"The implementation of the Renewable Fuels Standard is the biggest thing to happen in the biodiesel industry since Missouri farmers first invested in biodiesel research in 1991," says MSA Director Warren Stemme, who farms at Chesterfield. 

The finalized RFS2 called for 500 million gallons of biomass-based diesel in 2009, increasing gradually to a minimum of 1 billion gallons in 2012. From 2012 through 2022, a minimum of 1 billion gallons of bioidiesel must be used domestically, and the EPA administrator is given the authority to increase the minimum volume requirement. The ruling issued Feb. 3, sets the 2009-2010 combined biodiesel target at 1.15 billion gallons, which has to be reached by the end of the year.

To qualify as biomass-based diesel, fuels must reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50% compared to petroleum diesel. Biodiesel is the only fuel available in commercial quantities in the United States that meets RFS2 requirements. The methodology the EPA used to calculate greenhouse gas emissions shows that soy-based biodiesel reduces emissions by 57% compared to petroleum diesel fuel.  

"Many Missouri farmers have put a lot of time, effort and money into the development of the biodiesel industry and we are happy to see the EPA agrees that biodiesel is part of the solution," Stemme says.

Source: Missouri Soybean Association