(KIWA Staff Photo)Iowa (RI) — The Iowa Corn Growers Association is urging Iowa’s congressional delegation to press the Trump Administration to release oil from the country’s Strategic Oil Reserve in an effort to increase diesel supplies and lower fuel prices.
Iowa Corn Growers Association President Steve Kuiper says federal action is needed because diesel fuel is a key input for combines, tractors, and semis used during harvest season.
In a letter to Iowa’s congressional delegation, the association cited a nearly 40-cent-per-gallon increase in diesel prices over the past week. The group says ongoing global conflicts and supply pressures are further reducing already thin margins for this year’s crop.
Kuiper says farmers are facing accelerating economic and mental strain.
The association is also asking for a waiver of IRS rules so on-road semis can use tax-exempt dyed diesel without penalty during this year’s harvest season.
The average price for diesel in Iowa was $3.50 per gallon a year ago. It is now averaging about $6.28 per gallon, down nearly 3 cents from Tuesday.
