FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Brittany Jablonsky, 202-314-3108
[email protected]

WASHINGTON (May 20, 2014) – National Farmers Union (NFU) President Roger Johnson issued the following statement on his recent participation in a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) mission to promote U.S.-produced biofuels and other agricultural products in northeast China:

“I appreciate U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack’s recent actions to make U.S. ethanol and dried distillers grains (DDGs) eligible for USDA Foreign Agriculture Service support and thank Under Secretary for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services Michael Scuse for leading this trade mission. This productive mission revealed two things:

“First, the potential ethanol export market in China is substantial. Demand for ethanol is high, and domestic production meets less than half of their projected ethanol needs. However, in order to meet this demand, it is clear that we must first resolve some government regulatory and environmental issues.

“Second, DDG exports to China will likely continue to be difficult and sporadic until China modifies its biotech approval process so it is comparable to that of the rest of the world.

“Renewable energy drives rural economies, creates jobs and helps to solve our global climate challenges. I look forward to continuing to explore new markets both here and abroad for biofuels produced by American family farmers and ranchers.”

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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