Missed some ag news this week? Here s seven stories to catch you up.
1. An outbreak of African swine fever has been reported in Malaysia. The disease was detected in at least 300 hogs in three districts after a case involving a wild boar last month. About 3,000 hogs will be culled as a result. A second wave of African swine fever is estimated to have killed as many as eight million pigs in China since the start of the year. There are three known strains of African swine fever, two of which are reported to have emerged from illegal vaccines. – Reuters, ABC News
Bills Incentivizing Biofuels Introduced On The Same Day Friday, March 5, 2021
On the same day, with the support of Representatives Axne and Davis, among others, U.S. Representative Dusty Johnson (R-SD) introduced the Adopt GREET Act. The Adopt GREET Act would require that EPA update its greenhouse gas (GHG) models for ethanol and biodiesel to reflect better the environmental benefits of agriculture and biofuels. Specifically, EPA would be obligated, under this Act, to adopt the Argonne National Laboratory’s Greenhouse Gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy Use in Transportation (GREET) Model for both biodiesel and ethanol fuels and update its model as needed every five years.
sborisov/iStock/Thinkstock House climate proposal includes RFS integrity provisions and Adopt GREET Act recognizes ethanol’s improved environmental benefits.
Legislators are looking to expand access and acceptance of biofuels with the introduction of several bills this week on Capitol Hill.
On Wednesday, Rep. Dusty Johnson, R-S.D., introduced the Adopt GREET Act, a bill which would require the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to update its greenhouse gas modeling for ethanol and biodiesel to more accurately reflect the environmental benefits of agriculture and biofuels. The GREET model is a tool which examines the lifecycle impacts of vehicle technologies, fuels, products, and energy systems.
House Biofuels Caucus introduces two bills to grow biofuels markets
The co-chairs of the US House Biofuels Caucus introduced two new pieces of legislation to increase access to biofuels and to recognize fully their environmental benefits. Rep. Cindy Axne (IA-03) and Rep. Rodney Davis (IL-13) led introduction of the Renewable Fuels Infrastructure Investment and Market Expansion Act, which would expand access to higher blends of biofuels.
Rep. Dusty Johnson (SD-AL) was the lead sponsor of the Adopt GREET Act, which will direct the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to update its greenhouse gas modeling for ethanol and biodiesel.
Senators had earlier introduced their versions of the legislation. (Earlier post.)
Biofuel supported bills introduced on Capitol Hill farmprogress.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from farmprogress.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.