As the governor of Iowa and chairman of the Governors’ Biofuels Coalition, it gives me great pleasure to address the readers of Ethanol Today.

Today our country faces the one of the toughest economic challenges we have endured in the last seventy years, and the impact on the nation’s biofuel producers and marketers has been substantial. While the nation’s economy is clearly on the path to recovery, the biofuel industry needs continued support with policies that recognize the enormous contributions biofuels’ production makes to the nation’s and our states’ economies. It is imperative that biofuels are recognized for the critical role they play in supporting green collar jobs, increasing rural income, and displacing foreign oil.

To ensure the pace of biofuels development and use continues, the Governors’ Biofuels Coalition will pursue reapproving policies that support the biofuel industry while developing new policy recommendations for the coming year. The Senate will resume consideration of energy and climate legislation in 2010. A focused, unified message from the governors that stresses the importance of biofuels production for our states and offers sound policy initiatives will help ensure that biofuels’ priorities are addressed.

These priorities include extending the tax credits for the biofuels industry, expanded biofuels research and development, demonstration scaling of biorefinery research, continued biofuel infrastructure development, and new incentive recommendations.

In 2010, the biofuels industry is entering an era in the nation’s history when biofuels will account for all the growth in liquid transportation fuel. The consumption of petroleum-based fuels is essentially flat. This is a remarkable accomplishment, made possible by the extraordinary policy foundation laid by the Governors’ Biofuels Coalition and other organizations.

With the adoption of additional policy initiatives by Congress, the Administration, and our states next year, the nation will increase the rate at which biofuels replace petroleum, will see further development of our states’ sustainable biofuels resources, and will benefit from new jobs and economic development.

Biofuels are critical to our nation’s economic recovery, environmental prosperity, and energy security. The biofuel industry continues to achieve extraordinary efficiencies and technological advances in biofuels production because of your dedication and hard work.

About the Author:

Chet Culver became Iowa’s 40th Governor in January of 2007. He is the Chairman of the Governors’ Biofuels Coalition, an association of 36 member states and 6 international representatives formed in 1991 for the promotion and increased use of ethanol. www.governorsbiofuelscoalition.org