U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue last week announced plans to increase biofuels usage in USDA vehicles, directing the department to acquire alternative fueled vehicles when replacing conventionally fueled vehicles. Moving to vehicles that can use E85 or biodiesel will increase efficiencies and performances of the USDA fleet, one of the largest civilian fleets in the federal government.
Perdue also announced USDA will make $100 million in grants available this year for the newly created Higher Blends Infrastructure Incentive Program (HBIIP), expanding fueling infrastructure to make higher blends like E15 more available nationwide. Last month, NCGA submitted comments to USDA outlining corn farmers’ recommendations for the HBIIP program.
NCGA is committed to growing demand for corn farmers and appreciated that Perdue shared these announcements directly with growers during his address to Commodity Classic in San Antonio on Friday. NCGA appreciates USDA’s leadership to grow demand for higher blends of ethanol.