Dana Brooks, president and CEO of the Pet Food Institute (PFI), testified at a virtual Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) hearing on its 2023-2025 proposed renewable fuel standards. During her remarks, Brooks asked EPA to consider the competition for limited resources for food, feed and fuel, as the agency modifies and expands the program for the next three years.
“We are not only concerned about the price of ingredients as three more renewable diesel facilities go online in 2023, but we are also fearful of being unable to adequately source the quantity and quality of critical government recommended and required ingredients to feed the pets in more than 90 million U.S. households,” said Brooks. She urged EPA to calculate how many acres of U.S. farmland will be needed to meet the projected renewable diesel feedstock demand alone.
Brooks stressed that PFI and its members understand the need to be good stewards and have viable energy options and alternative fuel sources but stated that by developing government mandates and incentives focused on renewable energy–especially renewable diesel–unintended consequences have resulted that place human and pet food makers in competition with the government for edible oils.
“We accept that we must compete in the market but when the market is subsidized by multiple government agencies and the White House, we are unable to fairly compete for products,” she added.
EPA released its proposed rule to establish required Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) volumes and percentage standards for 2023, 2024 and 2025 on Nov. 30, 2022. EPA is proposing the 2023-2025 renewable fuel standards for cellulosic biofuel, biomass-based diesel, advanced biofuel and total renewable fuel.
