Senator Kit Bond, left, and Mid-Missouri Energy board president Ryland Utlaut share a laugh during a tour of the plant in Malta Bend on Thursday afternoon. Bond visited the ethanol plant to talk about the importance of home-grown fuels and to give an update on the 2007 farm bill debate. (Marcia Gorrell/Democrat-News) [Click to enlarge]

The last time Senator Kit Bond was in Malta Bend, Mid-Missouri Energy was still just a dream. Bond was on hand on for the groundbreaking ceremonies on Oct. 4, 2003.

On Thursday, Oct. 11, Bond toured the facility, which has been producing ethanol for more than two years.

"You've come a long way since I was here in 2003," he said. "You have a real state-of-the-art operation."

Bond was on hand to talk to Mid-Missouri Ethanol owners, board members, Malta Bend FFA members and other local officials, touting the importance of ethanol and other homegrown alternatives to gasoline.

"Renewable fuels are playing an increasingly important role in meeting our energy needs," said Bond.

Bond noted that America uses energy 40 times faster than it is produced.

"We simply have got to continue to develop domestic sources of supply. We certainly have a great case to be made for ethanol and bio-diesel, because these renewable fuels are cleaner than traditional fuels, they are better for the environment. Best of all we can produce them at home without having foreign leaders tell us what they are going to sell us," said Bond.

Bond also touched on the fact that facilities like MME also provide jobs and economic growth for Missouri communities.

"It's a win for farmers and the rural economy. It's a win for the environment and it's a win for us for freeing up our excessive dependence on foreign fuels," he said.

Bond spoke about the Renewable Fuel Standard from the 2005 farm bill, which allows for the production of 7.5 billion gallons of renewable fuels in 2012.

"We're hearing lots of problems. The majors don't want to set up facilities to sell the fuel," he said, noting they are looking at "various tweaks" to make sure companies are more cooperative.

According to MME board president Ryland Utlaut, who introduced Bond, currently ethanol is selling for $1.47 a gallon, and blenders are receiving the 51-cent Volumetric Ethanol Tax Credit, keeping ethanol's price at under $1 a gallon. However, ethanol is still having problems getting in the market, making the Renewable Fuel Standard critical to its future success.

"When they are buying ethanol for less than a dollar and selling it for $2.55, $2.80 or something like that, I think they have a little more margin than they need for whatever it costs to blend it, transport and sell it," said Bond.

"We need to have that Renewable Fuel Standard and would love to see if we can get it increased," he said, adding that it will help streamline the process.

Bond said although ethanol was one part of reducing America's dependence on foreign oil, it wasn't the only answer.

"We have to use the coal we have under our ground in abundance. We need to get clean coal technology," he said, adding that America also needs to explore the oil and gas reserves off America's coastlines.

Bond expressed frustration with the 2007 farm bill, which is currently in the Senate Agriculture committee. The Senate and House recently passed a continuing resolution to give the committee more time to come up with a bill.

"There is supposed to be a markup the third week of October, but I'm not sure it will be there, because they continue to have problems," he said.

Noting the finance committee did release a markup last week, Bond said he was "concerned about some of their actions now."

"It's getting harder and harder to call this a farm bill when only 15 percent goes to American farmers," he said. "It's a 'feed the poor' bill with farmers (getting) a small slice of that," he said, noting much of the money allocated goes to the food nutrition and feeding programs.

Bond said he wanted to see a farm bill that includes a safety net for Missouri fruit and vegetable producers, grants more energy incentives and encourages new research initiatives.

"We need to use more dollars on basic ag research that will help you in the production of ethanol and help the soybean producers with bio-diesel," he said.

He also said they need to expand to making cellulosic ethanol from switchgrass, because they will need "a whole lot more supply" of renewable fuels.

Bond also expressed concern over the House farm bill, which was passed last spring.

"I'm very concerned some of the ideas the House had and others had will move us backwards."

He said he wanted to see new markets open up for agricultural producers, noting 95 percent of "our consumers still live abroad."

"Regrettably the new majority in the house is showing reluctance to sign good free-trade pacts. They want all kinds of legal protections and environmental protections," he said.

"That is going to be a significant impediment in getting access to the world market," he said.

He closed his remarks by congratulating MME on how far they have come.

"We will keep working to see if we can get you a fair shake in the marketplace," he said.