Last May, the House passed a simple non-controversial agriculture policy bill and sent it to a conference committee to work out differences with the Senate.

Saturday, March 09, 2002

Last May, the House passed a simple non-controversial agriculture policy bill and sent it to a conference committee to work out differences with the Senate. When it got back, tacked on was a provision (which I authored in the House) requiring all diesel fuel sold in the state to contain a percentage of soybean based biodiesel. But the House then promptly voted down the conference committee report 76-55. End of story, right? Wrong.

This past week, that same conference committee released the bill again but with a new twist. Gone is the direct mandate that I backed which would have required diesel fuel sold in Minnesota to contain 2 percent biodiesel fuel by 2002 and 5 percent by 2003. The bill would now require a 2 percent blend, but the mandate would only become effective when state biodiesel production exceeds 8 million gallons and 18 months after the federal government creates a subsidy. Even without the subsidy, the bill would become law in 2005.

The new bill has broad agricultural support, including the Minnesota Soybean Growers Association, Minnesota Farm Bureau and Minnesota Farmers Union. Fuels distributor Williams Petroleum also signaled its support because there are provisions in the bill that would provide for distributor reimbursements should the legislature repeal the mandate before the year 2013.

As ethanol did for corn growers, I believe biodiesel will create a new market for soybean producers here in Freeborn County and throughout Minnesota. A lot of the advantages of ethanol – environmentally friendly, biodegradable and grown right here – are shared with soybean-based biodiesel. It can be used safely in diesel engines. Like ethanol, biodiesel is a winner for consumers and farmers.

With fuel costs and fertilizer prices rising and additional federal diesel regulations pending, I think a biodiesel industry here could moderate diesel fuel prices, create an important new market for farmers and help clean the air where there is a lot of diesel traffic. Watch for a vote on this bill on the floor next week. I hope the results are better than last year.

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What do you think? I welcome your input and ideas. Please call me at home at 377-9441 or at the legislature, toll-free, at 1-877-377-9441. My legislative office address is 579 State Office Building, 100 Constitution Ave., St. Paul, MN 55155. My e-mail address is: rep.dan.dorman@house.leg.state.mn.us. And be sure to sign up for my legislative up-date newsletter at www.house.mn/27A.

Rep. Dan Dorman, R-Albert Lea, represents Freeborn County in the Minnesota House of Representatives.