As we celebrate our nation’s independence, I’m calling on my fellow farmers and Iowans to take the time to celebrate ethanol, Iowa’s cleaner burning, homegrown fuel which creates more than 43,000 jobs here in our great state.
Right now, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed lowering the amount of ethanol in their 2017 Renewable Volume Obligation (RVO). The RVO, set by the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), ensures that American made ethanol is blended in our fuel supply, and it is the most successful U.S. energy policy in recent history. By setting the RVO conventional target at 14.8 billion instead of 15 billion that was laid out in the statute, the EPA will effectively cap corn ethanol at that number, cutting corn usage by 71.4 million bushels.
As a farmer, I understand first-hand and appreciate the value of our free market system. I am at the mercy of these markets every day when it comes to marketing my crops. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said of the U.S. fuel market. For centuries, big oil companies have enjoyed a variety of tax incentives which led to incredible barriers for the entry of ethanol and other renewable fuels into the marketplace. This all changed when Congress passed the Renewable Fuel Standard in an effort to provide cleaner-burning fuel options for consumers at the pump.
The RFS continues to be extremely important to farmers like myself, and our families. It helped rebuild rural America by providing opportunities for young and educated individuals to turn to farming as secure careers. The RFS demonstrably keeps rural America working and thriving.
This issue expands beyond benefiting the corn industry — with it touching not only the cost and quality of fuel at the pump and the quality of air we breathe, but also our nation's reliance on foreign oil. So, stand in support of America's homegrown fuel and a strong Renewable Fuel Standard by urging the EPA to follow the law of the RFS so you have choices at the pump for Iowa's homegrown fuel. Go to www.ncga.com/rfs.