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Biofuels groups urgently seek relief for renewable fuels industry

Biofuels groups are urgently seeking relief for the renewable fuels industry.

Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor says the ethanol market has been hit by a perfect storm on the heels of one of the toughest years on record, and plants need help.

“So you’ve got to kind of look at what are some of the more immediate things we could use to assist these plants so they continue, quite frankly, to meet payroll and keep their employees employed and with access to healthcare. And then you look at it in the long-term as we move into market recovery (and) market growth once fuel demand has recovered.”

She tells Brownfield she’s concerned nearly half the industry might be offline within weeks.

“There are conversations in Washington D.C. about what opportunities there are for immediate assistance. Certainly through the Small Business Administration there are some avenues for those plants that qualify. But not all ethanol plants will qualify, they’re not all small businesses.”

Skor says a bipartisan group of U.S. Senators sent a letter to Ag Secretary Perdue Tuesday, requesting USDA step in and provide direct assistance to the biofuels sector.