Iowa Corn Growers Association members convened virtually for the annual Grassroots Summit. Incoming president Carl Jardon speaks to key issues, which remain of top priority among the nation?s leaders in corn production.
One-hundred plus corn growers this week signed on for the Iowa Corn Growers Association 2020 Grassroots Summit. Items of discussion included trade, renewable fuels, among other issues.
?We talked about our usual things. Trade is one of our top issues, (and) the Renewable Fuel Standard,” Jardon says. Renewable fuel waivers are a concern, and one of the largest oil companies is still building MTBE factories, (which) we know cause cancer. Ethanol is the cheapest and best oxygenate we have, so I don?t understand why people are using MTBE. That?s just another hurdle we have to go over.?
Another hurdle growers must clear are small refinery exemptions. The Environmental Protection Agency recently cited 98 requests for 2011-2020 Renewable Fuel Standard compliance years. Iowa Corn seeks a resolution for this growing problem. Jardon makes note of relief offered to biofuels producers, which should help offset the impacts of COVID-19.
?We are happy that the Governor, through the CARES Act, has given money for ethanol and biodiesel producers,” Jardon says. “Like the Renewable Fuels Infrastructure Program, helping gas stations put in ethanol pumps, higher blend pumps for E15 and higher blends.”
