During last week’s Corn Congress, the National Corn Growers Association’s biannual delegate meeting, 124 delegates representing 28 states delved into policy and debated the most pressing issues facing America’s farmers. The thoughtful discussion yielded significant insight into many issues, but the most pressing discussion turned to the current debate over the Renewable Fuel Standard.
The farmers in attendance voted unanimously to approve a “Sense of the Corn Congress” motion directed toward President Trump. The motion states:
“Whereas, the Renewable Fuel Standard has been a successful public policy for our nation’s energy security, the environment and rural America; and
“Whereas, the Renewable Identification Number component of the Renewable Fuel Standard is vital to the success of the RFS; and
“Whereas, RINs are the market mechanism that drives blending to obligated levels; and
“Whereas, any cap or other manipulation of the RIN program would disrupt that mechanism and diminish the related incentive to blend; and
“Whereas, farmers across the country are facing historically low prices and the farm economy is truly suffering;
“Therefore, we, the assembled voting delegates of the National Corn Growers Association, do ask President Donald Trump to retain the current RIN system without change.”
NCGA continues to monitor all discussions around ethanol and fully support the RFS. Notably, in 2017, ethanol accounted for 30 percent of U.S. corn production.