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Ethanol, corn leaders say waivers must be addressed

There are reports that the Trump administration will unveil a biofuels package addressing small refinery waivers within the week.

Renewable Fuels Association President Geoff Cooper says although he doesn’t know the details surrounding the package, it can’t come soon enough.  

“Each day that passes without a resolution is one step closer to the abyss for ethanol plants and farmers across the country,” he says. “Harvest of this year’s crop is beginning and unfortunately we have farmers in many areas that don’t know where they’re going to market their corn this year.”

He says waivers continue to hurt the industry and have caused 18 ethanol plants with a combined capacity of 1 billion gallons to close or idle in the last year. And, he says, anything short of reallocating the small refinery exemptions in the 2020 final rule for the RFS will not sit well for farmers and ethanol producers.

Kevin Ross, president of the National Corn Growers Association, says it’s adding another layer on an already challenging year for farmers.

“Small refinery exemptions is a topic that is forefront of a lot of farmers minds because the RFS is paramount to markets for us and keeping these markets open and expanding for growing crops and growing yields that we continue to have,” he says.

Ethanol and corn leaders participated in a conference call this afternoon including: Neil Koehler, chairman of RFA; Kevin Ross, president of the National Corn Growers Association; Brian Thalmann, president of the Minnesota Corn Growers Association; Randy Doyal, CEO of Al-Corn Clean Fuel in Minnesota; and Geoff Cooper, president and CEO of the RFA.