The American Soybean Association (ASA) provided comments today to the National Research Council (NRC) Committee on Economic and Environmental Impacts of Increasing Biofuels Production. ASA told the Committee that biodiesel made from soybean oil can play a vital role in fulfilling the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) without any adverse impacts to the food or feed markets.

"ASA appreciates the opportunity to provide input to the National Research Council Committee on Economic and Environmental Impacts of Increasing Biofuels Production," said ASA President Rob Joslin, a soybean farmer from Sidney, Ohio. "We hope that the information and perspective provided by ASA will be of value to the committee and reflected in the results of their study."

Soybean farmers have a great interest in the development and expansion of the U.S. biodiesel industry," Joslin said. "Biodiesel has provided a significant market opportunity for U.S. soybean farmers, and jobs and economic stimulus for the U.S. economy, especially in rural communities."

Biodiesel is an advanced biofuel as defined in statute for the RFS and for other federal biofuels programs. The EPA determined that emissions reductions from biodiesel could range as high as 85 percent.

"To our knowledge, each and every analysis that exists shows that biodiesel results in significantly lower GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions than petroleum diesel, with significant energy gain," Joslin added.

Soybeans are produced primarily for their 80 percent meal content, a valuable protein source that is used in the feed and food markets. Biodiesel is produced from soybean oil, a commodity that has historically existed in surplus. An increase in the quantity of soybeans that are grown and processed results in an increase in soy meal supply and decrease in meal prices for the food and feed markets.

As people around the world improve their standard of living, they want more animal protein in their diet. Increased meat consumption, particularly poultry and pork, has increased demand for soy meal, while simultaneously increasing the amount of surplus soy oil on the market.

"ASA strongly believes that the RFS will have economic, energy, and environmental benefits for the country," Joslin said. "Biodiesel, including soy biodiesel, can play a vital role in fulfilling the RFS and can do so without any adverse impacts to the food or feed markets. In fact, we believe soy biodiesel provides benefits to those sectors as well."

ASA told the committee that continued yield and productivity increases by U.S. soybean farmers will play a significant role in providing these benefits by producing more soybeans on the same amount of land.