U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack told a packed audience of biodiesel supporters Feb. 7 that the industry is helping create &ldquo;a new dynamic in America.&rdquo;
&ldquo;The biodiesel industry is making us a more secure country, and the most exciting piece is that it&rsquo;s not just limited to fuel and energy,&rdquo; Vilsack said.&nbsp;&ldquo;Because of how innovative you are, with new technology and techniques...you've given birth to a biobased economy, and with that the possibility of a new American economy.&rdquo;
Vilsack gave the closing keynote address at the&nbsp;National Biodiesel Conference &amp; Expo&nbsp;in Las Vegas Thursday, Feb. 7. &nbsp;
He said dependence on foreign oil is less than 50 percent and dropping, &ldquo;in large part because of the advancements this industry has made,&rdquo; all while boosting farm income.
&ldquo;We've had record farm income in large part because of this industry,&rdquo; Vilsack said.&nbsp;&ldquo;It's helping to promote job growth, it provides greater consumer choice and reduces our dependence on foreign oil.&rdquo;
He noted that challenges to successful federal policy like the renewable fuel standard are baseless, because it&rsquo;s a policy that is working as intended. &nbsp;
&ldquo;The reason you're being challenged is because you're winning,&rdquo; Vilsack said.&nbsp;&ldquo;These challenges are a reflection of the good work you&rsquo;ve done over last 20 years.&nbsp;But there&rsquo;s more work to do.&rdquo;
The National Biodiesel Board praised Vilsack as one of the strongest advocates for renewable fuels in the nation, and presented him with the National Energy Leadership Award.
&ldquo;I've witnessed the beginning of a rural renaissance that is remarkable, and you, sir, have presided over it,&rdquo; said Joe Jobe, CEO of the NBB. &ldquo;You went to bat for us in the successful expansion of the RFS, and for an issue like ours to go all the way to the top is extraordinary.&nbsp;We can't thank you enough for your leadership.&rdquo;
Rather than a typical award, this one was embossed on a glass plate, apropos for the leader of American agriculture. &nbsp;
&ldquo;You have the power to make us more energy secure, and still create enough food and fiber for the world,&rdquo; Visack said.&nbsp;&ldquo;That&rsquo;s an amazing opportunity worth fighting for. You also have the ability to respond as a generation to climate change.&nbsp;You&rsquo;ve got to keep up the fight because the stakes are extraordinarily high.&rdquo;
Biodiesel is an advanced biofuel made from sustainable resources such as soybean oil, recycled cooking oil and other fats and oils. It is the first and only EPA-designated advanced biofuel produced on a commercial scale across the country.
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U.S. Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack, left, was presented the National Energy Leadership Award from the National Biodiesel Board's CEO Joe Jobe. 

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U.S. Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack told a packed audience of biodiesel supporters Feb. 7 that the industry is helping create "a new dynamic in America." Vilsack gave the closing keynote address at the National Biodiesel Conference & Expo in Las Vegas. 

Vilsack lauds biodiesel innovation for economic renaissance

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