Growth Energy CEO champions ethanol industry after U.N. report

Tom Buis, CEO of Growth Energy, responded on Friday to a recent Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) report that showcased a five-year dip in global food prices, serving as a springboard for Buis’ call to action.

"Despite the rhetoric and fear mongering by Big Food and Big Oil, facts are facts, and they cannot hide from the truth. This latest report from the U.N. FAO is further proof that the U.S. and other nations are capable of producing increased quantities of food, feed, fiber and fuel,” Buis said. “The simple fact of the matter is that any claim that says we cannot have both food and fuel is simply a self-serving charge aimed at driving a specific agenda with no factual merit."

Buis said that after the enactment of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), global grain stocks increased by nearly 160 million metric tons (47 percent) between 2006 and 2014.

"Strengthened global crop-commodity prices have helped all farmers invest in new production practices that enhance sustainability and productivity," Buis said. "The U.S. RFS and other global renewable energy policies have played no small part in stimulating this agricultural resurgence both here and abroad."

Growth Energy represents producers and supporters of ethanol fuel, with the goal of contributing to energy independence, improving economic well-being and creating a healthier environment in the U.S.