OLYMPIA — The Senate moved closer last week to adopting a clean-fuels standard, amending legislation to back-up claims that phasing in biofuels would be a boon to farmers.

The Ways and Means Committee called for at least one-quarter of the feedstock for biofuels used in Washington to come from Washington. Farm groups sought the guarantee. Even with it, the groups remain opposed to the bill.

“We’ve been upfront about that. We’re not going to support the bill,” said lobbyist Mark Streuli, who represents the Washington Cattlemen’s Association, and onion and potato growers.

“But we’re also realistic and see the bill moving. So why shouldn’t we be proactive and make it better?” he asked. “Farms are trying to survive out there. If the incentives are right and it’s profitable, they will grow it.”

A low-carbon fuel standard, already adopted by California and Oregon, would command a higher percentage of biofuels in on-road gasoline and diesel. Gov. Jay Inslee asked for the climate bill, and the House already has passed the legislation, House Bill 1091.

Although forecasts are speculative, California and Oregon regulators agree that renewable fuels push pump prices up. Farm groups oppose the policy because it would increase transportation costs.

Proponents of the bill argue farmers could profit by growing crops such as canola and corn and capitalize on the government-created demand for biofuels.

“We kept hearing that, but we’re not really hearing that from farmers,” said Ben Buchholz, executive director of the Northwest Agricultural Cooperative Council.

“Finally a couple of us looked at each and said, ‘If it’s true, let’s put it in the bill.’”

Senate agriculture committee chairman Kevin Van De Wege, D-Sequim, sponsored the amendment. If by 2026, one-quarter of the feedstock for biofuels isn’t from Washington, the program will pause.

Environment and Energy Committee chairman Reuven Carlyle, D-Seattle, backed the amendment. “We do want to see active participation from the agricultural community,” he said.

Washington Farm Bureau director of government relations Tom Davis said it was a case of “trying to make a bad bill a little less bad.”

“We think it’s a bad policy, but at least it should benefit farmers here in Washington,” Davis said.

The Ways and Means Committee approved Van De Wege’s amendment on a bipartisan voice vote.

The bill itself passed from the committee on a party-line vote. Democrats voted “yes” and Republicans voted “no.” The bill must still be voted on by the full Senate.

The bill would require several state agencies to oversee an effort to reduce the carbon emissions from transportation fuels by 10% below 2017 levels by 2028 and by 20% by 2035.

Fuel used on farms to produce crops would be exempted from the standard.