FMR making the case for sustainable aviation fuel in the Strib

In case you missed it, FMR has been making the case for winter-hardy oilseeds as a river-friendly source for sustainable aviation fuel in the Star Tribune.

Our original commentary, published in tandem with the U of M's Forever Green Initiative, came out in April. To add to the conversation this May, our colleagues at Forever Green published another commentary offering more basis for the advancement of winter-hardy oilseeds.

We're with them — with the right support and rigorous principles, these clean-water crops hold great promise for the environment, farmers and lower-carbon flight.

The newspaper also published a letter to the editor from FMR Executive Director Whitney Clark. He wrote: "It’s reasonable to approach sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) with skepticism. As a river organization, we have questions about what this inevitable transition might mean for our environment. [...] If done responsibly, including by prioritizing winter-hardy oilseeds, SAF would not only lower aviation emissions — it would drastically reduce agriculture pollution and give Minnesota cleaner, healthier waters. If not done responsibly? SAF could do more harm than good."

Winter-hardy oilseeds — clean-water crops that double as cash cover crops for farmers — hold so much promise.

Whitney remarked, "In my 30-plus years of working to protect the river, SAF may be the most consequential policy pivot point I’ve seen for water quality. We will not compromise our core principles. Responsible choices today could mean a whole lot of good tomorrow, including cleaner water for Minnesota."