Agriculture and Forestry
Bioenergy
Renewable Energy

Energy Committee Seeks Stakeholder Comments on the Impacts of the RFS on Agriculture

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April 26, 2013

The House Committee on Energy and Commerce is continuing its assessment of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). The Committee has issued its second white paper focusing on "Agricultural Sector Impacts." The Committee is seeking stakeholder input by April 29 on a series of questions.

On April 18, the House Energy and Commerce Committee announced its next step in its ongoing bipartisan review of the RFS, with the release of their second white paper . They are seeking stakeholder input on the following questions:

  1. What has been the impact of the RFS on corn prices in recent years? What has been the impact on soybean prices? Have other agricultural commodity prices also been affected?
  2. How much has the RFS increased agricultural output? How many jobs has it created? Have any jobs been lost? What is the net impact on the agriculture sector?
  3. Was EPA correct to deny the 2012 waiver request? Are there any lessons that can be drawn from the waiver denial?
  4. Does the Clean Air Act provide EPA sufficient flexibility to adequately address any effects that the RFS may have on corn price spikes?
  5. What has been the impact, if any, of the RFS on food prices?
  6. What role could cellulosic biofuels play in mitigating the potential effects of the RFS on corn prices?
  7. What impact are cellulosic biofuels expected to have on rural economies as the production of such fuels ramps up?
  8. Will the cellulosic biofuels provisions succeed in diversifying the RFS?
  9. What is the scale of the impact of the RFS on international agricultural production and global land use changes?

Please send responses to [email protected] by Monday, April 29, 2013. The Committee plans to release additional white papers on various topics relating to the RFS for stakeholder comment in the weeks ahead.

Click here for information about the first white paper and comments on "Blend Wall/Fuel Compatibility Issues."

EESI comments on questions relating to the first white paper may be found here .