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Corn growers and ethanol producers are concerned about the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed fix for ethanol demand. The comment period is still open. The ethanol industry wants the federal government to account for dozens of ethanol exemption waivers it issued to small refineries.
Iowa’s Republican elected officials to say they are confident the President is on their side, though the EPA proposal disappointed many. Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley says intends to submit comments asking that the legally required number of gallons be met.
But at the same time, he says the administration has some fences to mend in the Corn Belt.
There’s a big public relations problem with people in the ethanol industry, corn farmers, this senator about EPA keeping their word. Playing footsie with the big oil companies.
Grassley says he trusts President Trump but needs the EPA to demonstrate beyond any doubt that the 15 billion gallons of ethanol required by the Renewable Fuel Standard will be blended.
A lot of U.S. crops remain in the fields, according to yesterday’s USDA Crop Progress Report.
Many farmers continue to wait on the sidelines to get into the fields. With freezing temperatures, heavy snowfall, and high winds hitting the northern Plains, the corn in North Dakota is only 4% harvested. South Dakota corn farmers have picked 9%, while Minnesota farmers have completed just 11% of their harvest.
Iowa farmers have only 15% of their corn out of the fields.
