity of biofuel feedstocks. The update is critical to determining eligibility of sustainable aviation fuel for new tax credits created by the Inflation Reduction Act.
Ahead of the announcement, major airlines joined with the biofuel industry and other sectors of the aviation industry on Monday to formally launch the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Coalition to advocate for SAF policies.
Some 40 companies and organizations are behind the coalition, including Alaska, American, JetBlue and United airlines; International Airlines Group, which owns British Airways, Iberia and Aer Lingus; The Boeing Co.; Airlines for America, the airline industry trade group: and biofuel producers such as Gevo, POET and World Energy.
“The membership of this coalition shows the deep support that SAF enjoys across aviation’s many stakeholders,” says Alison Graab, executive director of the SAF Coalition.
Watch for SAF policy updates today at Agri-Pulse.com.
Scoop: Senate looks to tie USDA hands on disaster aid
Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., is introducing legislation today that would prevent USDA prorating a new round of disaster assistance to benefit smaller-scale or minority growers, as was done with the Emergency Relief Program for 2022 losses.
USDA had to prorate the payments because the amount of funding fell far short of the estimated uncovered losses. But congressional critics and major farm groups felt the new formula and its progressive factoring methodology punished farms with the largest losses.
Marshall’s bill also would authorize a new round of ERP payments for 2023, in addition to limiting what factors USDA can consider in distributing the money. The American Farm Bureau Federation estimates crop losses exceeded $21 billion last year.
Western lawmakers urge Vilsack for more Western drought support
Thirty-one lawmakers are urging Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to bolster the Natural Resources Conservation Service and U.S. Forest Service programs that deal with water forecasting, water conservation and watershed restoration, to help address droughts across the West.
In a letter to Vilsack, the 11 senators and 20 House members applaud USDA for adding irrigation-related practices to its “climate-smart” list last year, but say the agency should continue to “use its discretionary authorities to fill gaps or develop new partnerships to improve the efficiency and resilience of the water supply.”
"Reliable and sustainable water availability is absolutely critical to any agricultural commodity production in the American West, and swiftly deploying funds to producers and watersheds in our states and districts is crucial to help them respond to more frequent and severe droughts,” the lawmakers say.
White House advisers dig into groundwater challenges
The President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology is launching a work group to analyze current groundwater challenges and how to better collect data on groundwater levels.
While farmers across the country rely on groundwater to grow their crops, it also supports drinking water for “nearly all of the rural population,” according to a White House blog post. Depletion of groundwater reserves, however, poses a threat to those users, particularly across the West.
Among the questions the working group will ponder is how to “effectively model and predict changes” in groundwater inventory, how to make sure groundwater is clean and safe for consumption, and how the federal government can work with agricultural and other interests to “successfully ensure a sustainable supply of groundwater.”
The working group is accepting suggestions from the public on any of these challenges at pcast@ostp.eop.gov until July 1.
Biofuel groups press EPA to provide 2026 RFS volumes by November
Nine biofuel, transportation and commodity groups are urging EPA Administrator Michael Regan to finalize 2026 Renewable Fuel Standard volumes by November of this year.
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In a letter, the groups also criticize the agency’s standards for 2023-2025, which they called “unreasonably low.” The groups say EPA should “make full use of available data on actual renewable fuel production and current and future availability of feedstocks.”
The American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association, the American Soybean Association, the American Trucking Associations, the Association of American Railroads, Clean Fuels Alliance America, the National Energy and Fuels Institute, the National Oilseed Processors Association, the North American Renderers Association and the U.S. Canola Association all signed on to the letter.
Commerce initiates investigation of 2,4-D subsidies
The Commerce Department is initiating investigations into China’s and India’s support for manufacturers and exporters of 2,4-D to the U.S. to determine whether they are benefiting from countervailable subsidies.
Petitions from Corteva Agriscience allege the U.S. company has been harmed by the two countries’ subsidies.
“The petitions established support from domestic producers (or workers) accounting for more than 50% of the total production of the domestic like product,” Commerce says in a Federal Register notice, meaning that it does not need to look into that question further. Corteva is the sole domestic manufacturer of 2,4-D.
The International Trade Commission says it will decide by May 20 whether the imports are materially injuring – or threatening to materially injure – a U.S. industry.
FDA to host public meeting to evaluate advisory committees
FDA will hold a listening session on its use of advisory committees, which provide the agency with independent guidance on topics.
The listening session, scheduled for June 13, will focus on ways to improve committee members’ experiences by streamlining administrative burdens, boosting public awareness of the panels’ role, and looking at how the agency can incorporate a greater range of perspectives in a committee, according to FDA.
Experts, industry representatives, consumer organizations and patients typically sit on the advisory committees to provide the agency with independent advice and non-binding recommendations.
Take note: The food advisory committee was terminated in 2017, and last met in 2015. Instead, the agency said at the time it would consult with experts on the FDA Science Board and risk communication advisory committee.
APHIS updates soring regulations
USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is updating Horse Protection Act regulations to combat soring, or using pain-inducing actions to expand horses' gaits.
The new regulations will mandate that only inspectors approved by APHIS will be able to inspect horses at shows, exhibitions and sales. They also ban several soring-related devices and practices and update recordkeeping requirements for events. The new rules take effect next February.
