High Input Costs Placing Heavy Burden on Producers
For Immediate Release: May 9, 2007
Contact: Liz Friedlander, 202-314-3191WASHINGTON (May 9, 2007) – Kansas Farmers Union President Donn Teske testified today before the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming on the devastating effects high input costs have on producers. Teske testified on behalf of National Farmers Union.
Teske told the committee that record high natural gas, diesel fuel, unleaded gasoline and fertilizer costs are the talk of rural America. These high input costs are increasingly making it difficult for producers to survive.
“Farmers have no means by which to pass on the higher costs of energy, and it is the opinion of NFU that Congress should consider approving some type of mechanism to help farmers and ranchers offset higher costs,” Teske said.
Teske urged committee members to look for solutions that would conserve energy, create more competition in the energy sector, develop and support renewable energy projects and create a responsible food delivery system.
“NFU supports a balanced energy policy that seeks energy independence by 2025 for the United States and, at the same time, protects our nation’s environment and recognizes the special energy needs of America’s agricultural sector,” Teske said.
NFU supports expanded research and development dollars for renewable energy technology, expanding the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS) that mandates biofuels production make up one-third of the nation’s fuel supply; establishing a Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) that requires 25 percent of energy usage to come from renewables by 2025; incentives for local ownership of renewable energy production; and extension and expansion of renewable energy tax credits, including permanent extension of the renewable energy production tax credit (PTC).
