Farm bureau supports ethanol policy change in Pima County

TACNA - The Yuma County Farm Bureau is supporting a proposal on a change of ethanol policy that is deemed as detrimental to livestock producers in the state.

The change in policy proposal, brought up by Pima County Farm Bureau, has been circulating in counties around the state.

Marvin Marlatt, vice president of the Yuma County Farm Bureau, said the current policy is supportive of the federal government's renewable fuel standard mandate, blender's tax credit and ethanol tariff.

"It should carry its own weight," Marlatt said. "The change in policy would no longer warrant extra tax payer funded money, it should support itself."

Yuma County Farm Bureau must have its members vote first on the ethanol policy as written by Pima County Farm Bureau on Sept. 4.

Then the policy will go to the Arizona Farm Bureau's annual meeting held in November. If the majority of the delegates support the policy and pass it, then it will be sent to American Farm Bureau and its delegates will vote on it in January.

The bureau's proposal of change in ethanol policy document states that the current United States policy toward renewable fuels negatively impacts the sustainability of the Arizona livestock industry.

To wholly support ethanol production subsidization at the serious detriment of the livestock industry through the support of a government policy that has not proven to be sustainable is not good farm bureau policy, the Pima County Farm Bureau memo states.

The proposal states that the bureau supports the elimination of the renewable fuels standard in favor of a government policy which serves as a price support for the biofuel industry.

At minimum, a modification is needed to the current RFS to allow for flexibility in short crop years and eliminate volumetric ethanol excise tax credit, according to the memo. Also, they support credits and incentives focused on viable research and development projects for the next generation of biofuels where it would not compete with food and feed demands.

"If we approve it, we'd be supporting a significant change in Arizona ethanol policy," said Marlatt.

The proposed ethanol plant in eastern Yuma County is getting closer to construction. The plant, developed by Agrinext Ethanol, would use milo, a drought-resistant grain, to produce 55 million gallons a year.

Marlatt said the YCFB does not have any kind of stance against the ethanol plant.

"We just want the ethanol industry to be self-sufficient," he said.

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Stephanie Sanchez can be reached at ssanchez@yumasun.com or 539-6847.