Turning a food and to fuel.

That's the idea behind House Bill 545.

The bill from Speaker Pro Tem David Mead would encourage the use of Kentucky Farm products as sources of alternative fuel for airplanes by offering enhanced tax credits for Kentucky grown farm products and Kentucky's refineries.

Meat and other supporters said this is the right time, and Kentucky is the right place for this industry to pay off.

Airlines across the country are actively searching for reliable supplies of this fuel.

Cargo carriers and passenger airlines are already signing long term contracts and agreements.

And this question is where the industry going to grow?

It's whether or not Kentucky's going to be a part of that is going to encapsulate investment.

But we're going to watch it go to other states.

This is a win for our Kentucky farmers.

The bill creates a new demand for Kentucky agriculture products.

And by products, alternative aviation fuel can utilize our soybeans, our crop residues, agricultural byproducts.

And that means new markets and more stability for Kentucky's farmers.

We are the nation's leader in aviation fuel consumption right here in the state of Kentucky.

And surrounding areas.

We have a unique opportunity, because of the Mississippi and Ohio River, to really function as the global leader in this space.

We have the first, third and 12th largest aviation fuel consumers in the world, located within a couple hundred mile span of the Ohio and the Mississippi River.

It would be a travesty for us in Kentucky, not to take advantage of this new opportunity that we have in place to be able to work through for not only our farmers, but also our job creators, our manufacturing and our aviation sector for logistics worldwide.

Now, you just heard from Agriculture Commissioner Jonathan Schell, who says corn, soybeans and beef tallow are some of the farm products that can be converted into airline fuel.