Last week, Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty signed into law a measure that increases the state's current 2% biodiesel mandate ten-fold in less than a decade. There could have been no increase in the mandate at all, but what, or who, caused the increase?
In December 2005, Minnesota officials had to temporarily roll back the requirement in response to complaints from truckers that the fuel was becoming viscous and clogging fuel filters.
The state currently requires diesel to contain 2% biodiesel, but the new rules under set a new mandate of 5% by May 1, 2009, 10% by 2012, and 20% by 2015. Those are some of the largest increases in the nation, putting Minnesota at the forefront of biodiesel mandating.
Minnesota farmers raise 280 million bushels of soybeans annually (about 10% of the total U.S. crop) on 7 million acres, a 165% yield increase per acre. Soybeans and soybean products now account for about one-third of Minnesota's total agricultural exports.
It takes Mother Nature 250 million years to renew her fossil fuels, but for Minnesota soybean producers it takes only nine months. Thus, Minnesota is in a better position than most to produce more biodiesel from soybeans.
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