Governor proclaims September as Renewable Fuels Awareness Month in Nebraska

Governor Dave Heineman (second from left) is joined by
Alan Tiemann, chairman of the Nebraska Corn Board;
Lisa Lunz, chairman of the Nebraska Soybean Board,
and gold medalist Curt Tomasevicz after the
Governor proclaimed September as
Renewable Fuels Awareness Month in Nebraska.

While at Husker Harvest Days yesterday, Governor Dave Heineman took time to talk with members of the Nebraska Corn Board and Nebraska Soybean Board, and then make a few comments while presenting a declaration proclaiming September as Renewable Fuels Awareness Month in Nebraska.

Renewable fuels are a critical component of energy independence and energy security, while providing economic growth and vitality in the state, Gov. Heineman said.

“Nebraska is one of the leading producers of corn and soybeans in the United States – agricultural commodities used in the production of ethanol and biodiesel, which reduce our dependence upon foreign oil,” he said, adding that ethanol replaced the need for more than 300 barrels of oil last year, while biodiesel displaced the equivalent of 38 million barrels of crude oil.

In a news release, Alan Tiemann, chairman of the Nebraska Corn Board and a farmer from Seward, noted that the ethanol industry is good for Nebraska, creating more than $3 billion in economic activity and more than 3,000 jobs in the state. “Ethanol has also generated more than $63 million in new tax revenues, while the feed co-product produced by ethanol plants has become a valuable component of livestock rations," he said.

Lisa Lunz, chairman of the Nebraska Soybean Board and a farmer from Wakefield, said increasing the use and availability of biodiesel increases demand for U.S. soybeans and has a positive economic impact in Nebraska.

“A study found that the industrial demand for soybean oil for biodiesel, Bioheat and soy-based products increases the supply of soybean meal, which lowers its price and benefits livestock producers,” she said. Lunz explained that Bioheat is heating oil blended with soy biodiesel that is used to heat millions of homes and businesses throughout the United States.

Also on hand was Olympic gold medalist Curt Tomasevicz, on behalf of the Nebraska Corn Board, who touched on the importance of the quest toward energy independence.

“This isn’t just about creating a more robust domestic energy supply. This is about keeping American dollars at home instead of sending billions of dollars overseas for imported oil. This is about American self-reliance and ingenuity. This is about taking charge of our future – and changing that future for the better,” he said.