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Hi. I'm State Representative Terry Brown. Welcome to my weekly update, "Talking With Terry."

With our strong agricultural base and innovative spirit, the Thumb has been a leader in the production of renewable fuels.  To make sure that our farmers and businesses get the maximum benefit from this economic opportunity, we must work to increase the demand for renewable fuels.

I recently voted for a plan that will help do this by providing a tax credit to gas station owners who upgrade or purchase new pumps and tanks that sell ethanol or biodiesel fuel. Making renewable fuels available to more consumers statewide will increase Thumb-area farmers' profits and help protect and create jobs right here in our communities. By enabling more gas station owners to provide homegrown ethanol and biodiesel at their pumps, we can also break our dependence on foreign oil more quickly.

Biodiesel from soy and other crops is one great option.

As the science of both corn-based and cellulosic ethanol production advances, we have to do everything we can to advance the production and sale of those fuels as well. he plan that my colleagues and I passed also will create an Alternative Fuels Fund. This fund will award grants to improve the production of renewable fuels in Michigan, using contributions from a new income tax checkoff option.

This plan will help ensure that the vital Thumb industry of agriculture will continue to benefit from the rapid growth of the renewable energy industry.

Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or concerns about this or any other issue. You can call me, toll-free, at (888) 254-5284. Or, you can e-mail me at terrybrown@house.mi.gov. You can also visit my Web site, which is house.mi.gov/tbrown.

Thank you for listening to "Talking with Terry." Make it a great day!