Clean Fuels submits comments to USDA on interim CSA rule

Clean Fuels Alliance America submitted comments March 18 supporting USDA on its technical guidelines for climate-smart agriculture crops used as biofuel feedstocks interim rule published in January, and incorporation of the USDA Feedstock Carbon Intensity Calculator (FD-CIC).

Clean Fuels recommended incorporation of intermediate oilseed crops—such as winter canola—as a conservation crop-rotation practice and updating the USDA FD-CIC model to include these crops.

Clean Fuels also urged USDA to ensure that the standards and requirements in the CSA program are complementary to the requirements for other USDA programs, particularly crop insurance.

“By establishing these technical guidelines, USDA is creating a novel market opportunity for U.S. farmers to distinguish their products and bring additional revenue to rural America,” Clean Fuels stated. “Clean Fuels appreciates the work that has gone into modeling the CSA practices for the biofuel feedstock crops included in the tool to date—however, we recommend adding canola (both spring and winter), carinata, domesticated pennycress, and camelina to USDA FD-CIC.”

Kurt Kovarik, Clean Fuels’ vice president of federal affairs, added, “Biofuels are essential to farm security and prosperity. With the current economic challenges to farm security, farmers should have a strong financial stake in employing conservation practices and expanding oilseed crops that will unleash American biodiesel, renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel growth.”

To view the comments in their entirety, click here.

Made from an increasingly diverse mix of resources such as recycled cooking oil, soybean oil and animal fats, the clean-fuels industry is a proven, integral part of America’s clean-energy future.

Clean Fuels Alliance America is the U.S. trade association representing the entire biodiesel, renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel supply chain, including producers, feedstock suppliers and fuel distributors. 

Clean Fuels receives funding from a broad mix of private companies and associations, including the United Soybean Board, Nebraska Soybean Board and other state checkoff organizations.