WASHINGTON D.C. — Amid the ongoing negotiations surrounding the Farm Bill, industry stakeholders representing nearly the entire supply chain for Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) – including seven major airlines – called on Agriculture Committee leaders in the House and Senate to boost the role of American farms in fueling low-carbon aviation.
“SAF, which can be produced from renewable biomass and agriculture-based feedstocks, presents an opportunity to expand U.S. markets for agricultural goods, bolster our nation’s rural economy and provide a renewable, low-emission domestic energy supply for the aviation sector,” wrote the Aerospace Industries Association, Airlines for America, Airbus, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, the American Soybean Association, Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings, Inc., Boeing, the Cargo Airline Association, Clean Fuels Alliance America, Delta Air Lines, FedEx Express, Fuels America, GE Aerospace, US, the General Aviation Manufacturers Association, Gevo, Inc., Growth Energy, Hawaiian Airlines, JetBlue Airways, the Kansas Corn Growers Association, the Kansas Grain Sorghum Association, the Kansas Soybean Association, Marquis Sustainable Aviation Fuel, the National Air Carrier Association, the National Air Transportation Association, the National Business Aviation Association, the National Corn Growers Association, Novonesis, the Ohio Corn & Wheat Growers Association, the Ohio Soybean Association, POET, LLC, the Renewable Fuels Association, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, United Parcel Service, and Vertical Aviation International.
“Due to wide bipartisan, bicameral support in Congress, as well as benefits to U.S. farmers, biofuel producers and the aviation industry, we ask that you include meaningful SAF provisions, such as the Farm to Fly Act, in the Farm Bill to strengthen American agriculture and help leverage this key resource,” they added.
The Farm to Fly Act (H.R. 6271 and S. 3637) would affirm eligibility for SAF within current U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Bio-Energy Programs, facilitate greater collaboration on SAF, and affirm a common “GREET” definition of SAF for USDA purposes to ensure accurate measurements of emissions reductions from climate-smart farming practices and low-carbon aviation fuel.
The full letter is available here.
