Practice leads to drop in ethanol demand, hurting MN farmers and businesses

Minnesota Senate Republicans sent a letter to President Donald Trump and Andrew Wheeler, Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), urging the federal government to end their practice of issuing small oil refinery waivers. The EPA’s recent decision to issue the waivers, including 31 last month, lead to a drop in the demand for ethanol by 4 billion gallons. This action directly hurts Minnesota farmers, businesses, and ethanol producers across the country, including the Corn Plus Ethanol Plant in Winnebago, MN. While Senate Republicans praised the federal decision to make it possible to offer E-15 fuel year-round, the continued issuance of small refinery waivers erases the gains made for farmers.

The letter was signed by Senator Julie Rosen (R-Vernon Center), Senator Rich Draheim (R-Madison Lake), the chairs of both the Senate Agriculture, Rural Development, and Housing Finance and Policy Committees, and eleven other Republican Senators.

For the full letter and list of signees, click here.