Iowa Governor Directs Agencies to Buy Diesel Vehicles with B20 Support

December 8, 2019 |

In Iowa, Governor Kim Reynolds issued an Executive Order requiring state agencies to purchase diesel engines and vehicles with manufacturer support for at least a 20 percent blend of biodiesel (B20). The move is hailed as a potential driver of increased support for B20 and higher blends with diesel equipment and engine companies in the U.S., a key step towards greater use of B20 blends and above among consumers.

Governor Reynolds signed the order in front of hundreds of farmers, gathered at the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation 2019 Annual Meeting in Des Moines. The order directs all executive agencies, when buying diesel vehicles and engines, to purchase only those that have written support from the Original Equipment Manufacturer to use B20 biodiesel or higher.

“This Executive Order is groundbreaking in helping biodiesel further shore up its rightful place in our nation’s fuel supply,” said Donnell Rehagen, CEO of the National Biodiesel Board. “While B20 biodiesel has achieved support from the vast majority of diesel engine manufacturers, some engine companies have said they haven’t received clear signals from customers that biodiesel support matters to them. The State of Iowa has once again gone to bat for biodiesel by sending a clear signal with its buying power.”

The language states many of biodiesel’s benefits to the economy, agriculture industry and environment, ending with: “WHEREAS, Iowa is the nation’s leading producer of biodiesel and should also be a leader in ensuring diesel engine manufacturers support biodiesel blends, thereby furthering Iowa’s economy, environmental sustainability and value-added to agriculture…All State of Iowa executive branch agencies shall ensure that any procurement solicitations, including but not limited to requests for proposals or requests for bids, for vehicles containing diesel engines shall require the responses to certify that the engine manufacturer has provided explicit written support for the use of B20 biodiesel.”

Category: Policy

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