ICGA STATEMENT REGARDING EPA's FINAL RULE REGARDING ETHANOL BLEND LEVELS

Tricia Braid

Nov 30, 2015  |  Today's News

 


Jeff Jarboe, a farmer from Loda, Ill., and Illinois Corn Growers Association President, released the following statement after learning of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) final decision regarding the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) Renewable Volume Obligation (RVO) for 2014, 2015, and 2016.

“The Administration and EPA have struck another blow against agriculture with their final rule on the RFS RVO numbers. The only acceptable decision by EPA would have been a return to the volumes Congress wrote into law. Instead, President Obama is handing Big Oil a victory by turning away from reduced greenhouse gas emissions just as he’s attending the climate change talks in Paris.

“In addition to the detrimental air quality impacts of reducing the amount of ethanol in our nation’s fuel supply, the EPA’s reduced RVO numbers also carry a negative impact to farmers’ bottom lines. Illinois farmers are expected to experience a 47 percent decline in farm income since 2012. In fact, net farm income in Illinois is forecast to decline by a whopping 68 percent from a 2013 high. For these reasons, I’m baffled by the Obama Administration’s decision to change course on the RFS.”