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Ohio corn growers pleased with biofuels announcement

Ohio Corn and Wheat Growers Association Executive Director Tadd Nicholson says the announcement that the biofuels proposal will expand biofuel blending requirements in 2020 is a welcome relief.

“Today’s announcement reaffirms that the president is committed to his support of biofuels and that’s a really good thing for corn farmers,” he says. “It’s been a tough year, and this is just something that was piling on and so for us to be able to come to some resolution today is a relief.”

He tells Brownfield corn growers and ethanol producers have been negatively impacted by the waivers.

He says the recent idling of Three Rivers Energy in Coshocton, Ohio is an example of that.  

“We certainly hope that plant comes back online soon,” he says. “Anytime you shut these down, these are big effects across the economy. Not just the corn farmers, but everybody that supplies those ethanol plants and the jobs around the community where those plants are.”

Nicholson says although this is a great momentum shift, there is more work to be done.

Audio: Tadd Nicholson, Ohio Corn and Wheat Growers Association