Contact: Shana Stribling 202.224.0309
Wednesday, May 14, 2003

WASHINGTON, DC - Senator Kit Bond today joined the National BioDiesel Board in their campaign to raise awareness for alternative fuels, specifically biodiesel.

“Home-grown products like biodiesel benefit not only the rural economy, but also the environment," said Bond.

Bond used today's event as an opportunity to commend the BioDiesel Board for their innovative work in promoting the use of alternative fuels. Today's event featured motor sports entrepreneur Russ Gehrke's biodiesel-fueled Dodge pickup's cross-country trek.

As one of biodiesel's strongest advocates in Congress, Bond has worked to ensure that home grown, renewable energy opportunities are included in the energy package.

Just last week Bond announced that the USDA finalized the rule for the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) Bioenergy Program. The program, created to increase production of domestic renewable energy sources, provides cash incentives to ethanol and biodiesel producers. Increased production of renewable energy not only strengthens the income of soybean, corn, and other producers, it also decreases the United States' dependence on foreign oil.

Commenting on the USDA rule, Bond said, "This is good stuff for MO beans and corn. This program encourages the use of bioenergy, an arena in which our state continues to lead. Not only does this initiative bring us closer to achieving Missouri's first biodiesel production plant, it also encourages continued investments in ethanol facilities," said Bond, one of the renewable fuels industry's strongest advocates. "I commend the President and USDA for their hard work and positive outcome."