A just released report from the University of Missouri’s Food and Agriculture Policy Research Institute shows if refiner waiver exemptions continue under the Renewable Fuel Standard, there will be a loss of 4.6 billion gallons of domestic demand. That will also result in about $20 billion in lost sales. Iowa Renewable Fuels Association Executive Director Monte Shaw says that will do significant damage to both the corn and ethanol industries.
He says the number from the FAPRI report are quite telling and farmers are getting angry at what’s happening with those waivers. Shaw also says the administration’s promise of year round E15 and support for ethanol are not occurring.
Shaw says the administration needs to wake up and smell the coffee and realize that allowing the RFS waivers to continue won’t help them with the midterm elections right around the corner.
The Environmental Protection Agency has granted a total of 49 waivers for 2016 and 2017 and during that time waived a total of 2.25 billion gallons.
