Jul 18, 2019

Corn farmers urge Trump to uphold RFS

Posted Jul 18, 2019 4:25 PM

The National Corn Growers Association voted as an organization to urge President Trump to uphold his commitment to America's farmers and the Renewable Fuel Standard. 


A resolution passed Wednesday during the annual Corn Congress in Washington, D.C. reads: "We, the assembled voting delegates of the National Corn Growers Association, ask President Donald Trump to uphold his commitments to protect the RFS, and support farmers by ensuring EPA's administration of the RFS does not undermine the law and the benefits of renewable fuels.” 


NCGA delegates offered the statement in response to the Environmental Protection Agency’s ongoing practice of providing RFS waivers to big oil companies. The so-called small refiner waivers, NCGA says, have reduced RFS requirements by 2.6 billion ethanol-equivalent gallons through refinery exemptions, with 38 more exemptions pending. 


Corn growers say the waivers undermine the benefits of renewable fuels, and have also reduced corn use for ethanol production. They allege the waivers have lowered domestic ethanol consumption and blend rate, and will limit growth of higher ethanol blends such as E15.