Fortenberry Touts Renewable Energy Potential
Congressman Calls Nebraska a National Leader in Innovation, Production

Washington D.C. - Congressman Jeff Fortenberry today praised Nebraskas initiative and innovation as a national leader in renewable energy production. His comments were given as part of a House Agriculture Committee hearing called to review Americas role in the renewable fuels market. Excerpts of Fortenberrys comments follow:

Ag-based energy production is an emerging opportunity that I believe will shape agriculture and farm policy for years to come. Last years energy bill at long last gave ethanol, biodiesel and other forms of bioenergy a seat at the national energy policy table, significantly expanding the development and use of renewable fuels in America.

This is tremendously meaningful to Nebraska. We are currently the nation's third largest ethanol producer and will soon move into second place. Twelve plants are now in operation, and nearly 30 are in various stages of construction or consideration. More than one-quarter of Nebraska corn now goes for ethanol production.

As it has now in federal energy policy, I believe renewable energy should become a hallmark of good federal farm legislation. Rural America benefits greatly from the jobs and economic stimulation that clean, environmentally responsible renewable energy production sites bring to rural areas. And increased domestic energy production helps farmers control input costs in an age of ever increasing energy prices.

Eastern Nebraska is quickly becoming a national leader in innovative bioenergy production. We are home to a facility that produces corn-based bioplastics as well as ethanol. We are also home to two unique renewable energy projects. When construction is completed later this year, a new plant will be the world's first "closed loop" ethanol energy facility. It is powered by methane captured from its cattle feeding operation, which feeds cattle the corn byproducts of ethanol production. In another pioneering project, a producer captures methane from hog manure on his farm, converts it to energy, and sells the energy to our Nebraska Public Power District.

New development and signs of interest in renewable fuels production are booming. Local investors are enthusiastically supporting new projects in both ethanol and biodiesel production. In addition, developments in biomass and wind energy are very encouraging.

Rural America can benefit exponentially from these trends. Production of renewable fuels and renewable energy meets multiple policy objectives. It decreases America's reliance on foreign sources of energy, creates new farm income, and fosters good stewardship of resources. With sensible public policy support, the continued growth of home-grown renewable energy will strengthen our nation and help revitalize rural America.

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