Renewable Diesel Toolkit
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Food Before Fuel
Pet food makers are facing supply challenges with pet food ingredients due to unfair government mandates and incentives that have increased the demand for renewable diesel. The Pet Food Institute (PFI) has launched an advocacy campaign to tell Congress to put food before fuel. The site allows people to send a message directly to their Congressional representatives. But we need more than just industry participation. To make an impact, we need to reach consumers.
To provide the pet food industry and our allies with resources to educate consumers on the renewable diesel issue, PFI has developed a Renewable Diesel Toolkit. This toolkit has all the resources your company or organization needs to reach consumers with the #FoodBeforeFuel message.
Your customers need to know and understand this issue, as it could potentially impact the availability of their preferred pet food, as well as the cost. The Renewable Diesel Campaign Toolkit has been prepared to give your company the tools to promote the advocacy campaign and encourage consumers to sign the petition to the US Congress. Some suggested uses of the toolkit include:
- Include the suggested email text in customer newsletters or an email blast to customers.
- Post the suggested blog content.
- Post the suggested social media posts on your social channels.
- Send the suggested letter to the editor to local media outlets.
- Use the print-ready half-page infographic at your register or in customer shopping bags.
- Place the suggested website text on your site.
- Encourage your employees to sign the petition and share the social media posts on their own channels.
Please distribute these materials widely among your employees and your communication channels. For questions on how to help communicate this information, contact Kelly Kanaras.
Toolkit Table of Contents
- Issue
- Suggested Website/Blog Content
- Sample Email Text
- Sample Social Media Posts
- Social Media Images
- Printable Half-Page Infographic
- Sample Letter to the Editor
- Other Renewable Diesel Resources
Issue
US pet food makers are being severely impacted by government incentives to expand renewable diesel production. In the interest of addressing climate change, state and federal lawmakers have enacted policies that mandate the use of plant- and animal-based oils and fats for the creation of renewable diesel, and they are providing tax credits that favor these ingredients being used for fuel production instead of food for humans and pets. These state and federal policy mandates and incentives promoting renewable fuel growth have created unintended consequences in supply and demand for plant- and animal-based oils and fats.
These incentives create an unfair government-driven market advantage to the energy sector and a disadvantage to companies purchasing ingredients for pet and human food. Tax credits that favor fuel production over food production create market distortions. While other industries reap tax credits for their commodity’s use in renewable fuel, US pet food and human food makers bear the brunt of this disadvantaged domestic supply.
Renewable diesel demand has recently caused prices for plant- and animal-based oils and fats to double or even triple, drastically increasing the cost of critical ingredients needed for pet food makers to provide dogs and cats with safe, high-quality and complete nutrition. In addition to price spikes, increased renewable diesel demand has caused alarming shortages — even rationing — of crucial ingredients that will continue until these market distortions are addressed.
Suggested Website/Blog Content
Consider adding to your website or blog a post discussing the renewable diesel issue. Here is some suggested opening text you can use:
Like us, I bet when you think of your pets, you smile. They bring so much joy and unconditional love to our lives and deserve the very best we can give back to them. That’s why it’s critical that pet lovers understand the current supply issues facing pet food makers that could threaten the availability of their cherished pet’s favorite food.
Pet food makers are facing supply issues with certain pet food ingredients due to government mandates and tax credits that promote the use of renewable diesel. State and federal actions have created unintended consequences in the supply and demand for animal and plant-based oils and fats, which are critical parts of human and pet nutrition and health. Pet food makers are facing prices double and triple their market cost due to unfair competition for fats and oils with fuel producers. In addition to higher prices, there are alarming shortages of these ingredients that could lead to price increases for consumers, difficulty finding common pet foods, or alterations in pet food recipes.
Ask Congress not to advance additional mandates and incentives for renewable diesel that use or include the fats and oils that are historically used in human and pet food. Sign this online advocacy petition now to make your voice heard.
Tell Congress to feed people and pets first!
As with social media posts, the more authentic and personal of a voice you use, the more effective it can be in getting across the message. Add personal thoughts to the blog post so that it resonates with your customers.
Sample Email Text
[Insert Name of Company] knows that your pets are valued members of the family and is committed to providing its customers with the very best products for their pets’ nutrition. We feel that it’s important that our customers are aware that there is an issue that could potentially threaten the availability of their pets’ favorite food and provide you an opportunity to take action.
Pet food makers are facing supply issues for critical pet food ingredients due to government mandates and tax credits that promote the use of renewable diesel. State and federal actions have created unintended consequences in the supply and demand for animal and plant-based oils and fats, which are critical parts of human and pet nutrition and health. Pet food makers are facing prices double and triple their market cost due to unfair competition for fats and oils with fuel producers. In addition to higher prices, there are alarming shortages of these ingredients that could lead to price increases for consumers, difficulty finding common pet foods, or alterations in pet food recipes.
