The Iowa Corn Growers Association claims farmers have been cheated out of a good economy due to the latest action by the Environmental Protection Agency.

Last week the EPA released the final 2020 Renewable Volume Obligation, which estimates future small refinery waivers based on the Department of Energy’s recommendation, instead of averaging the past three years of actual waivers granted and adding those gallons back into the Renewable Fuel Standard, as proposed by the ICGA. President Jim Greif is quoted saying, “Apparently President Trump doesn’t care about his promise to Iowa’s farmers. He had the opportunity to tell his EPA to stick to the deal that was made on October 4th.”

The ICGA and the Iowa Corn Promotion Board continues the ongoing fight to expand market access for corn, as District 7 Director and Menlo farmer Ralph Lents mentions where they might focus next, “This summer President Trump gave the go-ahead for E15 at the pumps and if we can get that going. The only thing that slows that down is we need more pumps that handle E15, we need more infrastructure. And that’s where we need to concentrate on getting more pumps put in all these stations so people can buy E15, which will create a demand for ethanol and will help us tremendously if we can get these pumps put in place.”

Lents refers to the EPA’s final rule last May allowing E15 to be sold to 2001 and newer vehicles year-round across the country, a fuel blend containing 15-percent ethanol. The comment period for the recent EPA ruling gathered over 1,000 farmer comments, but now the ICGA states they’re left with empty promises and no market certainty.