Industries: Agriculture

Farmers are becoming a strong customer base for biodiesel. Biodiesel provides an opportunity for farmers to power their vehicles with a cleaner-burning, renewable fuel for on-farm use. Farmers' commitment to biodiesel is reflected in their $25 million investment in the product. Hundreds of farmers nationwide are using biodiesel for their on-farm use.

Owners and managers are impressed with biodiesel’s fiscal and health benefits--

• No Transition Cost: When using biodiesel, typically no engine modifications are required and biodiesel maintains the payload capacity and range of diesel.
• Flexibility: Biodiesel and petroleum diesels are interchangeable and blendable which makes refueling easy.
• Lubricity: The EPA sulfur reduction mandate dramatically reduces lubricity in petroleum diesel fuel. Biodiesel, including low biodiesel blends like B20, is a natural lubricant for your fuel system.
• Reduces Harmful Emissions: Our biodiesel meets Tier I and II Health Effects Testing under the Clean Air Act and is proven to reduce harmful emissions, including sulfur, hydrocarbons and other toxic particulates associated with petroleum-based diesel.
• Safer to Handle, Use and Store: The flash point (the point at which fuel ignites) for B100 biodiesel is a minimum of 300 degrees versus about 125 degrees Fahrenheit for regular No. 2 diesel.

The industry has encouraged all farmers to ask their fuel distributors to carry biodiesel in at least a two percent blend (B2). Building demand at a grassroots level is critical to the addition of biodiesel to terminals on a large national scale.

Although biodiesel is compatible with existing diesel technology, including diesel tanks and other infrastructure, some petroleum distributors may choose to have separate tanks for biodiesel. Adding those tanks now to meet farmer demand will help ensure that the infrastructure is in place to meet future demand from the general public.

Biodiesel use benefits farmers. Farmers recognize that biodiesel is a high-quality product to use in their farm equipment. Even low blends of biodiesel like B2 and B5 offer exceptional lubricity, thus slowing engine wear and tear. Plus it is a cleaner-burning fuel that is friendlier to the user and the environment.