News
Corn growers pleased with EPA gap year waiver decision
Corn growers are welcoming EPA’s decision to deny 54 so-called gap year Small Refinery Exemptions under the Renewable Fuels Standard.
National Corn Growers Association President Kevin Ross of Minden, Iowa says, “It’s definitely good news though, at the end of the day. It’s a big win for us and to get these things done.
Ross tells Brownfield getting the fuel refiners to follow the Renewable Fuel Standard law is important because it means real corn demand and real dollars to farmers. “Roughly 33%, or 30-40 percent of the total corn crop going into ethanol out of our 15-billion bushel crop or close to it, so you’re looking at a good five million bushels of corn, plus that makes a big difference in, you know, the demand for corn out there.”
Doug Rebout with the Wisconsin Corn Growers Association tells Brownfield the decision should also help improve corn prices. “Around 40% of our corn goes into ethanol, so yeah, it is very important. We need to keep as much corn moving as we can, and so that way we can get paid a correct price for our corn.”
Rebout says farmers prefer a fair market price for their products including corn to receiving government subsidies or assistance.
It is unclear when the EPA will decide on the remaining 14 gap year waiver applications.
