Contact: Cassidy Walter
515-252-6249

JOHNSTON, IOWA – Iowa agricultural and biofuels groups are encouraging Iowa farmers and consumers to make their voices heard by submitting comments on EPA’s recently proposed rule that was supposed to protect the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) from refinery exemptions.

The Iowa Corn Growers Association, Iowa Soybean Association, Iowa Biodiesel Board and Iowa Renewable Fuels Association issued the following statement:

“It is up to all of us to make it loud and clear that EPA’s proposed rule fails to follow through on President Trump’s commitment to protect the RFS, and that it won’t reopen a single one of the biofuels plants shut down across the country. There are only a few weeks left to make your voice heard. We urge all Iowans to join the fight and let EPA know it must make this right and ensure the final rule truly protects the RFS. Thousands of jobs hang in the balance in Iowa and beyond, including family farmers already facing headwinds from multiple directions. Iowans must stand up for this critical state industry.”

Agricultural and biofuels groups have created multiple portals to make it easy for farmers and consumers to share their comments from now until November 26.

Sign the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association’s letter telling EPA to stick to the deal here: https://iowarfa.org/sticktothedeal/

Tell EPA how waivers hurt corn farmers by checking out Iowa Corn’s take action portal: https://www.iowacorn.org/take-action-on-corn-issues/

Let EPA know that RFS exemptions are hurting biodiesel and soybean producers: https://www.votervoice.net/NBB/campaigns/68966/respond

The deal President Trump announced on October 4^th was designed to stop demand destruction caused by EPA’s granting of small refinery exemptions (SREs) from the RFS. Industry leaders were told EPA would reallocate those exemptions based on a three-year average of previous actual exemptions. However, a proposal released by EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler days later makes the method of accounting for lost gallons arbitrary, allowing EPA to continue deflating the RFS to refiners’ advantage.

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The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association represents the state’s liquid renewable fuels industry and works to foster its growth. Iowa is the nation’s leader in renewable fuels production with 43 ethanol refineries capable of producing over 4.5 billion gallons annually – including 34 million gallons of annual cellulosic ethanol production capacity – and 11 biodiesel facilities with the capacity to produce nearly 400 million gallons annually. For more information, visit the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association website at: www.IowaRFA.org.