SAF stakeholders urge lawmakers to incorporate Farm to Fly Act into upcoming Farm Bill
April 25, 2024
BY Erin Voegele
A coalition of 36 biofuel producers, ag groups, airlines and other sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) stakeholders on April 24 sent a letter to Agriculture Committee leaders in the House and Senate urging them to provide support for SAF in the upcoming Farm Bill.
“As your committees consider the Farm Bill, we would like to highlight the important role played by and significant opportunity for America’s farmers and the domestic agriculture sector in the development of [SAF],” the groups wrote.
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The letter stresses that SAF provides an opportunity to expand U.S. markets for agricultural goods, bolster the U.S. rural economy, and provide a renewable, low-emission energy supply for the aviation sector.
The coalition is asking the committees to recognize the role farmers play in SAF development within the Farm Bill’s energy tittle programs. Specifically, the letter asks lawmakers to integrate provisions of the Farm to Fly Act within the Farm Bill by affirming eligibility for SAF within current USDA bioenergy programs; facilitating greater collaboration on SAF among USDA mission areas and with private sector partners; and affirming a common GREET definition for SAF for USDA purposes to ensure accurate measurements of emissions reductions from climate-smart farming practices and lifecycle emissions from SAF.
The Farm to Fly Act was introduced in the U.S. Senate by Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., and several colleagues on Jan. 22, 2024. Companion legislation was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Rep. Max Miller, R-Ohio, and colleagues in November 2023.
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“The legislation, whose jurisdiction remains solely within the House Agriculture and Senate Agriculture Committees, has the endorsement of a wide range of agriculture, biofuels and aviation industry stakeholders,” the coalition wrote in the letter. “It also enjoys strong bipartisan support among members of Congress both on and off the Committees of jurisdiction, specifically because the legislation recognizes the role that U.S. agriculture and rural economies play in efforts to fuel our nation through biofuels.”
The letter is signed by Aerospace Industries Association, Airlines for America, Airbus, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, the American Soybean Association, Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings, Inc., Boeing, the Cargo Airline Association, Clean Fuels Alliance America, Delta Air Lines, FedEx Express, Fuels America, GE Aerospace, US, the General Aviation Manufacturers Association, Gevo, Inc., Growth Energy, Hawaiian Airlines, JetBlue Airways, the Kansas Corn Growers Association, the Kansas Grain Sorghum Association, the Kansas Soybean Association, Marquis Sustainable Aviation Fuel, the National Air Carrier Association, the National Air Transportation Association, the National Business Aviation Association, the National Corn Growers Association, Novonesis, the Ohio Corn & Wheat Growers Association, the Ohio Soybean Association, POET, LLC, the Renewable Fuels Association, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, United Parcel Service, and Vertical Aviation International.
A full copy of the letter is available on the Fuels America website.
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