It’s amazing that a legitimate sounding organization can really be a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Witness the “Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy,” (IATP) an official sounding organization that one might think is even related to government. If you thought that, you’d be wrong. They’re leading a new charge against ethanol producers because of the antibiotics that some plants use in the fermentation process. Yes, seriously. A quick check of tax status of the IATP shows they’re a 501(c)3 organization, meaning that contributions to IATP are tax-deductible. Their official IRS 990 form also shows they pay out $2.3 million a year in salaries and retirement plans. Not too shabby, eh?

IATP’s white paper titled, “Bugs in the System” alleges that what they call corn mash (we in the industry call that DDGS) is being illegally fed to livestock in violation of FDA regulations.

Despite their 501(c)3 status, IATP lobbies Congress on many issues, including antibiotics and the Farm Bill.