NPPC worried about emphasis on biofuels

NPPC president Joy Philippi said, “The pork industry has concerns about the rapid growth in the renewable sector, including increased feed input costs, the availability of corn, the ability to use ethanol by-products and the time it will take for feedgrain markets to stabilise.”

State of the Union

Philippi reacted to US president’s Bush’s State of the Union, last Tuesday. Bush said he wanted to reduce US dependency on traditional fuels by 10% – and therefore produce more biofuels, like ethanol.

In itself, the US president’s goals of energy security and independence through development of renewable fuels are supported, the NPPC president said.

Research plea

Therefore, more research would be very welcome, the NPPC president continued.

“Producers applaud the administration for adopting a ‘circuit breaker’ to guard against unforeseen circumstances such as a drought, and we urge the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a working group within USDA to study the emerging biofuels economy and its implications for producers, the livestock sector and the consumers they supply and serve.”

Presidential recognition

The US president George W. Bush recognised the challenges facing pig and poultry farmers from the rapid rise in ethanol production.

He told workers at a Delaware plant that he realised that pig growers and chicken growers need corn to feed their animals. “And therefore, it’ going to be kind of a strain, at some point in time, on the capacity for us to have enough ethanol to be able to make us less dependent on oil.”

Cooperation

The NPPC praised the president’s perception, saying, “We look forward to working with the president and his secretaries of agriculture and energy on his energy proposals and on mitigating their impact on the pork industry.”

Related websites:
• United States Department of Agriculture
• National Pork Producers Council 

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