News

Bustos, other lawmakers continue to push for ethanol assistance

A bipartisan group of lawmakers is disappointed that ethanol producers were not included in the USDA’s Coronavirus Food Assistance Program aid package.

Congresswoman Cheri Bustos of Illinois says the decision cut out an entire market and is “dangerously shortsighted.” She says “The administration has demonstrated a clear pattern of prioritizing padding the pockets of their friends at big oil” rather than standing with family farmers.

Bustos, a Democrat, and other lawmakers with the Biofuels Caucus in Congress sent a letter to Ag Secretary Perdue earlier this month highlighting the importance of the ethanol industry and requesting assistance.

Bustos pressured Perdue on a House Appropriations call this week to make part of the additional $14 billion in Commodity Credit Corporation funding available to ethanol producers.