FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 27, 2012

Contact: Melisa Augusto, 202-314-3191
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Tony Jarboe, 202-314-3104
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WASHINGTON (April 27, 2012) – National Farmers Union (NFU) submitted comments today to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) supporting the agency’s analysis that found that palm oil used as biodiesel and renewable energy would not qualify as meeting the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) set by Congress.

“We are seeing the conversion of rainforests to production agriculture in order to produce palm oil, which negatively impacts biodiversity and carbon sequestration,” said NFU President Roger Johnson. “Many palm oil plantations are draining peatlands, which has a significant impact on CO2 emissions. Together, these two factors negate most of the benefits realized from using palm oil as a renewable fuel.”

Because of the negative environmental impact caused by the reduction of rainforest land and draining of peatlands, the EPA’s analysis found that palm oil would not reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions enough to qualify under the RFS.

“NFU supports the findings of EPA’s analysis, which indicates that biodiesel and renewable diesel produced from palm oil would not qualify as meeting the minimum 20 percent greenhouse gas (GHG) performance threshold for renewable fuel under the RFS program,” said Johnson. “EPA’s analysis estimated lifecycle greenhouse gas emission reductions of 17 percent and 11 percent respectively for these biofuels compared to the statutory baseline petroleum-based diesel fuel used in the RFS program.“

National Farmers Union has been working since 1902 to protect and enhance the economic well-being and quality of life for family farmers, ranchers and rural communities through advocating grassroots-driven policy positions adopted by its membership.

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