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WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Representative Marion Berry (D-AR, 1st) praised Arkansas Agriculture Commissioner, Richard Bell, for announcing his intentions this morning to make biofuel production a top priority for the state. Today's announcement comes just days after Patriot Biofuels unveiled plans to open a plant in Stuttgart, and Eastman produced its first truckload of biodiesel at its new facility in Batesville.
"We have the opportunity to capitalize on the demand for alternative energy sources and transform Arkansas' Agriculture community into a world-class biofuel market," said Congressman Berry. "Biofuel production will not only expand markets for our farmers, but also lower our dependence on foreign fuels. This is a win-win situation for farmers and consumers. "
With gas prices at record levels, the market for biodiesel continues to grow. Over the past few years, the Arkansas State Legislature approved several tax incentive measures to encourage biodiesel production in Arkansas. The U.S. Congress echoed its support in 2005 by passing an energy package with several provisions to promote biodiesel. As a supporter of this legislation, Congressman Berry voted to extend the federal excise tax credit for biodiesel through 2008 to provide a dollar per gallon for "agri-biodiesel" which can be made from soybeans and 50 cents per gallon for biodesel made from recycled cooking oil.
The combination of tax incentives and increased demand for alternative fuel sources has spiked biodiesel interest in Arkansas. The state's first production facility, Eastman, kicked off production this week in Batesville by using Arkansas-grown soybeans to produce fuel. Companies currently supplying Eastman include Riceland Foods of Stuttgart and England Dryer and Elevator Inc. of England. Patriot Biofuels intends to do the same when it opens its state-of-the-art 31,000 square feet production facility in Stuttgart this spring. The President of the Company, Tommy Foltz, used to oversee the U.S. Department of Energy's National Clean Cities Program until he returned to Little Rock in 2001 to work for Blue Energy.
“With the right kind of leadership, there’s no reason Arkansas can’t be at the epicenter of bioenergy production in the United States,” said Foltz. “Commissioner Bell’s commitment to the issue is a giant step in the right direction.”
Biodiesel is made from animal or vegetable oil often found in soybeans. Arkansas ranks eighth in the nation in soybean production with an estimated 3 million acres planted each year. |
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