South Dakota Senator John Thune has introduced legislation that would extend for two years the Food and Drug Administration’s policy for preparation of hand sanitizer products by ethanol operations. South Dakota Corn’s Executive Director Lisa Richardson says ethanol producers that have been hurt by the pandemic and small refiner waivers have been able to produce a needed product and this bill will help.

She says while this may not make ethanol plants whole, it at least gives them some financial aid at a time they’re struggling and it uses some of the corn grind growers provide to those plants.

Richardson says the main problem facing ethanol producers is being able to get increased demand and recover from the over approval of small refiner waivers which has hurt the Renewable Fuel Standard.

Senate Co-sponsors of the Hand Sanitizer legislation include South Dakota’s Mike Rounds, Iowa’s Chuck Grassley and Indiana’s Mike Braun.