Page 169 - MFB State Annual Meeting 2018 -- RESOLUTIONS BOOK

28 allow the Council to do more positive education and
29 promotion about agriculture, but it will multiply the
30 ability to reach the consumer at all levels of the food
31 system. 
#43 BIOMASS/RENEWABLE PRODUCTS
1 Ethanol and biodiesel are biomass fuels which have
2 proven to be excellent sources of renewable energy.
3 Ethanol fuels and biodiesel contribute to a clean and safe
4 environment through major reductions in vehicle exhaust
5 emissions. We support requirements for the use of
6 biomass fuels and fuel additives in areas that exceed the
7 1990 federal Clean Air Act standards.
8 We strongly support the continued production of
9 biomass products such as ethanol and other biobased
10 fuels and products. We support efforts to encourage
11 biomass fuel production facilities in Michigan in areas of
12 available feedstock production and co-product utilization.
13 We applaud the popular increase in the interest level of
14 ethanol and biodiesel and realize the positive impact to
15 Michigan’s grain farmers. At the same time, we caution
16 the entire agricultural industry to fully understand the
17 economic impact to our livestock production. We urge
18 that balanced economic decisions be made as we work
19 to expand alternative energy options. A level playing field
20 is important if all segments of agriculture are to succeed
21 and prosper. Research and development should be
22 encouraged through tax and cost-share incentives to find
23 ways to reduce the cost of production of biomass
24 products, expand feedstocks, co-product utilization
25 (including those from food processors), and expand the
26 application of technologies such as anaerobic digestion,
27 fermentation, distillation, burning of organic materials
28 (pyrolysis) and hydrogasification. We support research
29 on the use of 100 percent biomass fuels for some
30 vehicles, as well as blending biomass fuels with
31 petroleum-based fuels.
32 We commend the state of Michigan for including
33 biomass fueled vehicles in the state motor pool fleet and
34 we encourage expansion of this program. We strongly
35 urge all state-owned diesel and E-85 (85 percent ethanol,
36 15 percent gasoline) flexible fueled vehicles be stationed
37 within a reasonable distance of a renewable fuel source
38 (ethanol or biodiesel) and use that fuel.
39 We support efforts to encourage expanded
40 production and use of biomass fuels and bio-based
41 products in Michigan. Such actions could include:
42  Expandingthebiomassfueldistribution
43 infrastructure, including blending capability at the
44 retail level.
45  Encouragingmanufacturerstoexpandofferingsof
State Policies – Page 83