Soybean farmers are disappointed with the Environmental Protection Agency’s recently announced mandated biodiesel levels under the Renewable Fuels Standard. South Dakota Soybean Association President Jerry Schmitz says the agency missed an opportunity by flat lining the advanced biofuels volumes for 2018 at 2.1 billion gallons and the biomass-based diesel volume at that same level for 2019. He says this is well below current United States production.

He says they believe EPA should set the volume higher to capitalize on the opportunity to boost domestic biodiesel production, which benefits the economy and the environment. Plus, the biodiesel industry is still fledgling.

Schmitz says the RFS is important for the biodiesel industry to grow because it provides investors much needed certainty.

Schmitz says expanding the biodiesel volumes would also help utilize surplus soybean oil and improve soybean prices for producers. In the coming weeks they’ll meet with EPA to discuss the value of increased biodiesel volumes for both farmers and consumers nationwide.