Carol Browner, top adviser to President Obama on energy and climate issues, is leaving her position at the White House.

According to Illinois Corn Growers Association (ICGA) President, Jim Reed, the announcement that Ms. Browner is leaving her White House post may signal that the administration is changing its focus to a more business friendly regulatory environment.

Carol Browner’s position as President Obama’s top energy and climate adviser gave her a lot of influence over the direction of the US Environmental Protection Agency the past two years.  The majority of ICGA’s time during the last session of Congress was spent trying to deal with unreasonable costly and misguided rules and regulations proposed by the US EPA.

“We look forward to working with a new Congress and a more focused administration on some priority issues for Illinois corn farmers that encourage business growth and new jobs. Hopefully this change will signal a return to a more scientific and less politically driven agenda at EPA,” said ICGA President Jim Reed.

During her tenure in Obama’s cabinet, Browner was the key proponent of the cap-and-trade legislation aimed at combating climate change that failed to pass in Congress in 2010.    This legislation was not celebrated by Illinois farmers, who envisioned large costs to comply with the environmental standards without any financial returns to maintain their narrow margins.

Read more about Carol Browner’s move here.

Bottom line: Carol Browner will step down from her position at Climate and Energy Czar in the White House which experts and ICGA hopes is a signal that the President and his administration will now refocus on policies that promote business and job creation.