March 7, 2007

US pork council drafts resolutions on ethanol
 

The National Pork Producers Council's annual business meeting March 3 in Anaheim, California has resulted to several resolutions concerning ethanol which lately has been the central issue in the US.

Urging broad support for a federal market-based bio-fuels policy, producer delegates voted to:

• Support allowing the 51-cent per gallon ethanol blender's tax credit and the 54-cent tariff on imported ethanol to expire. The blender's credit is set to expire Dec. 31, 2010; the import tariff Dec. 31, 2008.
   
• Support - should the blender's credit be extended - development of a countercyclical blender's credit system based on the price of oil.
   
• Support the increased use of biodiesel as a renewable fuel source.
   
• Will seek and support incentives for capturing and digesting methane from swine farms as an alternative energy source.
   
• Urge the federal government to appropriate funds for research on the use of bio-fuels co-products for swine feed rations and for research on swine utilisation of distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) 
   
• and their impact on meat quality and animal health.
   
• Support the findings of a Centre for Agricultural and Rural Development study on the impact of corn-based ethanol production on the livestock industry and asks that they be considered during formulation of the 2007 Farm Bill.
   
• Support the incremental early release - without penalty - by USDA of Conservation Reserve Program acres back into crop production.