AreaUnited States of America
Commodity GroupBiofuels
CommodityBiodiesel
Date01/01/2015
Policy CategoryRenewable energy
Policy InstrumentRenewable energy policy
DescriptionAllowed Argentine biodiesel producers to apply an alternative method for proving that feedstock used to produce biodiesel was not grown on deforested land, thus permitting biodiesel of Argentine origin to benefit from US biofuel support measures.
NotesThe Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), i.e. the body that administers the countrys Renewable Fuels Standard scheme (RFS), has approved a policy change that could stimulate exports of biodiesel from Argentina to the United States. The EPA accepted a request by the Argentine biodiesel industry to apply an alternative tracking method to prove that soy used to produce biodiesel was not grown on deforested land. By meeting this requirement, Argentine biodiesel qualifies to take part in the United States RFS programme. EPAs decision attracted criticism from the U.S. biodiesel industry, which claims that Argentinas new tracking system would be far less stringent than the current requirement and more difficult to verify. Market observers said that fresh biodiesel imports would intensify competition with local producers and pressure U.S. biofuel prices.
