Speaking at the largest farm gathering in the country, EPA administrator Michael Regan announced the creation of a new EPA office to expand two-way communication with farmers and rural communities. “With the launch of this new office, we are ensuring agricultural and rural stakeholders will have a seat at the table for many years to come,” said Regan at the Commodity Classic in Houston.
“Farmers and ranchers are crucial partners as we work together to deliver clean air, clear water, and climate solutions, all while playing the critical role of ensuring an abundant fiber, fuel, and food supply,” said Regan in a statement on Friday. Rod Snyder, EPA agriculture adviser since October 2021, will lead the new office.
The new office “recognizes the important role farmers and ranchers play in preserving the natural resources they’ve been entrusted with,” said Zippy Duvall, president of the American Farm Bureau Federation. Farms and ranches cover 39 percent of land in the country — 880 million acres, or nearly 1.4 million square miles.
Among farm groups, EPA often is the federal bogeyman while the USDA is expected to be agriculture’s advocate with the rest of the government. Some of it reflects the nature of their operations. The EPA regulates access to pesticides and expects compliance with its rules. The USDA offers cost-sharing funds for voluntary participation in land stewardship programs and issues farm support checks.
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack told growers at the Commodity Classic that the administration will “take a few more weeks” to fine-tune the so-called GREET model that calculates reductions in greenhouse gas emissions by biofuels. The revisions were expected on March 1. GREET will help determine biofuel eligibility for tax credits of up to $1.75 a gallon for sustainable aviation fuel, potentially twice as big a market as motor fuel. To qualify, renewable fuels must cut emissions 50 percent compared to petroleum.
Vilsack said the revised GREET model will reflect climate-smart practices on the farm, such as cover crops and no-till planting, reported Biodiesel magazine. ““Not everyone in the country appreciates the level to which farmers have embraced sustainable farm practices, so it’s incumbent upon us at USDA to be your voice in these areas and to make sure that our colleagues in other departments, who don’t focus on this on a daily basis, are aware,” said Vilsack.
“American bioethanol producers must be allowed to compete in the SAF marketplace,” said the biofuel trade group Growth Energy. “The alternative is making SAF from Brazilian sugar cane, or used cooking oil imported from China, instead of renewable crop-based feedstocks grown on American farms.”