Statewide Iowa — Leaders of Iowa farm commodity and biofuels groups held a news conference Wednesday to call on President Trump to force the EPA to follow the deal on ethanol and biodiesel that Trump struck with the industry a dozen days ago.
Primghar farmer Kelly Nieuwenhuis is board president of the Sioux Center ethanol plant that has shut down joined the event by phone. He told reporters President Trump “has lost a lot of support” over his administration’s approach to ethanol policy.
Iowa Corn Growers Association CEO Craig Floss warned thousands of farmers who invested in ethanol and biodiesel plants will go out of business if the EPA plan stands. Grant Kimberly, executive director of the Iowa Biodiesel Board, agrees.
Iowa Renewable Fuels Association executive director Monte Shaw says the EPA draft for implementing the ethanol and biodiesel mandates over the next three years will create an economic crisis.
EPA officials, in revealing details of their ethanol and biodiesel policies for 2020, said their action “fulfills the agreement reached on October 4th with the White House, EPA and USDA.”
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Original story posted 11:13am, 10/16/2019
Statewide Iowa — (RI) — Iowa’s ethanol and biodiesel industry reacted in disbelief and anger after the Environmental Protection Agency issued a draft policy on future biofuels production targets.
The president of the Iowa Corn Growers Association was first to react, saying he was outraged the EPA failed to implement the details of a plan President Trump announced less than two weeks ago. Trump’s outline suggested oil refineries would be forced to blend more ethanol in gasoline next year, to make up for the ethanol blending waivers granted this year. The Iowa Corn Growers’ leader said the EPA’s document fell “well short” of that mark.
The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association blasted the EPA for reneging on Trump’s biofuels deal. The Iowa Biodiesel Board said the EPA’s plan did not restore the integrity of the Renewable Fuels Standard, as Trump had promised.
The EPA, in issuing its announcement, included comments from Iowa Senators Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst as well as Iowa Ag Secretary Mike Naig, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds and Lieutenant Governor Adam Gregg, all Republicans, all of whom the EPA quoted praising the proposal.
Reynolds, in a separate written statement late Tuesday afternoon released by her own office, said she understands the industry’s frustration and distrust, and Reynolds suggested farmers need to make their voices heard during the 30-day period for public comment on the EPA’s plan.
Dave Loebsack, a Democrat from Iowa City, was the first member of Iowa’s congressional delegation to speak individually on Tuesday’s news. He called the EPA’s proposed policy “outrageous” because it provides no guarantee the ethanol and biodiesel production mandates will ever be restored. Congresswoman Cindy Axne, a Democrat form Des Moines, called it a broken promise from the president that’s “insulting, deeply disappointing, but unfortunately, not surprising.” Congresswoman Abby Finkenaur, a Democrat from Dubuque, said once again Iowa farmers are being let down by a president who “plays favorites with big oil.”
Former Vice President Joe Biden’s campaign was the first in the Democratic presidential field to weigh in, issuing a statement on what it referred to as “the Trump Administration’s continued sabotage of Iowa’s renewable fuels industry.” Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar accused Trump of being more interested in his “big oil buddies” than in the plight of farmers.
Photo Courtesy Radio Iowa