Ask Congress not to advance mandates and incentives for renewable diesel that use or include the fats and oils that are historically used in human and pet food. Sign this online advocacy petition now to make your voice heard.
Tell Congress to feed people and pets first!
Sample Social Media Posts
Recent state and federal policy mandates and incentives promoting renewable fuel production over food production are severely affecting ingredient supply and demand, in both pet and human food. Understand how these unintended consequences can potentially impact your pet’s food availability. #FoodBeforeFuel #PeopleAndPetsFirst ➡️ bit.ly/petfoodact
U.S. pet food makers need your help reaching Congress! Ask Congress to pause further mandates and incentives for renewable diesel that use or include the essential fats and oils historically used in pet food, as they are significantly affecting pet food ingredient supply. As a pet lover, make your voice heard. #FoodBeforeFuel #PeopleAndPetsFirst ➡️ bit.ly/petfoodact
What does renewable diesel have to do with pet food? U.S. pet food makers are being severely impacted by government incentives to expand renewable diesel production. Learn how this situation is affecting America’s cats and dogs and their food availability. #FoodBeforeFuel #PeopleAndPetsFirst bit.ly/petfoodact
Have you heard about PFI’s recent advocacy campaign? We’re asking Congress not to advance mandates and incentives for renewable diesel that use or include the fats and oils that are historically used in human and pet food. These mandates may be directly influencing your cat or dog’s food recipe and availability. #FoodBeforeFuel #PeopleAndPetsFirst bit.ly/petfoodact
Did you know that pet food makers use the same animal- and plant-based oil and fat ingredients in pet food used to produce renewable fuel? Currently, pet food makers are facing prices 2-3x their market cost due to unfair competition with fuel producers. Learn what this means for our pets’ food availability. #FoodBeforeFuel #PeopleAndPetsFirst bit.ly/petfoodact
Policy mandates and incentives promoting renewable fuel production over food are affecting ingredient supply and demand, in pet and human food. Understand how this can potentially impact your #petfood availability. #FoodBeforeFuel #PeopleAndPetsFirst bit.ly/petfoodact
#PetLovers, pet food makers need your help! Ask Congress to put #PeopleAndPetsFirst and pause mandates and incentives for renewable diesel that use the essential fats and oils used in #PetFood, as it affects ingredient supply. #FoodBeforeFuel bit.ly/petfoodact
What does renewable diesel have to do with #petfood? The pet food ingredient supply chain is being impacted by government incentives to expand renewable diesel production. Learn how this affects America’s 🐱and 🐶and pet food availability. #FoodBeforeFuel bit.ly/petfoodact
#ICYMI PFI is asking Congress not to advance mandates and incentives for renewable diesel that use the fats and oils used in human and #petfood. These mandates may be directly influencing your 🐱or 🐶food recipe and availability. #FoodBeforeFuel bit.ly/petfoodact
#Petfood makers use the same animal and plant-based ingredients used to produce renewable fuel? Pet food makers are facing prices 2-3x market cost due to unfair competition with fuel producers. Learn how this affects #PetFoodAvailability. #FoodBeforeFuel bit.ly/petfoodact
Social Media Images
Facebook/Twitter Graphics
Instagram graphics
Printable Half-Page Infographic
This infographic provides a concise summary of the problem, the impact to the consumer, and what they can do. Suggested uses:
- Place by cash register and instruct cashiers to direct customers’ attention to the infographic and encourage signing the petition.
- Place a printed copy of the infographic in customers’ shopping bags.
- Include the digital copy of the infographic in customer emails/newsletters or on your company’s website.
Sample Letter to the Editor
[Use company letterhead]
Contact: [Company Contact Name]
[Contact Phone Number]; [Contact Email]
[Insert Date]
Dear Mr. / Ms. [Insert last name of publication’s editor],
Pet food makers and America’s consumers have a problem: pet food makers are experiencing ingredient marketplace disruption due to government mandates and tax credits promoting the expansion of renewable diesel.
State and federal actions have created unintended consequences in the supply and demand for animal- and plant-based oils and fats, which are critical ingredients for pet nutrition and health.
The impact of this is that pet food makers are facing prices two and three times their market cost due to unfair competition for fats and oils with fuel producers. In addition to higher prices, there are alarming shortages of these ingredients that could lead to price increases for consumers, difficulty finding common pet foods, or alterations in pet food recipes.
The Pet Food Institute has developed an advocacy petition for your readers to sign to tell Congress not to advance mandates and incentives for renewable diesel that use or include the fats and oils that are historically used in human and pet food. You can learn more information about the campaign at https://bit.ly/3LB1EUw. For questions, please contact PFI’s Director of Communications Kelly Kanaras at kelly@petfoodinstitute.org.
Sincerely,
[Insert first and last name]
Other Renewable Diesel Resources
Policy Backgrounder – Renewable Diesel Impacts on Pet Food Ingredients
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