RFA launches Veterans for Renewable Fuels initiative

In Washington, the Renewable Fuels Association announced the launch of Veterans for Renewable Fuels, a new initiative designed specifically for military veterans and immediate family members working in the U.S. ethanol industry. The purpose of the VRF is to recognize and celebrate the contributions of military veterans in the industry and provide them with opportunities to network and support one another in their careers and personal lives.

According to the Department of Energy, nearly one out of every six workers in the ethanol industry is a veteran—three times the rate of the national labor force. The concentration of vets in the ethanol industry is higher than any other segment of the energy industry, according to DOE.

In conjunction with today’s launch of VRF, the group’s co-chairs sent a letter to President Joe Biden, thanking him for his commitment to domestic bioenergy, highlighting the role of veterans in the industry, and calling on the administration to “fully embrace the national security benefits of homegrown renewable fuels like ethanol.” VRF is co-chaired by RFA board members Jeff Oestmann, a former U.S. Marine, and Tony Leiding, a U.S. Army veteran.