Source: United States Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn)
Federal funding was secured through bipartisan legislation introduced by Klobuchar and Grassley to reimburse biofuel producers for feedstock purchases
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) announced that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) will distribute relief funding for biofuel producers who have been hurt by the pandemic.
This funding was awarded through the Pandemic Assistance for Producers initiative, which includes Klobuchar and Senator Chuck Grassley’s (R-IA) bipartisan legislation to require the USDA to reimburse biofuel producers for their feedstock purchases from the beginning of the pandemic.
“Renewable fuel processing plants employ thousands of people in rural areas, purchase billions of bushels of commodities from farmers, and provide stability in our agricultural supply chain,” said Klobuchar. “I fought for this relief funding because it’s critical that we keep the renewable fuel industry strong, and now that it is being distributed, I’ll continue to work to secure resources to help our farmers and workers get back on their feet.”
Since the start of the pandemic, Klobuchar has advocated for pandemic assistance for biofuel producers. In December 2020, provisions based on Klobuchar and Grassley’s Renewable Fuel Feedstock Reimbursement Act were included in the coronavirus relief package. In March, Klobuchar and Grassley led a letter urging Tom Vilsack, Secretary of the USDA, to use the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) and other resources to aid the nation’s biofuel industry.
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