Lawmakers are expected to vote this week on a congressional resolution aimed at electric vehicles.
House Republicans hope to resolve concerns surrounding the EPA’s Tailpipe Emissions Standards, which would make it virtually impossible for dealers to sell anything but EV’s by 2032.
It is a real concern for the ethanol industry and farmers alike, a perspective the American Farm Bureau recently shared with the House Energy and Climate Subcommittee.
According to Linda Pryor with AFBF, “These trucks average 14-hour workdays, at a minimum of 250 miles per day. Using diesel allows us to keep moving throughout those long days rather than trying to figure out how and when to charge and electric truck. The rural nature of farming means we rarely have access to a location where electric trucks or equipment could be charged. Additionally, when farmers make large equipment purchases, they intend to operate this machinery for many years, and many need to be able to maintain the equipment themselves. The idea of having to purchase new equipment that would be too complex to maintain on the farm is out of the question for many farmers.”
She says the bottom line is farmers need affordable and reliable energy, as higher costs ripple through the entire chain. That is evident in the last Bureau of Labor Statistics report which showed food prices are nearly 18% higher right now than in 2021.
