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FARMERS MUST CERTIFY THEIR OPERATIONS' SUSTAINABILITY FOR PRODUCTS USED IN THE EU
May 19, 2011
Agri-Pulse reports:
U.S. growers are being asked by global grain companies interested in selling biofuels or biomass overseas to "self-certify" that they meet new "sustainability" guidelines established by the European Union (EU) as part of their Renewable Energy Directive (RED).
Some industry sources say this is just the latest sign that sustainability standards are emerging as a marketing tool, whether U.S.growers and ranchers like it or not.
However, they also worry that the potential for multiple certifying schemes, with various and far-reaching definitions, may be a "tough sell" to U.S. growers.
"If you think the EPA is bad, just think what it will be like to comply with several different certification measures out of the EU," noted one industry source.
Cargill Corn Milling was one of the first this year to notify area growers that they are positioning their Blair, NE facility to ship a portion of their ethanol to the EU market "where a trading opportunity exists," wrote Merchandising Manager Jeff Hansen in a letter obtained by Agri-Pulse.
"Although we don‟t expect that all of the ethanol produced at the Blair facility will be shipped to the EU, we've decided that asking all of our corn producers to self- certify is the fairest method and puts our facility in the best position to make future ethanol sales to the EU."
Growers can still sell corn if they do not agree to self-certify, but "agreeing to self-certify would potentially help position the Blair facility for further growth and success," he wrote.
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