IARN — Iowa commodity organizations joined forces in penning a letter to President Trump, which outlines their disappointment with his ability to enforce the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS).
The Iowa Biodiesel Board, Iowa Corn Growers Association, Iowa Renewable Fuels Association, and Iowa Soybean Association “beseech” President Trump” to “protect the Renewable Fuel Standard and implement the program at statutory levels.”
Iowa Corn Growers Association president Jim Greif says, “We’re getting fed up with small refinery exemptions.” He adds, “The law’s the law, so let’s follow the law.”
“We keep getting small refinery waivers thrown at us, and we’re getting fed up with it. So we put a letter together to explain why we need to get back to the Renewable Fuel Standard, as it was written and get some of these refinery waivers stopped,” Grief said.
Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA) pressed the President on this issue, as he assessed storm damage in Cedar Rapids. Ernst says, “Our farmers would love…these gap-year waivers oil refineries are submitting to the EPA, we dispense those.” President Trump agreed to speak with Environmental Protection Agency staff about this matter.
Iowa Renewable Fuel Association executive director Monte Shaw says, “We’re pleased the President has committed to talking with EPA. Now rural Iowans wait to see if Trump orders EPA to deny the baseless and illegal RFS waivers or be stonewalled by his own administration.” However, Greif is not pleased by President Trump’s response.
“That’s the same response we get every time we get his ear. He says he’s going to do something about it, but doesn’t. We’re starting to get a little fed up,” Greif said.
Small refinery exemptions took one billion bushels of corn off the market, which not only impacted corn farmers, but end users. Greif says, “We’d like to get back to normal, where we have a market that is stable.”
Story courtesy of the Iowa Agribusiness Radio Network.
